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(U) MCIO Statement
(U) The Military Criminal Investigative Organizations (MCIO) – Air Force Office of Special Investigations
(AFOSI), Army Criminal Investigation Command (CID), and Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) –
have identified military personnel with street gang and OMG membership or affiliation in their respective
branches of the US Armed Forces; however, their presence does not appear to be widespread or
organized. The AFOSI, CID, and NCIS report that less than one percent of felony investigations conducted
in fiscal years 2013 and 2014 involved military members who were identified as gang members and their
associates.
(U) MCIO participation in this publication helps educate our law enforcement partners about the
presence of military members with gang affiliation or membership and encourages reporting to the
MCIOs when identification of military members with known or suspected gang membership or affiliation
is developed. It also helps formulate a more accurate threat picture as it relates to street gangs and OMGs
in the military.
(U) The MCIOs encourage gang officers and detectives to reach out to recruiters from all branches of the
military in their jurisdiction. This outreach will facilitate coordination and aid recruiters by providing them
with an additional resource for tattoo identification and confirming a recruit’s possible gang affiliation.
Local law enforcement has the best knowledge of gangs in their jurisdiction and these contacts will be a
valuable addition to their toolbox.
(U) Department Of Defense Instruction (DODI) 1325.06, Handling of Dissident and Protest Activities
Among Members of the Armed Forces, dated 22 February 2014, designates extremist group or gang
participation as prohibited activities for US Armed Forces personnel and provides commanders the
authority to take administrative and disciplinary actions for that participation. Active participation
includes, but is not limited to, fundraising; demonstrating or rallying; recruiting, training, organizing, or
leading members; distributing material (including posting on-line); knowingly wearing gang colors or
clothing; having tattoos or body markings associated with such gangs or organizations; or otherwise
engaging in activities in furtherance of the objective of such gangs or organizations that are detrimental
to good order, discipline, or mission accomplishment or are incompatible with military service. In short,
commanders are not required to wait until a crime occurs; they can take action based solely on evidence
of active participation in a gang.
(U) US DOD, http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/132506p.pdf
MCIO Contact Information
• AFOSI – hqafosi.watch@us.af.mil
• CID - Army.CID.Crime.Tips@mail.mil
• NCIS - http://www.ncis.navy.mil/ (Text Tip Web Tool link in the center of the homepage)
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2015 NATIONAL GANG REPORT 35