CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
Remount Road, Stall Road, Midland Parkway, Ashley Phosphate Road, Dorchester Road ... almost every member of Team Charleston is familiar with these roads and most of us probably drive on at least one of them every day.
What you may not be familiar with is the potential danger that surrounds us as we travel. If you pay attention to the graffiti along these routes, on houses, fences, businesses and many other places, you will notice a change has been taking place. Much of what you see is more than simple graffiti. Gang activity in North Charleston, particularly in the areas immediately surrounding the base, is on the rise and growing rivalries threaten violence.
However, this external violence is not the only threat these gangs pose to Team Charleston. Gangs have been attempting to infiltrate the U.S. Army for years and have succeeded in some instances. Drugs, guns, violence and murder accompany these gangs while military training and weapons only make the problem worse. The threat does not belong to the Army alone; the Air Force, Navy and Marines are also at risk.
Not long ago, a violent gang initiation in Germany involving Army and Air Force members resulted in the beating death of a fellow servicemember. This was likely an event tied to the Gangster Disciple Nation, a largely African-American Chicago-based street gang whose tags can be seen in the Charleston area. While our nation is fighting our enemies across the globe, can we truly afford such senseless violence and waste of our own? This is not the only example of such gang problems, as reading the news each week will show you. Even in Iraq, military materiel has been tagged with gang symbols like those seen just outside the base.
Drugs and weapons are also a natural part of gang involvement and the Air Force's lack of tolerance for such dangerous behavior is no secret.
According to Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley, "It goes without saying that participation in such activity has no place in our Air Force."
Our wing leadership has also made it abundantly clear that gang involvement by Team Charleston members will not be tolerated. Working closely with all of our commanders, first sergeants and fellow Airmen, the Air Force Office of Special Investigations and security forces will aggressively track down these criminal acts. Our close relationships with other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies mean that we have excellent information about what happens even outside our gates. The primary purpose of this proactive effort is to keep you, our Airmen, safe from incidents like that in Germany.
For those of you who may question how real the gang presence is, simply look on Stall Road; Los Norteños gang members have defaced Sur-13 gang tags. MS-13 is another gang becoming more active in the Charleston area and they have recently made major national news for the threat they represent. The Latin Kings, various Crips and Bloods members, and other locally-affiliated gangs are also here. Ladson Road is even home to the regional headquarters of the infamous biker gang, the Hell's Angels.
The threat is real, and vigilance is the surest way to prevent tragedy for Team Charleston. We are here to keep you safe, but we need your help to take care of each other. The best way to help is to know what to look for. Be alert and report anything you suspect might threaten Team Charleston.
As the Eagle Eyes slogan reads, "Watch, report, protect."