UNSUSPECTED: THE U.S. MILITARY’S UNINTENDED CONTRIBUTION TO OUTLAW MOTORCYCLE GANGS
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Authors
King, S Nicholas
Subjects
Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs
OMG
Outlaw Motorcycle Club
Military Motorcycle Clubs
Mil-MC
MIL/VET
Veteran Motorcycle Clubs
Military Members
Veteran Members
Military Support Club
Veteran Support Club
Military Puppet Club
Veteran Puppet Club
Military Training
Military Trained
Social Identity Theory
SIT
Social Identity Analytical Method
SIAM
patron-client relationship
challenge-response cycle
honor-shame paradigm
limited good
One-Percenter
One Percenter
1%er
OMG
Outlaw Motorcycle Club
Military Motorcycle Clubs
Mil-MC
MIL/VET
Veteran Motorcycle Clubs
Military Members
Veteran Members
Military Support Club
Veteran Support Club
Military Puppet Club
Veteran Puppet Club
Military Training
Military Trained
Social Identity Theory
SIT
Social Identity Analytical Method
SIAM
patron-client relationship
challenge-response cycle
honor-shame paradigm
limited good
One-Percenter
One Percenter
1%er
Advisors
Brannan, David W.
Halladay, Carolyn C.
Date of Issue
2019-12
Date
Publisher
Monterey, CA; Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
Active-duty military members and veterans (MIL/VETs) are joining, facilitating, and creating outlaw motorcycle gangs in search of a familiar social identity. MIL/VETs’ advantageous skill sets, and their international deployments, are helping outlaw motorcycle gangs expand beyond law enforcement’s ability to interdict them. In an effort to understand why some MIL/VETs join outlaw motorcycle gangs, this thesis analyzed publicly available information, and the author’s personal experience as a gang investigator, through social identity theory and the social identity analytical method. The research found that outlaw motorcycle gang culture takes advantage of concepts such as patron-client relationships, challenge-response cycles, and honor challenges to provide MIL/VETs a limited good—a positive social identity—through its pseudo-warfare environment. The research also identified that MIL/VETs have specific motivations for seeking a positive identity through motorcycle gangs, including a desire to expand the criminal tradecraft, redeem regrets or missed opportunities from their military service, seek post-military employment, or address identity deficits. The findings in this thesis, along with additional research into these motivations, will contribute to the study of outlaw motorcycle gang culture and may help illuminate suitable alternatives to offer MIL/VETs.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
National Security Affairs (NSA)
Organization
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funder
Format
Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
Rights
Copyright is reserved by the copyright owner.