But not all of these returning vets will become criminals and gang members. The majority will re-enter society as productive citizens. A few will become lawmen.
This was also true among the veterans returning from service in the Civil War, World War I, World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. The same technical and tactical skills became valuable assets to the law enforcement community. They made good gang cops.
Of late, agencies have been reluctant to hire these returning combat veterans. The risk managers and department psychologists have blocked their hiring, apparently fearing they might be liabilities to the agency because of past war-time psychological issues. They worry about the veteran's use of violence. These same psychologists and risk managers would have blocked returning World War I, World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam vets if they had the power. Luckily they did not, or many of our most famous gang busters would never have carried a badge and gun.
Like war, police work can be an ugly job. Like military service, it can be dangerous physically and psychologically. But who's better prepared to endure that crucible than our returning combat veterans? To quote George Orwell, "People sleep peacefully in their beds at night only because rough men (and women) stand ready to do violence on their behalf." This idea describes military and police occupations.
Some of the best gang busters I have ever worked with were former military combat veterans, especially former U.S. Marines, Army Special Forces members, or military policemen. We should be giving our current returning veterans preference in hiring, rather than hindering them.
