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[US] Soldiers charged with stealing, selling military equipment to foreign nations

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Soldiers charged with stealing, selling military equipment to foreign nations
Published October 06, 2016
FoxNews.com


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The main gate for Fort Campbell on the Kentucky-Tennessee border. (REUTERS/Harrison McClary)

Six Fort Campbell soldiers were among eight people indicted by a federal grand jury on accusations they engaged in a conspiracy to steal and sell military sniper telescopes, machine gun parts, grenade launcher sights and other sensitive equipment to the highest bidder online – including several buyers in hostile foreign countries.

The soldiers are charged with stealing more than $1 million worth of equipment, such as flight helmets, communications headsets, body armor and medical supplies, according to a Justice Dept. news release issued Thursday. Two of the men are charged with selling some of the equipment to customers in Russia, China (including Hong Kong), Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Mexico, among other nations.

“The actions of the soldiers charged today should in no way stain the honor of the brave men and women who proudly serve in our country’s armed forces and selflessly give everything to protect America’s freedom,” U.S. Attorney David Rivera said. “To the contrary, we never want to allow the illegal and self-serving actions of a few to cast a shadow on the thousands of military heroes who every day place themselves in harm’s way to protect this great nation.”

Those indicted on Wednesday were John Roberts, 26; Cory Wilson, 42; U.S. Army Sargent Michael Barlow, 29; Sargent Jonathan Wolford, 28; Specialist Kyle Heade, 29; Specialist Alexander Hollibaugh, 25; Specialist Dustin Nelson 22; and Specialist Aaron Warner, 24.

Each man is charged with conspiring to steal or receive U.S. Army property and to sell or convey U.S. Army property without authority. Roberts was also charged with 10 counts of wire fraud and one count of violating the Arms Export Control Act. Wilson was charged with seven counts of wire fraud, one count of money laundering and one count of violating the Arms Exports Control Act. Barlow was charged with three counts of selling or conveying U.S. Army property without authority.

If convicted, on the conspiracy counts, each man could face up to five years in prison. Roberts and Wilson face up to 20 years in prison for each wire fraud count. Barlow could get up to 10 years if convicted on the conveying charge.
 
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Small gear sold...nothing big. No real story to be honest.
 
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Small level corruption is common within the US , especially the DLA. It's called being human.
At least there are checks and balances to catch such acts unlike many many many other nations.
 
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G'day Mate

I don't think this have anything to do with morale or the soldier themselves, rather, it is indeed a market to trade military equipment.

Take Australia as an example. Australian Defence Force specifically stated that all MoD equipment are government properties and must not be sold, rent or trade without written approval from the MoD. Yet, this is what it's look like if you would go to ebay.com and type Land 125 Auscam (Australian equipment)

http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_...125+AUscam.TRS0&_nkw=Land+125+AUscam&_sacat=0

or this - DPDU (Australian desert camo)

http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_...313.TR0.TRC0.H0.XDPDU.TRS0&_nkw=DPDU&_sacat=0

In this case, small item goes unnoticed easy, basically whatever you can put in a pocket or your bag, you can take it away after you have done your service, if it's easy enough to conceal, it's easy enough to go unnoticed.

I did not serve in the US Armed Forces so I do not know how they do their audit. In Australia, you are stand in front of a QM (Quarter Master) and you will have a list of returned/returning gear, and if that gear is missing, you will be charge the full amount for the item, and since in Australia, private ownership of firearms, firearms parts, body armour, body protection as well as tactical item are illegal as per Australian law, if you cannot produce, for example, you RBH (Combat Helmet) or SAPI plate after discharging audit, you will be brought into the local police station and you will be prosecuted. That is the only reason why
firearms parts and body protection item is not rampant in Australian civilian market.

In the US, firearms parts and body protection is legal to obtain, which mean I think at worst you will only need to pay for it if it was missing in your audit, not going to jail.

I also have to mention the military surplus market is very big in Asia, especially Hong Kong and China, they have a big collector/enthusiast market over there .Many people from that area have asked me for my AUSCAM gear, and they are willing to pay good money for it.

This happened to many country, including China, in fact, the harder the item to get, the more price they can fetch.

http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_...+07+Uniform.TRS0&_nkw=PLA+07+Uniform&_sacat=0

This is a link for PLA 07 Uniform.

Davos
 
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Small level corruption is common within the US , especially the DLA. It's called being human.
At least there are checks and balances to catch such acts unlike many many many other nations.

Oh, the checks do exist in many other nations. They are just usually overlooked.
 
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