Another Kirtland Airman Makes (bad) News

If I recall correctly, there were about 25,000 people that showed up for work or lived on Kirtland Air Force base each day. That's a good-sized state college. However, recent actions make it a campus I'd be hesitant about allowing my kids attend. A location dedicated to protecting Americans has to do better.

In the past few years, there have been an alarming number of instances involving the dumbassery of our Airmen. And I'm not talking about the run-of-the-mill drunk driving that you'd find at any college.

No, Kirtland has posted a spotty track record of late, with death, drugs and Christian Bale. But leave it to an Airman from the vaunted and highly respected377th Medical Group to raise the bar.

In New Mexico, an Airman is Arrested in the Killing of a Man on Lower Greenville
By Robert Wilonsky in Crime and Punishment
Tuesday, Feb. 24 2009 @ 9:17AM

The Associated Press reports this morning that a man has been arrested in the death of Marlon Alfaro, the 23-year-old from Irving who was beaten and run over in a Lower Greenville Avenue club's parking lot on January 25. Dallas police and a certain Barking Dog had speculated in a KXAS-Channel 5 story that Alfaro's murder, which took place after an argument turned into an altercation, was gang-related.

Which makes 23-year-old Frank Farias an unlikely suspect: Since August 2006, he's been a member of the 377th Medical Support Squadron out of Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he's being held till he's extradited to Dallas to face first-degree murder charges following his arrest on Friday. (link)

This morning, Opie and Anthony discussed on their program how gang members are now serving in the armed forces to improve their skill at small arms tactics. If Farias is guilty and if this was gang-related (two huge 'ifs'), this is another huge black eye for both the military and the base.

I've written extensively about the elevated level of expectation for how men and women in uniform must carry themselves. With this in mind, regardless of the extent of Farias' alleged involvement, gang activity is on the military's radar. I know we screened for at the processing station (Our medical folks at the MEPS were looking for tattoos, criminal history).

After our young military members join up, this must an area we must continue to show vigilance in ensuring that this problem does not grow worse.