History Main / FormerRegimePersonnel

* During the 1980s and 1990s, UsefulNotes/{{China}} underwent [[UsefulNotes/ToGetRichIsGlorious a significant period of modernization and economic reform]] after UsefulNotes/MaoZedong died. A major aspect of this process involved the Chinese Communist Party's civilian government working to downsize the Chinese military and [[https://www.idsa-india.org/an-may9-4.html break up]] [[https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB9017387737678000 the PLA's]] [[http://congressionalresearch.com/98-197/document.php nationwide business empire]][[note]]A process that [[http://theminiaturespage.com/boards/msg.mv?id=403591 still continues]] [[https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/xi-jinping-orders-chinas-military-to-shut-kindergartens-businesses-1893604 well into the 21st century]][[/note]], which it was using to finance itself and operate as a state within a state. A lot of PLA soldiers found themselves discharged and being unable to reintegrate into civilian life, a large number of them turned to crime, especially in [[https://archive.is/086ZT Hong Kong]]. For an [[https://www.walterdehavilland.com/crime-in-hong-kong.html almost 15 year period]] until Hong Kong was handed over to China in 1997, many ex-PLA soldiers were involved in violent robberies and shootings under the direction of Triad gangs and other organized crime syndicates, helped by their access to fully automatic firearms and explosives. Many of the wild shootouts in Creator/JohnWoo's early HeroicBloodshed movies were inspired by the crime wave sweeping Hong Kong at the time of filming.

* In the {{UsefulNotes/Philippines}}, the fall of the Marcos dictatorship in 1986 was triggered in part by defecting military and police leadership, many of whom—largely due to the lack of suitable alternatives to keep the country running—stayed on when the Cory Aquino government took over, either in a continued if modified version of their former military and police roles, or else shifting into civilian politics and public administration. (One of the leaders of the 1986 People Power "revolt"—police general Fidel V. Ramos—eventually succeeded Cory as President in 1992; another—Martial Law-era defence minister Juan Ponce Enrile—joined the post-1986 Philippine Senate on and off[[note]]and as of 2020 is still there, so old he's frequently the subject of immortality jokes![[/note]].)

* The French Foreign Legion has been giving such individuals gainful employment that puts their skills to good use almost as long as it has existed. They try to screen out anyone who's wanted for war crimes these days, though in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War they weren't in a position to be so choosy.

The former [[RenegadeRussian USSR]], [[BalkanBastard Yugoslavia]], and [[AmoralAfrikaner South Africa]] are good sources for them. Many members of TheMafiya may be ex-Soviet military or ex-KGB, as many were let go without a pension. Note that before TheGreatPoliticsMessUp, it was kinda taboo among TheMafiya to accept ex-military or ex-KGB people, but during the Nineties it all broke.

[[quoteright:350:[[Manga/BlackLagoon https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/black_lagoon_balalaika_9.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''Sorry. is difficult to remember those who came to power through money rather than skill. Better write your name on a dollar bill so I could remember it.'']]

* Hotel Moscow from ''Manga/BlackLagoon'' is a [[TheMafiya Russian mob]]. The Roanpur section is built around ex-paratrooper [[TheBaroness Balalaika]] and her unit. There is also an internal rivalry between members with military background versus members with intelligence background.

* Featured in ''The Pigs'', a Polish film about former officers of the Polish SecretPolice and their work as proper policemen in the independent, democratic Poland.

The former [[RenegadeRussian USSR]] and [[AmoralAfrikaner South Africa]] are good sources for them. Many members of TheMafiya may be ex-Soviet military or ex-KGB, as many were let go without a pension. Note that before TheGreatPoliticsMessUp, it was kinda taboo among TheMafiya to accept ex-military or ex-KGB people, but during the Nineties it all broke.

%%* ''Film/DieHardWithAVengeance''

* In ''Film/TheLivesOfOthers'', the protagonist, a Stasi officer, ends up [[spoiler:working as a cabbie]] after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

* In ''TabletopGame/BattleTech'', some of the more prestigious mercenary companies are descendants of elite Star League regiments before the League's collapse, and can typically be counted on to be on better behaved than is (stereo?)typically expected of mercenaries.

* During the 1980s and 1990s, UsefulNotes/{{China}} underwent [[UsefulNotes/ToGetRichIsGlorious a significant period of modernization and economic reform]] after UsefulNotes/MaoZedong died. A major aspect of this process involved the Chinese Communist Party's civilian government working to downsize the Chinese military and [[https://www.idsa-india.org/an-may9-4.html break up]] [[https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB9017387737678000 the PLA's]] [[http://congressionalresearch.com/98-197/document.php nationwide business empire]][[note]]A process that [[http://theminiaturespage.com/boards/msg.mv?id=403591 still continues]] [[https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/xi-jinping-orders-chinas-military-to-shut-kindergartens-businesses-1893604 well into the 21st century]][[/note]], which it was using to finance itself and operate as a state within a state. A lot of PLA soldiers found themselves discharged and being unable to reintegrate into civilian life, a large number of them turned to crime, especially in [[https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1993-03-19-9303190011-story.html Hong Kong]]. For an [[https://www.walterdehavilland.com/crime-in-hong-kong.html almost 15 year period]] until Hong Kong was handed over to China in 1997, many ex-PLA soldiers were involved in violent robberies and shootings under the direction of Triad gangs and other organized crime syndicates, helped by their access to fully automatic firearms and explosives. Many of the wild shootouts in Creator/JohnWoo's early HeroicBloodshed movies were inspired by the crime wave sweeping Hong Kong at the time of filming.

* In ''Franchise/BattleTech'', some of the more prestigious mercenary companies are descendants of elite Star League regiments before the League's collapse, and can typically be counted on to be on better behavior than is (stereo?)typically expected of mercenaries.

* In the {{UsefulNotes/Philippines}}, the fall of the Marcos dictatorship in 1986 was triggered in part by defecting military and police leadership, many of whom—largely due to the lack of suitable alternatives to keep the country running—stayed on when the Cory Aquino government took over, either in a continued if modified version of their former military and police roles, or else shifting into civilian politics and public administration. (One of the leaders of the 1986 People Power "revolt"—police general Fidel V. Ramos—eventually succeeded Cory as President in 1992; another—Martial Law-era defence minister Juan Ponce Enrile—joined the post-1986 Senate on and off[[note]]and as of 2020 is still there, so old he's frequently the subject of immortality jokes![[/note]].)

* In the {{UsefulNotes/Philippines}}, the fall of the Marcos dictatorship in 1986 was triggered in part by defecting military and police leadership, many of whom—largely due to the lack of suitable alternatives to keep the country running—stayed on when the Cory Aquino government took over, either in a continued if modified version of their former military and police roles, or else shifting into civilian politics and public administration. (One of the leaders of the 1986 People Power "revolt"—police general Fidel V. Ramos—eventually succeeded Cory as President in 1992.)

* In the {{UsefulNotes/Philippines}}, the fall of the Marcos dictatorship in 1986 was triggered in part by defecting military and police leadership, many of whom—largely due to the lack of suitable alternatives—stayed on when the Cory Aquino government took over, either in a continued if modified version of their former military and police roles, or else shifting into civilian politics and public administration. (One of the leaders of the 1986 People Power "revolt"—police general Fidel V. Ramos—eventually succeeded Cory as President in 1992.)

* ''VideoGame/JaggedAlliance'': After the fall of the Soviet Union, Ivan Dolvich joined up with A.I.M, and became a mercenary for hire.

* After [[WarOnTerror Baghdad fell to the US Army]], the interim government fired all Baath Party-related military and civilian personnel and barred them from participating. Since being part of the party was the only real way of advancing through the ranks during the Saddam era, many people had joined up simply to survive, have a decent income or help their communities [[PunchClockVillain without necessarily supporting Saddam]]. The firing of the civilian personnel left Iraq without vital utilities (water and electricity) that wouldn't be restored to ''pre-Saddam levels'' until 2008 and the firing of the military/police personnel caused anarchy to break out within hours of the Coalition taking control. A lot of these people also took their expertise to the insurgency, thus bolstering its ranks with knowledge and equipment. As the core of the Ba'athist Iraqi Army were Sunni Arabs, thus giving them a nigh-infinite supply of arms and trained men, this contributed to the following insurgency having Sunni Arabs being responsible for the bulk of killings despite constituting only about a fifth of the Iraqi population.

* ''Series/MacGyver'' tackles multiple intelligence agencies during the series- once, he gets involved in a case of former-East German intelligence operatives trying to locate and retrieve their smuggled, stolen gold from the States.

* After [[WarOnTerror Baghdad fell to the US Army]], the interim government fired all Baath Party-related military and civilian personnel and barred them from participating. Since being part of the party was the only real way of advancing through the ranks during the Saddam era, many people had joined up simply to survive, have a decent income or help their communities [[PunchClockVillain without necessarily supporting Saddam]]. The firing of the civilian personnel left Iraq without vital utilities (water and electricity) that wouldn't be restored to ''pre-Saddam levels'' until 2008 and the firing of the military/police personnel caused anarchy to break out within hours of the Coalition taking control. A lot of these people also took their expertise to the insurgency, thus bolstering its ranks with knowledge and equipment.