We have some exciting news to report from Indiana. Marines are coming to train in the Indianapolis metropolitan area.
Here you go.
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080528/LOCAL18/805280444
U.S. Marine helicopters will land at the old Eastgate Consumer Mall, Brookside Park and other Indianapolis locations when the city becomes a mock battlefield next week.
About 2,300 Marines from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, based at Camp Lejeune, N.C., will conduct urban warfare training from Wednesday through June 19 in and around Indianapolis.
Most of the troops will be deployed at the Indiana State Fairgrounds and the Raytheon facility on Holt Road, said Debbi Fletcher of the Indianapolis/Marion County Emergency Management Agency.
“We don’t want anyone thinking that there’s an invasion happening or that we declared martial law or something like that,†Fletcher said.
Oh my gosh, Debbi, don’t be silly! Who on earth would think that? Oh ha ha ha ha. What a card.
The Marines have been cleared by state, federal and local authorities, Fletcher said. The unit’s commander promised to try to keep noise to a minimum and give neighbors plenty of warning.
“Our aim in Indianapolis is to expose our Marines to realistic scenarios and stresses posed by operating in an actual urban community, thereby increasing their proficiency in built-up areas,†Col. Mark J. Desens, commander of the 26th MEU, said in a statement. “While some of the activity will take place around Camp Atterbury, residents in many areas can expect to see helicopters flying overhead, military vehicles on the roads and Marines patrolling on foot,†Desens said.
The Marines will practice firing weapons, conducting patrols, running vehicle checkpoints, reacting to ambushes and employing nonlethal weapons, according to a statement.
Well, let’s get real for a second. The Marines need to be exposed to realistic scenarios? Only if you’re trying to get them used to the idea of enforcing martial law in the USA. Don’t Marines train for urban operations as a routine matter? And if not, what kind of blubbering incompetence is that? No, this activity is designed to expose AMERICANS to the idea of Marines flying around in helicopters overhead, driving their vehicles on the road and conducting foot patrols.
Look at the explanation offered: ‘The Marines will practice firing weapons, conducting patrols, running vehicle checkpoints, reacting to ambushes and employing nonlethal weapons.’ Practice firing weapons? Seriously, don’t the Marines practice firing weapons, conducting patrols, running vehicle checkpoints and reacting to ambushes all the time at their military training facilities? Isn’t that why we give billions of dollars to the DOD each and every year? Isn’t that sort of training to be expected at the bare minimum?
Just think about the security around a military base. Can civilians just drive right in and look around? Of course not. Laughable. And why is that? Because the military does not want us pesky civilians poking around and observing all their training drills. No no no. It’s secret, technical, military knowledge. But according to this bright little story, we are to believe that they need to practice all this stuff live in a real American city just so the Marines can acclimate to the stresses of urban warfare. Yes, because the Americans in Indianapolis will be waving and blowing kisses and asking for autographs and taking pictures and being awestruck at the tremendous might of the US Marine Corps, and it’s all certain to be very stressful. Uh huh. Sure.
Last word: The military only lets you see this stuff when they want you to see it. This display is for your benefit, American Citizen, not theirs.
UPDATE: A good take on it here from some former military people.
#1 by RockStar on June 8, 2008 - 3:33 pm
You are a paranoid delusionist who obviously has no military background or you would no you sound like a complete and utter fool.
MEUs do these exercises all the time as part of a standard predeployment training package. There are 6 MEUs in the US, two are deployed at any one time, 2 are in training, i.e., doing this exercise at some point, and two are recovering from a deployment.
I love it when pepole spout off at stuff they have absolutely no idea about so they make themeselves look like idiots.
Very entertaining.
#2 by Marlena on June 8, 2008 - 4:03 pm
I would ‘no’ I sound like a complete and utter fool, eh?
Let me tell you, Aaron, that I don’t give a rat’s ass what you think of me.
#3 by RockStar on June 8, 2008 - 9:01 pm
That is just fine by me. But maybe you should do just a little research before you start making uninformed guesses about things you have no concept of.
Oh and you got me on the “no”. Wow. I had a typo. Oh horror of horrors.
I know nothing I say is going to do a damn thing to change anything you think, but understand this training is standard for MEUs. There is nothing special going on here. Especially for the Marine Corps, which has the smallest budget of any of the branches, there is not the option of building a multi-trillion dollar MOUT town, which many of your ilk seem to be suggesting. Even then it wouldn’t replicate a living city.
Why are you so scared? Do our own troops training really freak you out this much.
Marlena, I do hope you can cope with other uniformed personnel such as firemen and police, or your life must be very testing indeed.
#4 by Marlena on June 9, 2008 - 2:26 am
Research? Do you mean like about NSPD-51 and Fusion Centers and Infragard?
I do plenty of research. Maybe you should do some research before you go around smugly patting people like me on the head. I think my own thoughts. I don’t have them poured into my brain by the usual methods, and I certainly don’t worship at the altar of military and police power. Of course, that’s really my crime, isn’t it — I’m not groveling enough for you? It’s ok. I understand.
The Constitution has been gutted like a fish. Since you took an oath to defend it, I would hope that bothers you. Either you don’t know this, or you don’t care. So good luck to you following whatever orders the nutjobs up top keep sending. They’re bound to suck, at least for anyone with a conscience, as has already been amply demonstrated by the illegal war in Iraq.
#5 by RockStar on June 9, 2008 - 7:47 pm
Our government has always made mistakes. Every government has.
To focus on this exercise specifically.
This is a predeployment training exercise designed to train the MEU in urban warfare tactics. Why is it that when the MEU trains for amphibious assault no one worries they are planning to invade Florida?
Most of the training is aboard the bases around Indy. A few small scall exercises are being done around the city.
These are not “war games” enveloping the city. There are no mass roundups of people, checkpoints across highways, or most of the “fact” that get reported by a confused media, for that matter. There are no “terror drills” or “martial law” practice or any of these inflammatory buzzwords going on.
This is a small, streamlined MAGTF training to deploy to into the world. In addition, I say again, this training is done often, because the units need it. MEUs need to be prepared to fight anywhere.
I will not debate about unjust wars and politics. That is irrelevant to a training exercise.
This unit is called in to evacuate embassies, provide humanitarian assistance, as well as a wide spectrum of other missions. Most of the time it functions as the “Oh Sh*&, people are in trouble and need help fast” force for America.
Try not focusing on one skill taken out of context and instead place it into the complete Marine package.
How about speaking about the Marines who are presently assisting the National Guard and various state and local agencies in helping the flood-stricken areas around Indiana.
What is the malicious intent behind that?
Marines are Americans. They have families, houses, dogs, cars. I know it shocks people, but they are not just robotic killing machines.
Sometimes an exercise is just an exercise. The past conduct of MEUs and history of their actions around the world should speak for itself.
I apologize for appearing smug previously. I do. I enjoy a good, spirited debate quite thoroughly. It’s just baffling to me how anyone could misconstrue something like this.
Feel free to call me programmed or whatever. But the fact is, I am informed of the facts, and from the sources listed in the above passages, you can have crumbs, and wrong ones at that, from the media.
In turn, it is not all the media’s fault, because there is a fundamental disconnect between the two entities. Most of the time they confuse the hell out of each other.
The result is mistrust, and misinformation, which results in the spread of wrongfully formed ideas.
I have a degree in journalism, so I can see it from both sides, and agree there is much work to be done to facilitate open communication, in a way that does not endanger the troops.
I have gone on longer than I intended, but I hope something, someday will change your opinion of the military from that of a faceless government monster into a volunteer force of Americans who, thugh inherently fallible, as all humans are, will at least try to do the right thing.
I also would like to say that I have no problem with being skeptical of things. Hell, I wonder about Area 51 and aliens and stuff just like everybody else. (Seriously) But some things are just as they are advertised.
Be well, this doesn’t have to be a flamewar.
Peace.
#6 by RockStar on June 9, 2008 - 7:49 pm
Hmm….you are right my proofreading needs some work.
#7 by Marlena on June 10, 2008 - 2:33 am
RockStar,thanks for all this clarification. I completely, totally agree that we have a serious problem in perception between the military and the rest of society. There are many reasons for this, but the bottom line is it serves the interests of people in charge. It does not help either soldiers or civilians. I don’t want to feed into it, and I appreciate that you don’t either. It’s a huge relief to know that.
As for what’s really happening with this exercise in particular, I hope you’re right. I really do. However, to say that all governments make mistakes is really to give this particular government a benefit of the doubt which they do not deserve. I do not trust them at all, not for one second.
These Infragard people, for example, (private citizens deputized by the FBI) say they have shoot to kill orders in the case of martial law. They have been promised immunity. WTF? One has to wonder, if they are willing to give shoot to kill orders to these people, what is in store for the Marines?
I’m just thinking out loud here. Believe me, I want the best for all of us. Martial law would be a disaster, but unfortunately, there’s plenty of evidence to be concerned. See http://www.concordbridge.net.
Peace, m