The United States Army’s Special Operation Command (USASOC) will begin a two month multi-state military exercise in several states in the Southwest, including Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, and California. The actual number and list of states has changed from time to time. The operation will begin on July 15 and continue through September 15, and will be conducted by members of USASOC and service members from the Green Berets, Navy SEALS, Air Force Special Operation troops, Marines Special Operation troops, and conventional army infantry. Approximately 1200 troops will be participating.
The exercise, known as Jade Helm 15, will take place primarily in Texas because it requires large areas of undeveloped land as well as access to towns. Texas also possesses the kind of “unique terrain” in which soldiers operating overseas might find themselves, according to the USASOC.
The public can expect nothing much different from their day-to-day activities since much of the exercise will be conducted in remote areas. The most noticeable effect the exercise may have on the local communities is an “increase in vehicle and military air traffic and its associated noise”. There will also be an economic gain - an increase in the local economy in fuel and food purchases and hotel lodging.
According to Lt. Col. Mark Lastoria, Director of Public Affairs, USASOC,: “realistic military training helps soldiers adapt to unfamiliar terrain.” Private land offered by residents will be used.
The military has routinely launched exercises in the past in different regions of the U.S., including Bold Alligator, a Navy exercise; Robin Sage by the Army’s Green Berets; and Derna Bridge by the Marine Corps. On a much smaller scale, long time Laclede County residents will remember Exercise Gold Fire 1, conducted by military forces in Lebanon and throughout the county in the fall of 1964.
According to an article in the Washington Post, the mission of Jade Helm is vast, both geographically and strategically. Elite service members from four branches of U.S. military will launch operations this summer in which they will operate covertly among the U.S. public, and travel from state to state in military aircraft.
Perhaps due to the size and scope which makes it different from other military exercises, and also due in part to the different political climate in which we now live, the exercise has generated much negative publicity, and conspiracy rumors abound.
According to critics, this exercise could mean the invasion of Texas by the U.S. government and the setting up of martial law throughout the Southwest. They are concerned that the mission is a psychological operation aimed at getting people used to seeing military forces on the streets so they don’t realize when an invasion actually takes place and will be used to seize people’s guns.
The closing of several Walmart stores in that area has caused many to believe that the vacant stores have been taken over by the government to be used as food and clothing distribution centers, with military tunnels being built underground leading from one center to the other and the building of large underground military bases. Others claim that the military plans to round up political dissidents and remove key political figures who may be against the imposition of martial law.
In some ways the government has contributed to the development of these fears by distributing unclassified maps to the military which designate Texas and Utah as “hostile”, Arizona as “uncertain but leaning friendly”, and Nevada as “permissive”. The map has colors dividing the region into two hostile states, two permissive states, two leaning one way or the other, and California is divided.
The outcry among the public has caused several Congressmen and other politicians to use various media outlets in an attempt to allay these fears. Representative Ted Poe (R-TX) took his message to Facebook: “The labels ‘hostile’, ‘friendly’ and ‘neutral’ are standard protocol in most domestic military exercises and help the military participants plan their missions in complex scenarios.”
A Rasmussen poll the first week of May showed that nearly one-half of voters are concerned Washington “will use U.S. military training operations to impose greater control over some states.”
There was sufficient concern that Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered the Texas Guard to monitor the operation. “During the training operation, it is important that Texans know their safety, constitutional rights, private property rights and civil liberties will not be infringed.”
(Texas is one of 23 states to have a State Guard in addition to the National Guard and its authority is limited to certain areas within the state and does not become involved in national issues.)
The debate took on political overtones when Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Tx) released this statement: “My office has been inundated with calls from concerned citizens that (Jade Helm) will bring about martial law. I can understand these concerns when leaders within the current administration believe that major threats to the country include those who support the Constitution, military veterans, or even those ‘clinging to guns or religion’.”
Former Texas Governor Rick Perry said citizens should trust the military. “I think our military is quite trustworthy. Civilian leadership, you can always question that, but not the men and women in uniform.”
CNN quoted Pentagon spokesman Steve Warren who said: “Jade Helm is a long planned and coordinated exercise. We are not taking over anything.”
Lt. Col. Lastoria emphasized that military exercises in the past as mentioned above identified certain regions of the U.S. as “hostile” for the purpose of training, but some Texans in particular have taken great offense at being labeled as such and therefore are very suspicious of the government’s intent in so doing.
He went on to say that “the nature of warfare is always changing and the USASOC mission is to make certain the Army’s various special Operations Forces are trained, equipped and organized to successfully conduct worldwide special operations in support of our nation’s interests.”
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