Jade Helm Begins: Citizens Take to the Streets

Are we preparing for an invasion?

As of Wednesday July 15th, the Jade Helm exercise has begun. This secret military operation in the Southwestern states has many citizens’ worried – even local governments.

Jade Helm 15, as the exercise is called, will run through Sept. 15 and will involve unconventional warfare involving Army special operators, as well as representatives from the other services.

It will focus on enhancing team-level elements’ abilities to operate in asymmetric warfare well-removed from company- and battalion-level organization, said USASOC spokesman Lt. Col. Mark Lastoria.

Some citizens have built up groups to monitor the Jade Helm exercise and report to the public what is really going on. Let’s wait and see how the government is going to like that!

Image source: NY Times

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott responded by publicly assigning the Texas State Guard to keep an eye on Jade Helm. Abbott’s office later downplayed the move, saying it fit in with the guard’s advisory role in the state. Abbott also reaffirmed the state’s history of support for the military — a reason the Army cited for choosing the state to conduct the exercise. The training will occur in six other states: Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi.

USASOC will supply the vast majority of the roughly 1,200 personnel in the joint exercise, according to Lastoria. Limited special operations forces units from the Navy, Marines and Air Force will also participate.

Let’s hope this is really just an exercise. Let us know your thoughts.

Source: USA Today Image 1