Suspicions intensified after some conservative political websites seized on an Army map that labeled Texas and Utah as “hostile” for the purposes of the simulation. The training involves about 1,200 people, including Army Special Forces and representatives from other services, according to the Army Times. The Army says the terrain and topography in the areas selected are ideal to replicate foreign combat zones. Sightings of tanks and military vehicles were limited to inside the military base, not city streets.
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These beliefs may have been fueled by politicians like Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX), who have helped to give credence to the conspiracy theories by authorizing the Texas State Guard to “monitor” the USA military operations in Texas and report to him on any developments.
The governor’s office also said the state should have no reason to worry or distrust the military and said most communications between the Guard and constituents have dealt with simple logistics.
Some residents said they were determined to shut out the theories swarming their communities. Just last week, protesters gathered at the Alamo convinced that its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage site was a prelude to a United Nations takeover.
The Phoenix man heads “Operation Counter Jade Helm, ‘ and he and other volunteers plan to ‘monitor” the 1200 troops who are being deployed. Neither the public or media will be allowed to observe the Jade Helm training. He described them as a neighborhood watch.
Robin Sage, a role-playing exercise that is the culminating event of Special Forces training, will be staged over several counties in the Cape Fear region between Wednesday and Aug.4.
“It would be wonderful if we pull up and there’s two guys in Humvees getting coffee at Starbucks”.
The military has said citizens can expect little interference with their day-to-day lives as the operation gets underway, save a slight uptick in noise and traffic in their neck of the woods.
Calvin Pennington, a retired Army veteran, said such concerns were unwarranted.
“Would you like to wake up tomorrow morning and see a dozen Russian soldiers? It’s the secrecy that hurt them”.
“We support our military, and they have to train somewhere”, Pam Ferguson, an antique storeowner in Bastrop, told Reuters. Quickly, conspiracy theories formed and residents expressed their concerns about the program invading their hometown. “This must stop”. Conspiracy theorists see it as much more.
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“They represent a tiny proportion of the population”, he said. “I hope we can put this to rest”.
