Boston Marathon contractors ID'd: MA National Guard WMD detection unit

The Washington Times Communities ^ | April 24, 2013 | Alan Jones

[patriotgal1787]

One 2013 Boston Marathon runner, University of Mobile Cross Country Coach Ali Stevenson, told NBC affiliate Local 15 that he has “never seen that level of security before.” A veteran of other major marathons, he added “Evidently, I don’t believe they were just having a training exercise … I think they must have had some sort of threat or suspicion called in.”

“We reviewed our procedures and coordinated, but did not have an exercise that day”, says LTC Meriwether. “We coordinate and practice with the FBI and other agencies all the time” she said. Asked if her CST unit had received any intelligence concerning a heightened risk of attack, she said “no, but if they knew about something they probably wouldn’t have told us.”

[ConservativeMan55]

WTF

[bmwcyle]

They were running a drill.

[Uncle Miltie]

There is no question precise enough that the Administration will not evade it.

We’ll have to dig up an internal source willing to give up the Kenyan moslem.

[mbarker12474]

Don’t make something out of nothing.

[don-o]

This is a good debunking of kook conspiracy that’s out there.

[Paladin2]

The gov’ts are programmed to lie all the time these days.

[McGruff]

[Gay State Conservative]

The Boston Marathon goes within two hundred yards of my front door and,being retired,I always go down to watch it as the “elite” men approach.Every year you see numerous local cops,an occasional State cop and many National Guardsmen,MPs for the most part.I didn't see any more security this year than I've seen other years...including the National Guard.However I must note that my vantage point isn't near the starting or finish line.I suppose there could have been an increased presence at one,or both,of those points.

[outpostinmass2]

This was pointed out before. Something about a drill. FWIW there has always been a security force for the Boston Marathon since 2001. Both at the gate and finish lines. Homeland security, FBI and state and local police are always in attendance. I haven’t watched the marathon live for about 5 years but the last time I was in the finish line area (my wife was running) the added security was quite noticable. If it was increased beyond what I saw back then something must have been up.

[Sir Napsalot]

More coincidence. Well, OK, move along.

[ilgipper]

Comparing this event to other marathons is not a fair barometer. This is by far the biggest such event of them all...at least here in the US. The Boston Marathon is the one most runners focus on qualifying to run, and it gets more public interest (both locally and nationally) than the rest.

[bmwcyle]

The police chief was having a press conference the day of the bombing. The first question was about a bomb drill. The second was about creating crisis to take out the Constitution. That was the end of the press conference.

[MHGinTN]

The running coach of Mobile University (college) currently runs lots of marathons, and he was alerted to more security/monitoring presence than what he has ever seen. Initially, the ‘authorities’ tried to poo poo the idea that there was increase security presence. The regime lies, then layers more lies on the initial lies. We watched the clinton regime do it, the Bush admin do, and now we’re witnessing the most blatant use of layering of lies ever. I believe the running coach, since the rooftop ‘observers’ were caught in photos yet denied by ‘the authorities’.

[FewsOrange]

"A 2008 Boston Globe op-ed called “Marathon as dry-run disaster” and written by Arnold Bogis, a former policy analyst for a Department of Homeland Security grant at the Homeland Security Policy Institute at George Washington University, reveals that the Boston Marathon has in past years been used for “live” exercises to quietly test public safety technologies and disaster plans."

[txhurl]

We need to find these guys and get them FReepin!

[Donnafrflorida]

what a coincidence. just like sandy hook. drill was 3 miles away on dame day.

[outpostinmass2]

I read the story that you linked and it says there was a bomb drill performed in 2008 at the Boston Marathon. This would be correct as I did notice lots of security and police dogs when I was in attendance in 2008.

[bmwcyle]

It is a pattern that has been use many times.

[centurion316]

These teams were established in the wake of 9/11 for the purpose of having Guard first responders who were trained for counter IED and WMD, especially in the CBERNE (chem/bio) arena. As Guardsmen, they can be employed under state control through orders from their Governor and State Adjutant General. They could also be called to Federal Service, but then you would have restriction on what law enforcement activities they could undertake.

I don’t know how they are structured and funded these days, but my guess is that they get lots of federal funding to pay for a much higher OPTEMPO (paid days) than normal Guardsmen and may even be full time. With that in place, they are going to look for events and circumstances that could use their assistance. They are not just going to sit around the armory waiting for the phone to ring.