'Counter Jade Helm' to monitor military exercises

The Hill ^ | 07/11/2015 | Mark Hensch

[E. Pluribus Unum]

A team of volunteer civilians is organizing to monitor next week’s controversial “Operation Jade Helm 15” Pentagon training exercise, a new report says.

 

The grassroots “Counter Jade Helm” movement is keeping tabs on the major military drill across seven states, according to The Houston Chronicle.

 

The national initiative is organized by former Marine Pete Lanteri, 44, a New Yorker currently living in Arizona — a state hosting part of Operation Jade Helm when it launches on July 15.

 

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The Phoenix resident founded the Counter Jade Helm Facebook page, currently boasting 6,000 members.

 

Lanteri also manages the group’s website and forum, which will host field reports on the military exercises from its volunteers.

 

“We’re going to be watching what they do in public,” he said.

 

“Obviously on a military base they can do whatever they want,” Lanteri added. “But if they’re going to trade on public land, we have a right as American citizens to watch what they’re doing.”

 

Lanteri noted his organization currently has about 200 people, with the largest unit in Arizona.

 

It is composed of former military and law enforcement personnel, along with regular concerned citizens.

 

Eric Johnston, 51, told the Houston Chronicle he is leading one of the group’s surveillance brigades in Texas. The Kerrville resident added he is a retired firefighter and sheriff’s deputy.

 

He plans on leading 20 volunteers on monitoring missions in Bastrop, Big Spring and Junction next week.

 

“It a team member sees two Humvees full of soldiers driving through town, they’re going to follow them,” Johnston said. “And they’re going to radio back their ultimate location.”

 

Volunteer units like Johnston’s may become the main source of public information on Operation Jade Helm, as the media is prohibited from covering the operation.

 

He said Counter Jade Helm is employing a strict no-camouflage policy and that all of its members will be unarmed.

 

They plan on documenting troop numbers, uniforms and activities, Johnston added.

 

“We just want to see what they’re doing and make that information public,” he said.

 

Volunteers will relay their findings to Lanteri’s headquarters in Arizona. From there, Counter Jade Helm will review the information before posting it online.

 

Operation Jade Helm runs July 15 to Sept. 15, with troops training in seven states: Arizona, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Texas and Utah.

 

Navy SEALs, Army Green Berets and the 82nd Airborne are among the 1,200 troops who will practice counterinsurgency techniques across a variety of terrains.

 

The U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) has long maintained there is nothing sinister about the drill’s intentions.

 

Conspiracy theorists have worried military forces are preparing to confiscate firearms, impose martial law or even forcibly-relocate civilians to FEMA internment camps.

 

“This training exercise will go mostly unnoticed; not interfere with private citizens and not violate their privacy and rights,” USASOC told The Houston Chronicle Friday.

 

“It will not disrupt their economies or livelihoods,” it said. “State and local officials will receive updates as the exercise progresses and they are equally committed to ensuring the training occurs smoothly.”

[Pentagon Leatherneck]

What could possibly go wrong?
TC

[E. Pluribus Unum]

I’m sure their scenario will be about an uprising of TEA party types, and here a bunch of them are volunteering to become part of the action.

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

Bkmrk.

[WKUHilltopper]

They have millions of acres to practice on, why are they doing this in cities?

[FreedomStar3028]

Less than 100,000 vs at least 100 million pissed off and well armed Americans.

Even if the military did fight on the wrong side of a CWII scenario, the people still win.

Bringing the government down on the American population would be the last mistake this federal government makes.

I imagine it would be something like 80% of the population on the side of the people. There is just no way.

This Jade Helm stuff is kooky nonsense.

[huldah1776]

The military often trains in other nations along with other countries. Budget cuts have caused training to be halved. I think it’s fine to train at home. The National Guard trains in their own states.

Some training is disaster related, including crowd control and first aid, and some is military.

The information they are releasing will make it easier on Russia and China to counter plan IMHO. And that makes me angry. Why make it public? Why expose our special ops teams methods? Want another Extortion 17?

[silverleaf]

Preparing for the coming climate chaos that was cited by the French foreign minster almost 500 days ago....

[Guenevere]

Bttt

[JoeFromSidney]

The issue is not that this particular exercise is going to end in martial law. The issue is that this is practice for future imposition of martial law.

[huldah1776]

Does the Constitution protect us from Marshall Law?

[jjotto]

Apparently not.

[potlatch]

LINK

[Dusty Road]

“He plans on leading 20 volunteers on monitoring missions in Bastrop, Big Spring and Junction next week.”

Should any of these personnel get caught on the ranch they will be arrested for trespassing, if they are armed they will be charged with a Felony. We have given permission for training to take place, I suggest they stay clear of the area.

[Dusty Road]

That’s Big Spring!

[potlatch]

What? You mean they shouldn’t have put an ‘S’ on the city name? The U.S.Army Special Operations Command made the graphic.

OR - you are possibly surprised at seeing that city on the map!

[Dusty Road]

I’ve lived here for almost 65 year’s, I know how it’s spelled.

[potlatch]

So I guess you knew your city was on the list too. Don’t know if I’ve ever been there. Well, good luck to you too!!

[Dusty Road]

Parts of the exercise will take place on our ranch.

[Ditter]

We knew a rancher in Brazoria County named Dusty Rhodes. Is that you?