Free Republic

The last time Marine Corps special operators trained in New Orleans, military helicopters appeared suddenly in the night, dropping troops onto an Algiers building for a mock raid as thousands of people watched Endymion roll on Canal Street. The Marines are coming back for more. A 10-day exercise begins Saturday (July 18), in the New Orleans area and two sites in Mississippi, a Marine Corps Special Operations Command spokesman said this week in alerting the public.Calling it "realistic military training," the command puts Marines through scenario-based exercises in and near civilian communities "to replicate realistic conditions," Capt. Barry Morris said...

WASHINGTON, March 29 — Senior American commanders and Pentagon officials are warning of an exodus of the military's most seasoned members of Special Operations to higher-paying civilian security jobs in places like Baghdad and Kabul, just as they are playing an increasingly pivotal role in combating terror and helping conduct nation-building operations worldwide. Senior enlisted members of the Army Green Berets or Navy Seals with 20 years or more experience now earn about $50,000 in base pay, and can retire with a $23,000 pension. But private security companies, whose services are in growing demand in Iraq and Afghanistan, are offering...