Large military exercise this summer for the U.S. Army special operations forces JADE HELM 15

Defence & Security News - United States
 
Large military exercise this summer for the U.S. Army special operations forces JADE HELM 15.
U.S. Army special operations forces will be training in the Brazos Valley this summer as part of an eight-week exercise across seven states, raising concerns across the Internet of a military takeover.
     
U.S. Army special operations forces will be training in the Brazos Valley this summer as part of an eight-week exercise across seven states, raising concerns across the Internet of a military takeover. Marines with U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command provide security during a two-day presence patrol with Afghan Commandos in Farah province Feb. 27.
     
The training, dubbed Jade Helm 15, will bring together Green Berets, Navy SEALS, Air Force and Marine special operations command, Marine expeditionary units, the 82nd Airborne Division and other interagency partners for an "unconventional warfare exercise" from July 15 to Sept. 15, according to a Powerpoint Army Special Forces Command (SOCOM) representatives used in a presentation to the county commissioners in February.

The Powerpoint lists College Station and Caldwell, as well as 15 other Texas cities as training sites. The exercise will take place in seven states from Texas to California, but Army special forces will only train in Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado.

Army Lt. Col. Mark Lastoria, a USASOC (United States Army Special Operations Command) spokesman, confirmed that there is an upcoming exercise called Jade Helm 15 which is scheduled to take place this summer at locations in Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, California and Nevada. But he denied the event is preparation for some sort of military takeover.

The training areas will also hone skills by providing real obstacles to personnel such as "operating in and around communities where anything out of the ordinary will be spotted and reported" and "working with civilians to gain their trust," according to the Army presentation.

USSOCOM synchronizes the planning of special operations and provides SOF to support persistent, networked and distributed GCC operations in order to protect and advance our Nation's interests.

USSOCOM has approximately 57,000 active duty, Reserve and National Guard Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and DoD civilians assigned to the headquarters, its four components and one sub-unified command. USSOCOM’s components are U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC), Naval Special Warfare Command (NAVSPECWARCOM), Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) and Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC). The Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) is a USSOCOM sub-unified command.