Hmmmm....Texas civilians find all is quiet during Jade Helm exercise. Where is the military takeover, Conspiracy Theorists?

2015-07-16T07:40:54-04:00

After the first day, all is well in Bastrop, Texas...but there's nearly 8-weeks to go, huh?

Despite the Internet chatter about trains with shackles and Walmart stores being closed to be used as detention camps, this small West Texas town on Wednesday seemed to be surviving the start of Jade Helm 15, the military exercise that some people fear is actually a ruse for a federal takeover of the state.

No military equipment or personnel were visible. No tanks were rumbling past the beige-metal community center on Main Street next door to the fire station here, the scene of 4-H Club meetings and family reunions. But that did not mean that people were not on the alert.

“I’ve been looking,” said Dr. Jack Campbell, 61, who was picking up his mail at the post office.

Dr. Campbell said that he had concerns about the exercise, and that he purchased extra ammunition for the weapons he kept in his home. “Just in case,” added Dr. Campbell, an emergency physician in San Angelo, Tex., 20 miles away. “People are just vigilant. Not vigilantes, but vigilant. They don’t want to be caught off guard.”

Another resident said a friend of his, a Vietnam veteran, started burying some of his firearms to hide them. Members of the Christoval Volunteer Fire Department, which owns the community center, signed an agreement with military officials stating — oddly to some, suspiciously to others — that the Army would pay for any damage to the building after it used it.

Sindy Miller, who runs a hair salon on Main Street, said fear of a military takeover had been the talk of Christoval.

“They’re worried that they’re going to come in and take their firearms away,” Ms. Miller said. “Martial law, basically. I try not to listen to all these conspiracy-theory-type people. All they’re worried about is their beer and their guns.”

Jade Helm 15 is an eight-week exercise that has generated paranoia for months fueled by conservative bloggers and Internet postings. It began Wednesday in Texas and six other states: Arizona, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and Utah.

Response by SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. made Jul 16 at 2015 8:55 AM

2015-07-16T08:55:41-04:00

Still no free beer in Arizona!

Response by Cpl Anthony Pearson made Jul 16 at 2015 11:37 AM

2015-07-16T11:37:31-04:00

It's easy to make fun of conspiracy theorists. They wear it on their sleeves, and see things that may or may not warrant concern. The opposite of a conspiracy theorist is someone who is naive and clueless, head in the sand. Given a choice, I'd rather side with people who are cautious, alert, aware, and keeping tabs on our government. It isn't like our government hasn't already overreached and taken advantage of Americans in the past.

If you think about how America was founded, it is no surprise that we have a deep-seated disdain for tyranny. We love our freedoms and our liberty, our rights. We don't want to see them ever taken away from us.

There *IS* an effort by our government and certain leftist organizations to slowly take away some of our rights. It is happening all the time.

I'm glad Jade Helm is going well so far. I'm glad that for now, the conspiracy theorists were wrong. GOOD! I'm still glad that they are watching and taking notes on behalf of all Americans.

Don't be naive. Don't put your head in the sand. Don't believe for a second that "it couldn't happen to us". It can happen. It might happen.

Response by CPT Ahmed Faried made Sep 11 at 2015 8:01 PM

2015-09-11T20:01:46-04:00

Just a bunch of impressionable and easily hoodwinked folks. Doesn't help that prominent politicians (Texas Governor) and prominent media (Fox News) lend them credence.

Response by LTC Kevin B. made Sep 11 at 2015 8:31 PM

2015-09-11T20:31:03-04:00

Response by SFC Maury Gonzalez made Sep 11 at 2015 9:26 PM

2015-09-11T21:26:40-04:00

Aluminum foil hats, the standard headgear of San Angelo and Bastrop Texas

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 11 at 2015 9:57 PM

2015-09-11T21:57:51-04:00

Maybe the calm before the storm? It's a small scale takeover at first, then....... BAM! Hahahahahaha!

Response by AN Christopher Crayne made Jul 31 at 2017 9:14 PM

2017-07-31T21:14:54-04:00

I've heard all the hub bub about it. My question is what is the purpose of the exercise? Not trying to seem ignorant but is it for a hypothetical domestic terrorism event that would require a military response to,say, rapidly control civilian towns etc.?

Response by PVT Raymond Lopez made Aug 1 at 2017 6:39 AM

2017-08-01T06:39:46-04:00

Strange isn't that in North Carolina they have been holding "Robin Sage" excercises for years and the local people there take part in them and there are no conspiracy there! I guess the North Carolina moonshine is not as much of a mind altering potion as the Lone Star beer!