Jade Helm is upon us and paranoia abounds. Your opinion on this?

2015-07-12T11:50:32-04:00

It seems that the paranoia remains rampant about Jade Helm. Your opinion?

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/7779032?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000013

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Jul 12 at 2015 11:51 AM

2015-07-12T11:51:58-04:00

What amazing hysteria.

One would think the public does not trust the government.

The IRS, Homeland Security, and NSA can probably take care of that.

Response by SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. made Jul 12 at 2015 11:56 AM

2015-07-12T11:56:56-04:00

Official Fan Site
https://www.facebook.com/events/ [login to see] 36611/ [login to see] 37953/
Still looking for the score card!

Facebook

Response by MSgt Steven Holt, NRP, CCEMT-P made Jul 12 at 2015 12:05 PM

2015-07-12T12:05:06-04:00

The Fed certainly hasn't done much lately to build a feeling of trust among the populace. However, that being said, I would hope there are enough ethical Officers and NCOs left who have the testicular fortitude to ignore any unlawful orders to implement Martial Law without clear justification.

Response by SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. made Jul 12 at 2015 12:07 PM

2015-07-12T12:07:53-04:00

Zounds!
Further research links JH15 and Global Warming!
http://www.geoengineeringwatch.org/geoengineering-and-the-jade-helm-military-exercises-in-the-us-whats-the-connection/

Response by LTC Bink Romanick made Jul 12 at 2015 12:39 PM

2015-07-12T12:39:55-04:00

Ill comment...I can't believe the hysteria and paranoia surrounding this exercise. It is upsetting that this lack of trust exist, but nothing surprises me any more.

Response by SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. made Jul 12 at 2015 12:44 PM

2015-07-12T12:44:38-04:00

Repeat offer to all Jade Helm Operatives in "Leaning Friendly" Arizona.
The folks at the VFW Lounge have agreed to side with which every group buys the most beer during the training period.

Please bring and show ID so that points can be calculated correctly!

Response by SN Greg Wright made Jul 12 at 2015 2:03 PM

2015-07-12T14:03:11-04:00

/facepalm.

That is all.

Response by CW4 Larry Curtis made Jul 13 at 2015 4:55 PM

2015-07-13T16:55:37-04:00

One thing I have learned throughout the online preamble over this...as a conservative...don't believe ANYTHING coming forth from any website with the word "conservative" in it's URL address...namely mrconservative.com. HAHAHA. I have been calling them out in the comments section of every article they have posted that I have read. I have 3 stories I would like to share here on the topic, which may or may not make you laugh at the ignorance, or it may even get you fired-up at just how stupid and gullible people can be.

Before I delve into it, I would like to just recap the myth that there is some kind of collaboration between DOD and Walmart which would allow several closed Walmart stores throughout the exercise area to be utilized as Command Posts. Walmart has closed several stores, one 30 miles from where I live, and the timing just happened to coincide with the announcement of the exercise which really got the conspiracy hacks' wheels turning at high-speed. Everyone has been talking about how they will begin massing equipment, etc., at Walmart.

The first Jade Helm 15 story I saw from the mrconservative website really caught my eye. Being a retired Army Aviator, naturally a photo of 6 Attack Helicopters in close formation is going to draw my attention quite easily...the only problem is they were RUSSIAN Hinds, Mi-24s. But that didn't stop them from building a story about how "Attack Helicopters Have Landed At Closed Walmart". So you ask yourself...ok, so where are all of the viral cell phone videos all over the internet? I mean, we see cell phone videos of EVERYTHING from 2 women having a cat fight in the middle of the street, to overly-aggressive policemen allegedly abusing their authority, etc., so where are the videos of the helicopters landing at Walmart? NOWHERE.

The second story I saw from the mrconservative site involved 3 HUMVEEs on a flatbed (ratty-looking HUMVEEs no less). The caption, "HUMVEEs Delivered To Livingston, TX Walmart In Preparation For Jade Helm 15". Well I do declare! I am 30 miles South of Livingston...so I make a trip to investigate...which I have found to be sorely lacking by those posting such stories. They see a photo and write a tale, all in the comfort of their parent's basement or someplace, with absolutely NO first-hand investigation...or even sending someone to the location to assess it before publishing their stories. I have been to the Walmart store in Livingston, TX 3 times to date. I have driven completely around the building and looked in through every window, including those on the garage doors of the automotive department, I have checked the property immediately surrounding the store, and so far all I have seen is an army of construction workers inside ripping up the floor to replace the plumbing...which is why these stores had been closed to begin with. No sign of any HUMVEEs anywhere on the property. Besides, are 3 ratty-looking HUMVEEs REALLY anything to go into a panic about? HAHAHA.

The third mrconservative story involves a cell phone video shot by a personal friend of mine who had been here in the Houston area and was on his way home to the Nashville area. Along his route, he passed the Red River Army Depot which is near the TX/AR state line. There were about 15 or so MLRS vehicles parked along a treeline by the side of the highway, unguarded, with nothing but a 4 or 5 strand barbed wire fence between them and the highway. Scott stopped, made his video, and sort of jokingly posed the question of whether this could be Jade Helm preparation, and then he sent it to his Facebook account. Within 2 days his video had gone totally viral and ended up as being featured on mrconservative with a big write-up about how they were positioned there for use in the exercise. Ok...I am NOT an Artilleryman, nor have I ever been, but one of my last flying jobs on active duty was for the Commander VII Corps Artillery and I have plenty exposure to the MLRS, at least enough to be able to look at the ones outside of Red River Army Depot and tell that those vehicles were GUTTED and unserviceable. They were probably there for disposal. IF they had been operational, they certainly wouldn't be parked, unattended, along the side of the highway behind a barbed wire fence. They would be in a SECURED area within the compound itself, and most likely be monitored by electronic means or a guard force. I made an honest attempt to point these things out in the comments section...was congenial, polite, etc., and was immediately eviscerated, called a government shill, troll, and some names I don't really care to repeat, for simply attempting to quell the fears which were completely rampant in the comments for that article.

After that, I saw a story with a photo of Tanks on railcars, similar to the one above. Up to that point the only railcar photos I had seen were of Utility vehicles...fuel trucks, cargo trucks, etc. But this one actually had TANKS on it. The narrative for the story was that they were spotted moving Southeast out of Abilene, TX. Guess what just happens to be SE from Abilene? You may have already guessed...Fort Hood, where there have been MANY deployments originating over the last decade or so. They have to get their equipment home SOMEHOW, and rail is the most common.

I am really discouraged by the amount of fear-mongering that has been going on over this exercise. If things are anything like they were when I was on active duty, (I retired in 1994) we were not allowed to have live ammo off of the reservation for any training exercise. My fear is that some well-intentioned patriot is going to open-up with his AR-15 on some of our troops and they will not have any recourse but to duck for cover. Now THAT might bring about martial law in a hurry, don't you think?

Sorry this is such a long post...and I have problems with being verbose. 2 more days until the exercise begins, and my wife is coming home from a visit to the Philippines and her arrival date is the date the exercise begins. Jeesh, I hope this ensuing blackout of internet and telephone service won't mess me up here...I'm ready to have her home with me.

Response by CPO Jon Campbell made Jul 19 at 2015 9:43 AM

2015-07-19T09:43:00-04:00

I always wonder about who the conspiracy theorists think the military is made up of. Do they think that our military is a bunch of mindless automatrons that can be ordered to invade their own homes? These theories have been going on for years. I remember back before Hurricane Katrina when FEMA was supposed to be the secret branch of government that was going to take over the country. You don't hear much about FEMA now. And what happened to all those white UN vehicles and that were massing in Texas for the invasion and the converted factories in Detroit that were secret death camps? Jade Helm - Lol. Can't wait to see the challenge coin.

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Aug 28 at 2015 12:02 PM

2015-08-28T12:02:32-04:00

I notice the tin foil hat crowd has gotten very quiet on this