Another 'myth' about Area 51...the security guards

Here is another myth about Area 51: the often depicted 'menacing' security guards.
This is a total myth.
The security guards, often depicted as menacing, machine-gun- toting elite security force, are in reality nothing more than semi-private rent-a-cop workers (although a few may have worked long time ago as low echelon workers for governmental agencies or even some military). Many of them are out of shape retirees, quite often pot-bellied.
They are just regular wage earners, no different than regular people, just trying to make a living and pay the bills for their families.
Up till 4 years ago, the bulk of the guards were only getting paid an average of $15 an hour, with hardly any overtime pay. Many of them even complained that they had not had a raise in more than 10 to 15 years.
This is the reason why there was a strike by Area 51 security guards (about 4 years ago), in Las Vegas:
Area 51 security guards go on strike for contract, higher pay

Another myth about Area 51 is the so-called menacing warning signs at the boundary on Groom Lake Rd.
The USE OF DEADLY FORCE, etc. are standard signs found in most U.S. military bases.

By the way, there has not even been one case of anyone getting shot at by the Security Guards all these years, ever since Area 51 came out in the open, i.e., circa 1989.

All these myths have contributed in the past in creating the mysterious aspect of Area 51. In fact, there is nothing mysterious about Area 51. I wouldn't say it is just a mundane complex. It is definitely a very important research, development and test base for weapons integration with avionics. In fact, it is the nation's leading edge aerospace R & D test base, no doubt about it. But these myths surrounding Area 51 has given a segment of the public a misunderstanding of what this important base is all about.

ok then go see what happens as you get even near the border at 3am on public land, regarding these "out of shape" old walmart greeters lol. You have no clue. Area 51 is no joke, and their machine guns ARE real and i have absolutely no doubt from my own experience that they will use them if necessary. What does the deployed military attack helicopter do... shoot silly string?

[edit on 10-2-2007 by hiii_98]

LMAO, I vaguely remember that strike going on haha. Yea they have real guns but this doesnt make them a l337 secret military group of commandos.
Put an M-16 in anyones hand and anyone will look and be lethal lol.
I suppose that its possible they could be using BlackWater Security Personal (Mercenaries) as their hired guns. Even IF that were the case though, a lot of Blackwater Personal are former military or retired police but lower ranks.
I met a couple of Blackwater guys when I was adjusting insurance claims in New Orleans in 2005.
Regular Joes for the most part

Hey Norio, welcome to ATS. I recognise your name from reading dreamland resort!

I totally agree with everything you have posted here. The camo dudes are often vilified on these boards as idiots and verbally attacked, Ive also seen lists of their names and addresses posted here. The fact is, they are simply earning a living doing what any other security forces do, yet they work at the most secret base in the world!

Originally posted by hiii_98
ok then go see what happens as you get even near the border at 3am on public land, regarding these "out of shape" old walmart greeters lol. You have no clue. Area 51 is no joke, and their machine guns ARE real and i have absolutely no doubt from my own experience that they will use them if necessary. What does the deployed military attack helicopter do... shoot silly string?

hiii_98, if you have actually done the amount of research you claim to, and actually know anything about area 51 researchers you will have heard of Norio. IMO he knows a whole lot more about area 51 than you do and in fact I dont think you "have a clue".

Of course their machine guns are real; but think about this, there are records of people being captured over the border, but there is no record of anyver being shot at. What does that say?

Similarly the Pave Hawk helicopter has never been used to attack anyone, it is to ensure the security of the border and check out potential line crossers.

i dont understand why would they just radomly kill people. they arnt aliens nor robots working at the border, they are american humans and do have a heart despite a ichy trigger finger. I've interviewed several locals in Rachel and i dont care about your "contact", they told me first hand the guards are ex military commandos who now operate as mercs. Really it is so easy for some of you guys to sit back and read a book or post on a forum and have an opinion regarding a facility you have no personal experience with (furthermore i'm not an expert myself, just have a personal experience that i base my "opinion" on). I too thought the guards where a joke, that was until i actually went there at 3 am and had the most frightening experience of my life. In my entire life i have never felt my life at stake, that night i had doubts as to my personal safty and continued presence on this earth. There is a very large desert out there, and the local law officers are an hour 1/2 away from the facility. If they did anything to you, NO ONE would ever know. You also get the impression that they WILL do anything to you if provoked, no question about that.

[edit on 10-2-2007 by hiii_98]

i plan to revisit the base within the next 30 days with alot more equiptment, and document my story better, I'm more than willing to meet up with any enthusiast who would like to put these walmart greeter beer chugging geezers to the test. From listening to stories from the locals it is not uncommon to have your camera smashed, you and your friends thrown to the dirt desert floor, have a BOOT on your neck and a machine gun to your head, for 2 HOURS while the sheriff comes to arrest you. I'm not aware of any stories of people being shot, however do yo uhonestly think you would see such a story if it did happen!?!? Hell when their own workers were dying from hazardous fumes those workers cant even say where they worked at, what was being burnt, or even present a law suit in court. In otherwords whenever someone is shot and killed NO ONE would ever know about it. Even the survivors family might be silenced.



[edit on 10-2-2007 by hiii_98]

It's a mix of Wackenhuts, MPs and "others" isn't it? I'm told it used to be, anyway.

I'd be more afraid of Wackies than anyone else, because IMO the military personnel aren't as prone to do something unpredictably 'cop like' in the event that you are caught and you are calm, quiet, not abusive and aren't obviously threatening.

Wackies, on the other hand, often have no senses of humor and are more likely to just spin up on you for no good reason.

As a frequent visitor to the area (more than 100 trips in 25 years) I dont believe that I have seen any of the actions thats you describe. The helicopters have been up since 9/11 on an everyday basis flying the border as additional security. prior to 9/11 they were up if base security thought their was a possibility of a border intrusion. I have been to all 3 gates almost every trip up. I have camped right on the borders and have never had any contact with the cammos. They have watched me from very close up but absolutly no personal contact whatsoever. As a matter of fact as you approach the border on GLR they will back off. We have camped on Campfire Hill many times and have never been approached. If you make an attempt to cross the border the scenario will be quite different as some have discovered. I personally know about 30 of the 63 people that live in Rachel and have never heard any stories about the cammos mistreating any visitors. They are there to protect their side of the border and very seldom will cross to the free side. If you are going to the area with the express purpose of challenging their authority good luck. If you dont cross it will be a boring trip. As far as your comments on Norio, be aware he is one of the original researchers on Area 51 going back many years and is considered to be one of the most reliable sources
on the subject.
Here is a photo of a cammo at the Rachel Back Gate. Beer guzzler,Walmart greeter. I dont think so.

good-times.webshots.com...

Originally posted by hiii_98
i dont understand why would they just radomly kill people. they arnt aliens nor robots working at the border, they are american humans and do have a heart despite a ichy trigger finger.

For the record, as far as we know, the "Cammo Dudes" as the security people at Area 51 are called have never actually killed anyone. Just because the sign sais USE OF DEADLY FORCE AUTHORIZED, doesn't mean they have ever shot anyone.

You can find the same signs at many US bases. In fact, all SAC bases where Nuclear weapons are kept have the same signs.

Tim

Here is a photo of a cammo at the Rachel Back Gate. Beer guzzler,Walmart greeter.

i dont quite follow are you agreeing with my comments or disagreeing? I was making fun of the poster who claimed the camo dudes or waks were out of shape retired geezers... my point was quite the opposite. Overall are you agreeing or disagreeing with my stated experiences or are you contesting the sentiments of another user?

As a frequent visitor to the area (more than 100 trips in 25 years) I dont believe ......

[edit on 10-2-2007 by hiii_98]

I personally know about 30 of the 63 people that live in Rachel and have never heard any stories about the cammos mistreating any visitors

perhaps you should make more friends as we heard quite a very very different story FROM THE LOCALS themselves.

The general tourist is going to have no problem, come there at 3am and mess around with them and you'll quickly discover the opposite. Hell our own experience was border line assult on part of the camo dudes, so again maybe you should make 101 trips to the base...

Originally posted by hiii_98
I'm more than willing to meet up with any enthusiast who would like to put these walmart greeter beer chugging geezers to the test. From listening to stories from the locals it is not uncommon to have your camera smashed, you and your friends thrown to the dirt desert floor, have a BOOT on your neck and a machine gun to your head, for 2 HOURS while the sheriff comes to arrest you.

[edit on 10-2-2007 by hiii_98]

For your info, there are no machine-gun-toting guards. M-16s, yes. No machine guns.
Like I said, the security guards are just like regular people. They have families. They are simply doing their job. For the long hours that they must work, their pay is not that great, as you saw in the news article about their strike for higher pay and guaranteed contract. Many of the guards are retirees and are not in top physical shape. Far from it.
Why go to the perimeters and be confrontational about it? There's no reason for it. Why provoke those guards? They are simply doing their job.
There are so many hear-say stories claiming to come from the locals. It all comes from people who claim to hear from the locals. Second-hand, third hand hear-say stories abound when it comes to Area 51.
Smashing the cameras, people being thrown to the dirt, etc. are things that have not happened. It's simply exaggeration, or better yet, wild imaginations.
If one needs to know what Area 51 is all about, I urge you to study the history and purpose of Area 51. It's a real base dedicated to the defense of our nation. The Patriotic sacrifices of the employees, their hard work and dedication make this base a vital research, development and test base.
Please study the site created by former employees of this base and you will understand the purpose of this base and its history:

Website created by former, dedicated, Patriotic employees at Area 51

It seems to me that there is little need for a Delta Force type guy sitting at the gate of base that is still miles away. I'm sure there are cameras, that are monitored at the base that back up the guards by watching the roads, gates, hills and skies.

All you have to do is put a half way competent guy there that shows up on time for work and doesn't fall asleep...a retiree is fine. No need for him to be a commando when all he has to do is push a button or look tough while the camera's notify the real commandos/helicopters/MPs at the base.

I don't really think the "myth" is disspelled. There are most likely different levels of security at the base, and having fully automatic weapons on hand doesn't sound too far fetched to me. Most likey the security inside the base are bored out of their minds and thinking more about lifting weights and fishing than UFOs.

M16s are machine gun enough for me.....they fire fully automatic mode and are usually equipped with thirty or twenty round mags...but a large cap 100 rounder is also available...bipods too.
They can come with 37mm grenade launcher mounted under the barrel and if thats not enough chunkk to intimidate the average UFO buff i dont know what is..........
A helicopter as you describe would carry a minimum of two 308 cal m 60 machine guns mounted in the door position, and could be a lot more heavyb weapons besides....

The DET 3 Security Force is comprised of both military (USAF) personnel and civilian contract guards. They are deployed as a Range Patrol and a Cantonment Patrol.

I was once detained by two "cammo dudes" and a Lincoln County Sheriff's deputy on public land, well outside the perimeter. Of the two "dudes," one was older, overweight and taciturn. The other was young, lean, in-shape and a bit friendlier. They both behaved with professionalism. The Sheriff's deputy, however, turned a situation that could have been cleared up in a few minutes (by judicious application of common sense) into a two-hour harrassment.

I believe the 1990s may have done a great deal of damage with respect to the integrity of informed opinions and perceptions of things like Area 51, UFO phenomena, the abduction phenomenon, etc. I say this not because I don't believe one story versus another, but because I try to keep an open mind and don't wish to have my perception easily skewed in one direction or another without what I consider good reason.

The 1990s saw: X-Files, Sightings (with its footage of anonymous cammo wearing Area 51 aficionados being carted off public land at gunpoint after being surrounded by hummers,) a huge explosion in popularized abduction literature (some of which was confirmed to be sensationalized fiction, last I checked,) Roswell (the TV series,) etc. All those things created very rigid, iconic imagery and preconceptions about everything from Area 51, to UFO sightings. For many people, shows like Sightings were the only source in the mainstream media by which they came in to any "information" regarding these important areas of interest.

Again, I do not dispute or agree with one theory or story versus another, but I feel that the popularity and saturation of these factors during the 1990s could have colored people's imaginations to an as yet undetermined degree, possibly for another generation or so to come.

I have been looking into Area 51 for a few years and there is no record of the cammo dudes ever shooting anyone. They may 'rough' people up a bit, but thats normal for any military base. My advise is get the facts before you start running your mouth.

Admin edit: Personal attacks are against the T&C and will not be tolerated.

[edit on 11-2-2007 by SimonGray]

I personally think they're just a smoke screen to make you think something is "still" going on there, at the world-famous -- yep, read famous -- Area 51.

All the important stuff has been moved elsewhere. So keep looking there, just a diversion, like the pea in a shell trick.

Cheers,
Chaz.

I think hii98 is just like his name, he's hi off cheap drugs. I have been looking into Area 51 for a few years and there is no record of the cammo dudes ever shooting anyone. They may 'rough' people up a bit, but thats normal for any military base. My advise is get the facts before you start running your mouth.

I'm sorry exactly what "FACTS" was I not getting straight bro. I got so confused after smoking a big fat J, you know my name and all. It never ceases to amaze me the ignorance of some of the vistors on these forums. Nothing i stated was opinion, but rather facts as told to me by multiple local Rachael residence familiar with the base, and real experiences I personally had. What expereinces have you had? Reading a comic book on area 51 in your moms bathroom? You guys all want to be hard core, you know what go out there, do something slightly stupid at 3am, get close to the border, then then tell me how non threatening the event was. Actually i'm sure some will post just that, i further challenge you, go out there with me in 30 days from now and I will first hand prove it to you without breaking any laws. These aholes almost fcked up my jeep several times by raming into me. Chased me at high speeds through the raw desert floor, and even tailed us miles down the high way at top speeds. You have absolutely no clue. (had i stopped to pull over like they wanted me to do, i have no clue what they phsyically would have done to us)

haha "i never read a story of someone getting shot" ...lol... what do you think your going to find a story about some hero being shot, then being allowed to leave and recieve medical attention? What part of a goverment base that is so secret and of absolute top secret clearance dont you get? The base doesnt even exist. If you do something wrong on the base and get shot..guess what?... YOU DONT EXIST period. I have absolutely no doubt of this. The harassment includes public land. I had the same ignorant train of thought prior to spending 3 straight days/nights in the desert next to the base as alot of you regarding the camo dudes... I was dead wrong. Go out there with me, prove me wrong, i'm leaving again in 30 days.

[edit on 11-2-2007 by hiii_98]

OK guys lets not turn this into a personal argument.

hiii_98 you seem to have had some pretty interesting experiences. Have you thought about sharing them with other researchers by like posting them as a trip report on dreamland resort? Not only might you inform some other people, you might learn something from other researchers yourself.

The fact of the matter is, some of the people that have commented on this thread have been visiting and researching the base for about 20 years, thats much longer than it has been well-known in the public.