U.S. Troops In Neighborhood Streets Fully Armed

I once saw a video on youtube of the National Guards training in a small town at night time and I have to say it's a bit eerie to see soldiers walking down an American street. However, they are National Guards who have to train somewhere and they've been doing these kinds of exercises for a while now...decades at least.. If the NG is meant to operate on U.S. soil, in their local communities, then it makes sense that they would be doing this. Does anyone know if they give some kind of advance notice when they're conducting training in the streets like this? If it's just basic training maybe they announce that on a certain date there will be National Guard exercises in such and such area...maybe on the local news or newspaper. I'm reminded of the movie 'Southern Comfort'...hopefully something like that doesn't happen.

Comparing what happened in Katrina or Kent State and the photo from the OP is a real big leap. I totally disagree with what happened to homeowners and gun owners in New Orleans, and the agencies responsible most definitely violated the rights of American citizens.

But there are some big differences and just watching the video posted as evidence can show you them. First, notice which agencies were most aggressive in the video. In my view it was law enforcement. Second, notice that the Guardsmen were not from Louisiana they were from Oklahoma. There are a couple of good reasons for that mainly the LA Guard just had a Cat 4 come through their back yard at the same time they were in the process of redeploying from Iraq. Though I believe it was justified to deploy out of state Guard to Louisiana after Katrina using State mutual aid agreements, use of out of state Guardsmen is one of my red flags for looking for imminent suspension of civil liberties.

That being said, I stand by my belief that this photo is mainly evidence of a ton of paranoia and fear. Whoever took the photo didn't have the courage to step on the porch and take it. You can tell by the distortion caused by the glass from the window. Also, thirty seconds on google with the little information we have tells us this is the local Guard unit. Not from another state, not from another part of the state, but probably from a couple of streets over. I am glad whoever to the pic and posted it did so though. I know not to trust their sense of discernment in the future.

Someone asked me the question about as a veteran where I stood. I stand with the people of the US. I don't trust the Federal Government, I have little faith in State government, and even less in county and city government. I'm thirty five now and God willing, my warrioring is in my past, if it's not, then I will pick the side that most closely conforms to my values. I have no fear of dying by the hand of some Islamic madman with a death wish and a bomb vest. A nuclear armed Iran concerns me but no where near as much as an unaccountable DC, K street, and Wall Street concern me. I've said that if I should ever fire a rifle in anger again it will most likely be against some element of our government that finally gave up the pretense of caring about the Bill of Rights. I'm more afraid of dying in some misunderstanding with some law enforcement agency than any terrorist act. I don't know what will happen that takes the velvet glove off the iron fist here in the states, but it's a distinct possibility on the next round of financial collapse that in my opinion we'll be lucky not to get before November. Also with the media, race hustlers, the DoJ, and the President himself stirring up racial tensions that could be the impetus as well.

After 9-11 there was a common refrain by people in power "they hate us for our freedom". If that's the case then those that hate us have truly won the war because we are much less free today than we were September 10th 2001.

reply to post by Crackavelli


Any time we did something like this we contacted both the local Sheriff's office and nearest State Patrol Barracks. Also if we were in a residential area we would train in an area where either someone in the Unit lived or knew people who lived there and let them know that we'd be around the area that weekend. I also think we would inform the local newspaper for the larger things like the humvee exercise I mentioned in an earlier thread. For something as routine as what the OP appears to show, at most it would have been a call to the local sheriff or PD and saying something like "hey we have drill this weekend you might see us walking the streets around the armory.

reply to post by Crackavelli


I have lived for 4 decades and more than a few cities here in Texas and I have never seen the NG patrolling, training or otherwise, except after Hurricane Rita and they were manning roadblocks and MRE distribution centers.

reply to post by Juggernog


Yeah I've lived in the same town as a NG training facility my entire life and I've never seen soldiers on the streets either but I've talked to people who where doing the same thing in the 80's so they've been doing it in some capacity for at least 30-40 years. I'm not sure why some do it and some don't...maybe it has to do with access to adequate training facilities? Maybe in the smaller towns they don't have the money for elaborate mock up villages...I'm not in the NG so I'd just be guessing. Although I'm betting they do this kind of thing a lot and it's just not reported outside the local community or it's done in the wilderness outside the towns.

exactly...

Originally posted by Wrabbit2000
reply to post by thehoneycomb

 

What guns? Hard times... I had to sell them all. Then a one armed burglar came along and stole the last one I had hidden. There aren't any guns here. Sorry....

out of curiosity. how would a line like that work out in reality?
i just got my permit to purchase and plan to get a glock and a home defense shotgun.
im not a revolutionary or anti government guy. i literally feel the need for home defense from unfortunately, my fellow man. as my girlfriend with a kid is moving in, and i have cashed out my savings into bullion.

if US, or UN troops, or some security firm paid by the government, knock on my door to take my guns. how do they know i have any at all?
i realize the government will take lists from gunshops. i assume thats how it works.
but what if i got my gun from a gunshow? how do they know i have a gun or not?

what if i sold my guns or they were stolen? do i HAVE to report to police if a firearm was stolen? do i HAVE to report a sale of a firearm? or would that sale already on record to the government.

i am a gun-noob, yes. i am extremely curious about how this would work.

how far would a lie likely go before they help themselves in for a search

You know, there are Army bases all over the country and most of them, even the smaller ones, have areas, where the housing is, that resemble suburban areas of cities, if they needed urban training, they could do it on bases.
This is what leads me to believe that they are doing it to get the citizenry accustomed to seeing the military in their neighborhoods.
Just like when they land attack helicopters near elementary schools and the kids get to have a field trip to go see it. Its conditioning, plain and simple.

reply to post by GoldenRuled


There are no words to describe how angry I am after reading that story...forced labor? what the # is happening to this country? every time you think we're taking it back, you realize that's not the case

I just heard on the radio that active duty Army has been training with local LE wearing the same uniform as the LE they are training with. That would make sense and I called a friend that was an MP in the Army and he said it happens a lot but its no big deal, its just training. I asked him for what and he said dealing with civilians on base. Last time I check civilian on base are subject to those laws that apply to the base.

It makes no sense to parade soldiers in Full battle dress with weapons whether real or not. They have training areas for that.

I have my doubts on the validity of the photo and its circumstances. If I were to see that on my street I would Video them as I confront them. I would hope others would do the same.

You do realize the National Guard is training for an Economic Collapse. They are there to maintain order during the process. No , there is no guarantee of an economic collapse , however , it would be stupid for them not to prepare.

Human beings can turn into animals VERY quickly when fear sets in. Having a Military presence will help detour looting , instill confidence , and to ensure neighbors don't start killing each other over food.

There are actually ordnances in place for towns to designate land for growing crops , water supply , safe zone , to pickup living utilities , and to give access to clean public restroom facilities and showers during a National Crisis. The National Guard will have to protect these facilities and supply points from anarchist , foreign agents , and terrorist cells.

reply to post by Juggernog


I agree with you somewhat.

I guy in are church is a national guard helicopter pilot. He brought the helicopter in for the kids to see. This guy is pretty low key normal guy and not the guy I would think would be part of the conditioning program. I think he just wanted the kids to see the cool helicopter, cause, well that's cool...


Armed troops on the street is a bit more sinister. Not saying it wasn't just training, but still.....it's a bit weird.


It is a CHEAP easy way to train, especially if there are abandoned or run down areas. But if this is through town proper, it is just a bit weird.

reply to post by Asktheanimals


That border training idea is BRILLIANT.
Two weeks of reality from every unit in the country.
A 27/7 presence!
Errrr that'll be the day.
A great idea though. Everybody write your represetives.
oh yeah we don't got none ljb

reply to post by Crackavelli


If there is any way to talk to these folks in your town,
listen to their accents. Might be a clue.
Ask them about things like Ophra or the View.LOL
cheers ljb

Did nobody watch the oath keepers video I posted? Theres some real interesting footage of the national guard doing gun confiscation in there.

You know what I see? A bunch of weekend warriors doing an exercise in a neighborhood that most of them probably live in. Armed troops, huh? Yeah, okay. I'm willing to bet that every weapon carried was condition 4. That would be the weapon with no magazine inserted, no round in the chamber, and the weapon on safe.

"Oh, but that can't be right! Why are they doing that?! They have places on base to do that!"

True. But not all National Guard units have the access to these facilities. Some NG units live hours away from a base that has this sort of set up. Example: I work at March ARB which has no facility as such. The closest place that does have one is Camp Pendleton about one and a half to two hours south.

"These troops have no right to be patrolling civilian streets like that!"

Wait, so, you don't want the troops on streets in Afghanistan, you don't want them on streets in Iraq, you don't want them on streets in any other country, and you don't want them on our own streets? Yeah, lets just cut the NG, cut EVEN MORE from the active military, wait, lets just get rid of the military, that'll leave enough national budget to spend on other things like welfare. While we're at it, let's get rid of the police, too. We don't need them. Protection? Screw it. I bet you can defend yourself and your family from an entire army all by your lonesome, right?

"You said the weapons aren't loaded. That's BS. When the military takes weapons anywhere they'll have ammo."

No, no they won't. If anything, there will be only one person who has ammo. And that person will probably be of a higher rank than everyone else. The reason for that is because if some idiots thought they'd be tough guys and start shooting the troops who are training to protect them.

"They're not training to protect us! They're training to oppress us! They mean to desensitize us to the sight of them in our streets. Soon they're going to come knocking on doors and taking our guns away!"

First of all, you're paranoid as all hell. Second, where do you even get this from? How many other cities have NG troops patrolling their streets? Wait, none that you know of? Then how in the hell is one neighborhood with guys patrolling through the NG trying to desensitize all of us to seeing them? Get real and leave your delusional paranoid fantasies.

reply to post by Echo3Foxtrot

No, no they won't. If anything, there will be only one person who has ammo. And that person will probably be of a higher rank than everyone else. The reason for that is because if some idiots thought they'd be tough guys and start shooting the troops who are training to protect them.

Yeah that will train them real well. Take them some where at let them shoot the s@#t out of plastic perps and cardboard Osamas. Otherwise they might as well just sweep the streets of the trash and bubble gum wrappers.

First of all, you're paranoid as all hell. Second, where do you even get this from? How many other cities have NG troops patrolling their streets? Wait, none that you know of? Then how in the hell is one neighborhood with guys patrolling through the NG trying to desensitize all of us to seeing them? Get real and leave your delusional paranoid fantasies.

WE get it from the troops in the street DUH
Where DUH most anywhere in the third world.
Go back to your duty ljb
PS this is just a quick answer

reply to post by longjohnbritches


Um, they have ranges for all of that.
This isn't for shooting practice. This is for learning proper patrol patterns and tactics. There are ways that each person has to move and ways they have to learn to cover their buddy. You don't need ammo for this.

As for that second part, not really sure what you were trying to say.

Originally posted by DoubleDNH
I would love to see who these troops are that have never seen live rounds. As far as I know even cooks are required to be qualified on the M-16 or equivalent. Which military did you belong to? Hell even us Air Force peons had to qualify on the M16 in basic and keep up to date in our qualifications every so many years.

Please clarify what you mean by this.

Yes I qualified on an M16 with live rounds -- this I do not dispute. But when put on the front gate as an "augmentee" and my clips where given from a different bin from the armory than the actually SPs, my only assumption was that we were given blanks -- just logical given I was a Radar technician volun-told to guard the front gate with a 5 hour class on Security Forces duty.

A drill through the streets, valid or not, would be disastrous if those drilling were given live rounds. Why would such exercise be a "live fire" exercise?

I am sure they don't have live rounds. Probably not even blanks. They might even be carrying dummy rifles. We did that in ROTC when we did patrol training. No sense getting the real deal out of the armory and all dirty and everything. Just a dummy (usually weighted for extra PT).

I understand some armories do patrol type training around the armory or in certain sections of the city (usually older or abandoned). Done it myself on campus in ROTC, just patrolling around the campus.

I understand its a quick, cheap, and easy way to train.

I've just never seen or heard of it right down a residential neighborhood. I PERSONALLY don't have a problem with. But I can see how some do, and I still think it's a bit disconcerting, based on my own experience.