Indianapolis will be a Mock Urban Battlefield for Marines Next Week

Marines bringing combat training to Indy

U.S. Marine helicopters will land at the old Eastgate Consumer Mall, Brookside Park and other Indianapolis locations when the city becomes a mock battlefield next week.

About 2,300 Marines from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, based at Camp Lejeune, N.C., will conduct urban warfare training from Wednesday through June 19 in and around Indianapolis.


Most of the troops will be deployed at the Indiana State Fairgrounds and the Raytheon facility on Holt Road, said Debbi Fletcher of the Indianapolis/Marion County Emergency Management Agency.

“We don’t want anyone thinking that there’s an invasion happening or that we declared martial law or something like that,” Fletcher said.

“Our aim in Indianapolis is to expose our Marines to realistic scenarios and stresses posed by operating in an actual urban community, thereby increasing their proficiency in built-up areas,” Col. Mark J. Desens, commander of the 26th MEU, said in a statement. “While some of the activity will take place around Camp Atterbury, residents in many areas can expect to see helicopters flying overhead, military vehicles on the roads and Marines patrolling on foot,”Desens said.

The Marines will practice firing weapons, conducting patrols, running vehicle checkpoints, reacting to ambushes and employing nonlethal weapons, according to a statement.

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080528/LOCAL18/805280444



Have Fun Indianapolis Residents with your Pretend Martial Law Week!

the military trains as it fights and it fights as it trains

Add the other dot...

No more possee comitatus

If that will be on National and State Roads and
against private citizens?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9Ut-t7k_zY
Maybe Bush is getting ready to use them finally.

Microwave gun?

Riiiiigggghht!

Never heard of exercises like this in our own cities

I don't remembering this happening in civilian areas ever.

It will probably depend on how much of a hassle it causes with the residents and workers there. I hope it totally pisses them off and get them even further mad at the Governor.

This is just a little "practice session" in order to protect you in case of an evildoer's attack..

Nothing to see here, just go back to your shopping.

Just got this in an email. This is absolutely outrageous!!