Special forces conducting exercises in Boston area

08/04/2011 5:28 PM

Amanda Cedrone,

Globe Correspondent

Some Boston residents have been surprised to see helicopters making unusual maneuvers around the city in recent days. No worries, according to officials. It’s only a drill.

Special forces have been conducting “urban environment training” exercises in and around Boston in the past two weeks, said Kimberly Tiscione, a military spokesman.

The training is for the U.S. Special Operations Command, based in MacDill, Fla., which includes units such as the Army’s Green Berets and the Navy SEALs. The training began July 25 and will end Friday and is meant to challenge military personnel by exposing them to an area they are unfamiliar with – such as a city.

“This adds an element of realism in a challenge,” Tiscione said.

Tiscione added that the military trains its personnel to be ready for any situation they may encounter overseas.

Martha Henderson was out with some friends on the Greenway around 9 p.m. Wednesday when she saw three helicopters flying nearby.

“They were totally unlit and totally unmarked,” she said. “Some people around us were getting really nervous.”

Doris Yaffe, a resident of Lewis Wharf on the waterfront near Logan Airport, saw the helicopters from her home the same night.

“I was out on my terrace and they were going by me,” Yaffe said. “And I thought they were going to fall onto my terrace they were flying so low.”

Yaffe originally saw the helicopters around 6:30 p.m., and again from 8 to 11 p.m.

“I was curious but I wasn’t afraid,” she said. “It was eerie.”

Last week, the Louis Agassiz Elementary School building was used as one of several training locations. Other locations have not been released due to safety reasons. Police have been present during each drill to ensure the safety of citizens where the drills take place.

Military personnel do not use ammunition, and instead use what is called “simunition,” similar to paintballs, Tiscione said.

“The folks we’ve been working with have been absolutely wonderful from the very beginning,” Tiscione said. “And everyone in and around Boston has been incredibly supportive, and we really appreciate it.”

/ pia3 wrote:
They're going to free Whitey .
8/4/2011 5:58 PM EDT
Recommend (3) / Report abuse / Permalink
/ clambelly wrote:
Training for Martial Law perhaps? Dow down 512 - Government extended itself for 6 months. Hmm.
WorthingtonGate - Where all the dots connect.

8/4/2011 6:04 PM EDT
Recommended (18) / Report abuse / Permalink
/ clambelly wrote:
Free Whitey - lol! They need their partner for PR. Got to try to keep their CON going.
8/4/2011 6:07 PM EDT
Recommended (9) / Report abuse / Permalink
/ trueendurance wrote:
Sadly, I think "clambelly" is correct about the purpose of these exercises... The government has people who on occasion pick up a history book and understand that economic disasters eventually spawn civil unrest, and violence... They are just doing the prudent thing... They are getting prepared to deal with that, and/or terrorists who would like to take advantage of the situation and create total chaos...
It's too bad that a government so prepared to deal with these situations, remains unable to get its act together enough to come up with a plan to improve the economy and the jobs situation, which is the sole reason they have to undertake this type of military exercise...
It's time for us to come together and stop the loony politics, dig our way out of this economic mess, and get on living again... I don't even want to think of what will eventually happen if we don't.
8/4/2011 6:25 PM EDT
Recommended (16) / Report abuse / Permalink
/ MegGriffin wrote:
I heard it had to do with Whole Foods.
8/4/2011 6:25 PM EDT
Recommend (8) / Report abuse / Permalink
/ Globereader444 wrote:
Someone needs a tinfoil hat today.
8/4/2011 6:55 PM EDT
Recommend (10) / Report abuse / Permalink
/ squint81 wrote:
I was visiting a friend in Arlington Tuesday night and we experienced two flyovers by very, very low helicopters. Glad to know what was up but not sure I'm comforted by the knowledge
:/
8/4/2011 7:16 PM EDT
Recommend (4) / Report abuse / Permalink
/ randy109 wrote:
.
I knew you conspiracy nuts would slither into this issue.
The military needs to do these things to protect
even the coo-cco's who can't take a couple of hours
of chopper noise although they are living in the city.
"Clambelly" is a jeff rense-esque nut who tours all
the comment boards in New England with his(?)
apocalypse festival.....try googling "psychic vampire."
The Military are welcome in Boston.
Please disregard opponents to this issue
who may have a "questionable"
foundation in their beliefs.
.
8/4/2011 7:17 PM EDT
Recommend (5) / Report abuse / Permalink
/ clambelly wrote:
Randy your ICON says all I need to KNOW! ;-) A Pirate Cop. :)
8/4/2011 7:30 PM EDT
Recommended (12) / Report abuse / Permalink
Ads by Google
what's this?
psychiatrist
Private psychiatric clinic Downtown Manhattan.Insurances accepted.

aceriley82 wrote:
i wonder how many drug dealers flushed their stuff thinking it was a raid...
8/4/2011 7:34 PM EDT
Recommend / Report abuse / Permalink
/ beantown01 wrote:
Sure - training - that sounds good. Just as long as whatever it was or whomever it was is no longer bothering us, I'm happy.
8/4/2011 7:40 PM EDT
Recommend / Report abuse / Permalink
/ McGinest55 wrote:
Black helicopters!
Be careful. It's the invisible helicopters we need to worry about!
8/4/2011 7:53 PM EDT
Recommend (4) / Report abuse / Permalink
lelb69 wrote:
Hello,everybody,the good shoping place,the new season approaching, click in. Let's facelift bar!
===== ====
Air jordan(1-24)shoes $33
UGG BOOT $50
Nike s h o x(R4,NZ,OZ,TL1,TL2,TL3) $33
Handbags(Coach lv fendi d&g) $33
Tshirts (Polo ,ed hardy,lacoste) $16
Jean(True Religion,ed hardy,coogi) $30
Sunglasses(Oakey,coach,gucci,Armaini) $12
New era cap $9
Bikini (Ed hardy,polo) $18
FREE SHIPPING

8/4/2011 8:45 PM EDT
Recommend / Report abuse / Permalink
/ Espantapajaros wrote:
"Tiscione added that the military trains its personnel to be ready for any situation they may encounter overseas."
Overseas. Riiiiight.
8/4/2011 8:45 PM EDT
Recommend (9) / Report abuse / Permalink
/ We removed reglewis35yes's comment.
Ads by Google
what's this?
Eatontown Stress Management
Indulge Yourself. Call for Relaxing Massage Therapy and Acupuncture.

/ czibailo wrote:
We were out sailboat racing on the harbor when they came screaming out a couple of times in formation. Very cool! Nice that Boston can help out in their training exercises to keep them prepared for whatever anyone has to throw against us!!!
8/4/2011 9:45 PM EDT
Recommend / Report abuse / Permalink
/ karoline wrote:
It thought we were under attack in Arlington last night. And why did they have to fly back at midnight? Scared the heck out of me and my kid.
8/4/2011 9:46 PM EDT
Recommended (3) / Report abuse / Permalink
/ karoline wrote:
Oops. "I", not "it".
8/4/2011 9:46 PM EDT
Recommend / Report abuse / Permalink
/ goatfool23 wrote:
chances of them flying into a building are?
8/4/2011 10:08 PM EDT
Recommend (1) / Report abuse / Permalink
goinsick1 wrote:
Hardly necessary to fly 20 feet over houses in the burbs at 10pm on a weeknight. I doubt much fighting takes place in the burbs of Iraq and Afghanistan, more likely desert and mountain training would be required. No wonder the military can't afford to armor up humvees with waste like this going on.
8/4/2011 11:19 PM EDT
Recommend / Report abuse / Permalink
goinsick1 wrote:
I didn't expect the ambiguously-gay duo guy to be on board with fascism.
8/4/2011 11:22 PM EDT
Recommend / Report abuse / Permalink
/ Losif wrote:
All you people who mocked us for complaining about black helicopters are finally getting a taste. I grew up in the woods out west in the 1980s. The attack helicopters, the thin ones with all the machine guns on them, would suddenly pop up over the hills and they seemed to love terrorizing whatever is on the ground.
8/4/2011 11:40 PM EDT
Recommend (3) / Report abuse / Permalink
/ Mehran7 wrote:
Is Boston civilian air space open to military anytime they wish for any exercise!? No information coming from the Mayor or the Boston police, only that they cooperated!? Do they have no responsibility to inform the public? Such a short news piece and only military spokesperson gets to provide input!? Are the journalists at the Boston Globe doing their job finding out what's going on!? 'We spoke to eye witnesses and we listened to military spokesperson', our-job-is-done lame piece of work!
8/5/2011 12:43 AM EDT
Recommend (3) / Report abuse / Permalink
/ OFISHL wrote:
I agree with Mehran7, in the last few months, Menino has banned a Bruins viewing party and City Hall Plaza Bruins celebration, scooters, Segways and gasoline tankers but is completely silent on these dangerous games (helicopters with no lights?) being conducted by the feds. Menino's silence is defeaning. Then again, Menino and crew seem to have inexplicably escaped the Turner/Wilkerson federal dragnet, so I supposed he is too grateful to critcize the feds on their downtown military maneuvers, just don't bring a gasoline tanker.
8/5/2011 2:36 AM EDT
Recommend (2) / Report abuse / Permalink
/ Dotcomsiren wrote:
It's part of the federalization of law enforcement. I'm not surprised that the sheeple in Mass don't complain.
8/5/2011 5:47 AM EDT
Recommended (1) / Report abuse