By Mark Hensch - 07-11-15 10:13 AM EDT
A team of volunteer civilians is organizing to monitor next week’s controversial “Operation Jade Helm 15” Pentagon training exercise, a new report says.
The grassroots “Counter Jade Helm” movement is keeping tabs on the major military drill across seven states, according to The Houston Chronicle.
The national initiative is organized by former Marine Pete Lanteri, 44, a New Yorker currently living in Arizona — a state hosting part of Operation Jade Helm when it launches on July 15.
The Phoenix resident founded the Counter Jade Helm Facebook page, currently boasting 6,000 members.
Lanteri also manages the group’s website and forum, which will host field reports on the military exercises from its volunteers.
“We’re going to be watching what they do in public,” he said.
“Obviously on a military base they can do whatever they want,” Lanteri added. “But if they’re going to trade on public land, we have a right as American citizens to watch what they’re doing.”
Lanteri noted his organization currently has about 200 people, with the largest unit in Arizona.
It is composed of former military and law enforcement personnel, along with regular concerned citizens.
Eric Johnston, 51, told the Houston Chronicle he is leading one of the group’s surveillance brigades in Texas. The Kerrville resident added he is a retired firefighter and sheriff’s deputy.
He plans on leading 20 volunteers on monitoring missions in Bastrop, Big Spring and Junction next week.
“It a team member sees two Humvees full of soldiers driving through town, they’re going to follow them,” Johnston said. “And they’re going to radio back their ultimate location.”
Volunteer units like Johnston’s may become the main source of public information on Operation Jade Helm, as the media is prohibited from covering the operation.
He said Counter Jade Helm is employing a strict no-camouflage policy and that all of its members will be unarmed.
They plan on documenting troop numbers, uniforms and activities, Johnston added.
“We just want to see what they’re doing and make that information public,” he said.
Volunteers will relay their findings to Lanteri’s headquarters in Arizona. From there, Counter Jade Helm will review the information before posting it online.
Operation Jade Helm runs July 15 to Sept. 15, with troops training in seven states: Arizona, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Texas and Utah.
Navy SEALs, Army Green Berets and the 82nd Airborne are among the 1,200 troops who will practice counterinsurgency techniques across a variety of terrains.
The U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) has long maintained there is nothing sinister about the drill’s intentions.
Conspiracy theorists have worried military forces are preparing to confiscate firearms, impose martial law or even forcibly-relocate civilians to FEMA internment camps.
“This training exercise will go mostly unnoticed; not interfere with private citizens and not violate their privacy and rights,” USASOC told The Houston Chronicle Friday.
“It will not disrupt their economies or livelihoods,” it said. “State and local officials will receive updates as the exercise progresses and they are equally committed to ensuring the training occurs smoothly.”
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