Hold Your Fire Governor

In a few short months, Texas along with several other western states will be sites of a military exercise called, “Jade Helm 15”. Jade Helm 15 exercise is intended to provide our Special Forces military personnel with training in geographical areas, in which they could encounter overseas. This massive joint-effort field training exercise will enhance the SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape) our troops need in many different environments. These exercises will only take place on pre-coordinated public and private lands, with permission from proper authorities and property owners.

Recently, an operations map for the Jade Helm exercise surfaced on the internet, causing an uproar from conspiracy theorist. The map was a detail of the South Western United States, highlighting certain states to be hostile, permissive, leaning towards hostile, or leaning towards friendly. Immediately, there was a backlash from concerned-misinformed citizens, worried that the U.S Government was using this exercise as a ploy to invoke Marshall Law. Those speculations are wild beyond belief. The map is simply an outline of the “role playing” situations that will be conducted in each area. As a former active duty member of the U.S. Navy, I especially find it to be ludicrous. Our men and women of the armed forces need this type of vital training in order to perform their duties and make it back to their families safely and proud.

In late April, Texas’s Governor Greg Abbott, ordered the Texas National Guard to “keep and eye” on the on goings of the exercise. In my opinion, Governor Abbott’s actions give way for the conspiracist to spread their theories, and cause a lack of respect and feelings of ill will towards our military. It seems that Texas Democrat Party Deputy Executive Director, Manny Garzia shares my same sentiments. He released this statement,  “The first thing the governor should have done when he heard about concerns with U.S. military trainings is to support our troops and reassure the public that our U.S. military poses absolutely no threat to Texans. Instead, he gave credence to conspiracy theorists by ordering the Texas State Guard to monitor U.S. military operations.” Furthermore, Governor Abbott’s suspicions are unwarranted; there is absolutely no reason to suspect any foul play from the National Government. If the government of this free nation wanted to take total control of any state, it wouldn’t need to do so under a ploy.