from kgw: Don’t worry – Portland is not under attack. Low flying military helicopters buzzing downtown Portland looked like a scene out of a movie. Monday night’s drama was all part of a military exercise. Newschannel8 has learned, the Army and Navy are conducting Urban Military Training in Portland and Salem from August 17-30.

The training will include “low visibility movement, military operations in urban terrain, manual and low weight explosive breaching, fast-rope insertion, live fire” and other exercises according to a memo from Portland Mayor Tom Potter to the Navy’s Special Warfare Development Group.

A spokesperson in Mayor Potter’s office says, the military asked permission to conduct the training last November. The Portland Police Bureau’s specially trained SERT unit is involved in the training.

Monday’s exercise involved helicopters hopping from one downtown skyscraper to another. Many residents and downtown workers were concerned by the low flying helicopters. The Department of Defense provided no advance warning of the exercise.

Drills involving helicopters are expected to resume on Wednesday evening in Portland. The Urban Military Training is expected to take place in Salem on Tuesday and Thursday. It is not clear what type of training will take place in Salem.

military choppers to train again on wednesday
from oregonian: In The Oregonian’s news podcast, Today in Oregon, for Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2008: A spokesman for the Department of Defense says the black military helicopters will train again on Portland on Wednesday evening. But he says they are not armed. download mp3 here. (8.3mb)

last night’s surprise navy seal training (may have) included live fire & training ammo
from willamette week: Here’s the text of an April letter from Mayor Tom Potter to the U.S. Navy authorizing last night’s helicopter training exercises downtown, which caught Portlanders by surprise and scared a good number of them. Potter spokesman John Doussard says the city’s central dispatch line got about 50 concerned calls last night as the military helicopters buzzed over the Park Blocks. “I think next time we would handle it differently,” Doussard says. Potter’s letter says, in part:

“I understand that this training will include low visibility movement, military operations in urban terrain, manual and low weight explosive breaching, fast rope insertion, live fire,”

—which the Naval Safety Center calls “a hazardous but necessary part of combat training”—”

low power training ammunition, simmunitions, flash bang, surveillance and counter surveillance .”

As war geeks know, the Naval Special Warfare Development Group is a real hot-shit bunch. The Oregonian reports today that the training will continue. Again, here’s the full text of Potter’s letter: April 7, 2008 Captain Scott P. Moore Commanander [sic], Naval Special Warfare Development Group 1636 Regulus Avenue Virginia Beach, Virginia 23461 Dear Captain Moore I am pleased to extend you an invitation to conduct Urban Military Training in our City from August 17 to 30, 2008. In a letter from your command, dated November 14, 2007 requesting permission to conduct training, you stated that members of the Naval Special Warfare Development Group and Army Special Operations Aviation Regiment would utilize buildings in the jurisdiction of the City of Portland for this training exercise. I understand that this training will include low visibility movement, military operations in urban terrain, manual and low weight explosive breaching, fast rope insertion, live fire, low power training ammunition, simmunitions, flash bang, surveillance and counter surveillance. I have been informed that all training has been coordinated through and approved by all involved government entities, as well as the representatives/owners of each property, and that all liability for your personnel and their actions during training rests with the Navy. I have also been informed that extensive planning and coordination has already been conducted and that Sergeant Mike Lieb of the Tactical Operations Division will act as liaison for this exercise. I welcome the opportunity to support the United States Navy as you develop the techniques and tactics necessary to protect our country. We look forward to your group having a safe and productive training exercise in our City. Sincerely, Tom Potter Mayor update1: military chopper buzz muted over portland skies
from kgw: Military helicopter training that shocked and awed Portlanders Monday night were pulled back Wednesday over downtown skies. Monday night’s drama was all part of a military exercise.

update2: police state of mind – black helicopters over portland
from clyde lewis: “Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you.” –Robert Anton Wilson

On Monday, August 25th, 2008, I presented a Ground Zero Lounge about the possibility of a police state being declared in Denver if protesters rioted at the Democratic National Convention. It featured the Denver International Airport and the Masonic, religious and apocalyptic symbolism throughout the huge mural on the wall there and on other artwork throughout the building.

As I was preparing to go on stage at Dante’s, I was called out of the bar by security guards. I wondered what was wrong.

“Come outside, Mr. Lewis. There is something that you should see.”

I stepped out into the street, where, all along the curb, people scanned the sky with alarmed expressions. I thought that perhaps they were seeing some anomaly or UFO in the sky. “What’s up?” I asked. “I don’t see anything.”

One security guard said, “Shhhh, listen!”

I heard a faint sound, rather like a lawn mower. As the sound got closer it drowned out the sounds of the downtown Portland streets.

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. There were two low-flying black helicopters buzzing rooftops and dropping armed soldiers on top of buildings. The only time I had seen anything like this before was in an Alex Jones documentary…

Be sure and listen to the Ground Zero Lounge where the story unfolded during the presentation and witnesses tell their stories: http://www.ideocast.com/archive.asp?aid=12212

video: urban warfare training returns to portland

update3: portland to black helicopters: stick to jantzen beach
from oregonian: The black helicopters that buzzed downtown Monday are expected to fly in a much smaller footprint tonight, according to the city. Portland Police Chief Rosie Sizer requested that the U.S. Department of Defense restrict any helicopter-training activities to the Jantzen Beach area tonight. The military is “cooperative,” said John Doussard, the mayor’s spokesman. A spokesman for the military said he was checking into the report, but added that the military does not like to publicize its flight plans for safety reasons. Learn more about the helicopters that swooped through Portland as part of a military exercise.

black ops? no, but military trains on ground as well as air

black helicopters swarm downtown portland
from alex ansary: Like a scene from an action film, it looked as if some major event was taking place in the air and on the streets of Portland, Oregon this last Monday evening. The notorious black helicopters have been making more regular appearances in major American cities, including Portland. Only this time, we are hearing more about the possibility of live fire being used as military personnel practice jumping from the helicopters onto rooftops in downtown. The Army and Navy are conducting Urban Military Training in Portland and Salem from August 17-30, 2008 according to KGW NewsChannel 8. The training will include “low visibility movement, military operations in urban terrain, manual and low weight explosive breaching, fast-rope insertion, live fire” and other exercises according to a memo from Portland Mayor Tom Potter to the Navy’s Special Warfare Development Group.

video: military helicopters hover over city again

thanks to what really happened?, prison planet, ron paul war room, portland indymedia, information liberation & more for getting this story out…