Marines landing -- in North Carolina
Cameron Scott Mackenzie
Marines landing --
in North Carolina
To conduct random checkpoint
searches, patrol neighborhoods
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By David M. Bresnahan
© 2000 WorldNetDaily.com
Next Monday through Friday in Swansboro, N.C., the U.S. Marines will replace
police officers in conducting random checkpoint searches and patrolling
residential neighborhoods.
The Marines meet with town officials to plan military police exercise. Col.
Kenneth J. Glueck Jr., 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit Commander, far right,
and Lt. Col. Lawrence D. Nicholson, far left, Battalion Landing Team's
commanding officer, talk to local officials, left to right, Swansboro Mayor
Paul W. Edgerton, Town Manager Bill Price, and Police Chief Harry Pugliese.
"Camp Lejeune has done so much to help our local law enforcement," said
Police Chief Harry Pugliese, referring to the unorthodox cross training.
"This is our chance to give back."
Since Swansboro Police officers have been to Camp Lejeune for many
specialized training exercises, at no cost to the police department,
Pugliese said he is more than happy to reciprocate to help the Marines.
"If I sent my guys to school for this type of stuff, we'd deplete our
budget," said Pugliese.
In the past few years, Swansboro police have engaged in several live-fire
training exercises, and recently took part in a hostage-rescue scenario. All
previous training took place at Camp Lejeune.
This time the Marines will come to Swansboro so they can gain some
real-world experience, rather than in the artificial environment of the
military base. Marines with the 26th Expeditionary Unit Battalion Landing
Team will take over police operations for a week, according to a release
from Cpl. Derek A. Shoemake.
It will be a "very unique training opportunity," said Maj. James Christmas.
The Marines are expected to train all week as domestic military police.
Their assignments will include checkpoints and patrols. Christmas said it
was a unique form of training because it was in the real world environment.
"This is dynamic stuff," he said. "We'll be working in an environment with
everyday people. You don't get things like pets and kids in a training
facility."
The exercise is expected to go well, said Christmas, because the town has
welcomed the Marines with open arms, unlike other cities that have resisted
military urban training.
"We have to work closely together," he said. "Daily, our commanding officers
will meet with the town officials to go over that day's plans. So far they
have given us any help we need," explained Christmas.
The checkpoint training is designed to teach Marines proper checkpoint
security, according to Christmas. Soldiers will learn how to stop and search
vehicles and the people in them. Residents will not be affected, he said,
because the Marines already have a number of "role players" who will be the
actual ones stopped and searched rather than the general public.
Marines will also learn how to deal with certain patrol scenarios, and how
to move strategically through developed areas, according to Christmas.
"Another good thing about what we are doing is that we are staying in
Swansboro," said Christmas. "That makes it much more realistic than if we
just drove down here every day."
The purpose of the training is to be ready for the "real thing" when it
comes, according to Christmas. He said that he expects this unit to be
called upon for such duties in the Mediterranean region later this summer,
perhaps in July. The training is not for domestic use of the military,
according to the release from Shoemake.
"They are going that extra mile by training in Swansboro," said Col. Kenneth
J. Glueck, Jr., 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit Commander. "That type of
dedication is what makes us the best."
Gov. James B. Hunt Jr., D-N.C., was not available for comment. A spokeswoman
for his office was unaware of the plans and could not tell WorldNetDaily if
the troops were operating under Title 10 or Title 32 of the U.S. Code. She
said she could not comment on whether Hunt was aware of the exercise and did
not know if he had given approval.
Title 32 generally applies to the Army and Army National Guard, which
requires approval from the governor. Title 10 applies to the U.S. Armed
Forces and requires presidential approval before the military can
participate in a police action within the United States.
WorldNetDaily has reported extensively on the growing trend of U.S. military
forces training in civilian settings. During the past year, there have been
over 200 such military training exercises in civilian areas, many involving
live arms fire.
David M. Bresnahan is an investigative journalist for WorldNetDaily.com