HUNDREDS of Tanks Moving Through Burbank, California

[TheTexan]

I don't know whether or not these tanks are being moved in direct preparation for martial law. I can say that the contingency of massive civil unrest was certainly factored into their decision when planning their logistics.

It's a mathematical fact that a massive economic collapse is coming, and they are fully aware of this. It would be kind of idiotic from their perspective to not plan for massive civil unrest. However, also from that perspective, that means force. Lots of force. In this case tanks.

However, by stockpiling on force (whether that be tanks, shitloads of ammo, bullet proof checkpoints), even before civil unrest has occurred, is going to guarantee that massive civil unrest does in fact occur. It's a self fulfilling prophecy, and it's going to get ugly.

 

[Ranger29860]

a little insight on this. It could be a unit from one part of the country moving it's material for training in another part. It's common for units say in Fort Bragg to railhead all tanks etc to a training site in say Fort Irwin, CA. This is very common. They are not going to just drive them across roadways there.

This is probably most likely what it is. I remember having to load M1A1 Abrams onto trains whenever we went to train at a different base. You have to test YOUR equipment out in the field to see if it works so using the base your going to, equipment kinda defeats the purpose. O and btw I have to nitpick here those are not tanks those are (by the crappy video) Bradly's if not that then some other APC.

 

[sailingaway]

wasn't blackwater or whatever their name is now (Xe) opening a big operation here? I could have sworn I saw protests about it in the news for a day before I never heard of it again.

 

[Ranger29860]

wasn't blackwater or whatever their name is now (Xe) opening a big operation here? I could have sworn I saw protests about it in the news for a day before I never heard of it again.

The thing is Fort Irwin is relatively close by and that the main training center for deploying units. The main way they get the equipment to NTC is on a train. So I think this is just someone who has no knowledge of how the military works and has somehow never seen this thinking this is the end of the world. Go to Alabama and you see this same thing all the time.

 

[donnay]

wasn't blackwater or whatever their name is now (Xe) opening a big operation here? I could have sworn I saw protests about it in the news for a day before I never heard of it again.

Agency With Ties To Blackwater Running Training Facility In Otay Mesa After Another Name Change

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/staff/dorian-hargrove/

Last week, Gail Collins, an op-ed columnist for the New York Times, wrote a story about privatization. In the article, Collins describes privatization efforts that haven't gone so well. Some examples she listed were privatizing prisons, educational facilities, and training of "mercenaries" by private security firms such as Blackwater and it's affiliated companies Xe Services, and now Academi.

In recent years the Blackwater firm has gone through some changes, mostly name changes. Last year, new investors purchased many of the assets and facilities owned by Blackwater offshoot, Xe Services, rebranding the company under the new name, Academi.

Name changes and ownership aside, Blackwater/Xe/Academi is no stranger to San Diego County. In 2008, plans to build a training facility in Potrero was shot down. A few years later, the U-T San Diego stumbled upon a training facility in a remote area of the Los Coyotes Indian Reservation run by a former a Blackwater employee.

But, there is one other training facility in San Diego County that hasn't been talked about for some time; Academi Southwest, located just a few blocks away from the Otay Mesa border.

In 2008, Mayor Jerry Sanders took some flak for not questioning what seemed to be a rather peculiar permit obtained by representatives from Blackwater.

"The one man standing in the way of Blackwater is Mayor Jerry Sanders," read a letter from Jess Durfee of the San Diego democratic party.

"He has the power -- under San Diego's "strong mayor" system -- to launch a full investigation into the false pretenses Blackwater used to obtain a "vocational trade school" permit for their facility in Otay Mesa."

Of course that project was eventually approved.

According to a spokesperson for the firm, Academi Southwest "offers a variety of services available to government, corporate and individual customers in a 61,000-square-foot indoor training facility. The facility includes a 25-yard indoor multi-purpose range, classrooms, a 2,500 square foot indoor tactical shoot house, a three-story 3,000-square-foot ship simulator, and a tower configured for the instruction of technical climbing and rigging."

The facility "provides training for civilians, local law enforcement and government agencies."

 

[pcosmar]

The thing is Fort Irwin is relatively close by and that the main training center for deploying units. The main way they get the equipment to NTC is on a train. So I think this is just someone who has no knowledge of how the military works and has somehow never seen this thinking this is the end of the world. Go to Alabama and you see this same thing all the time.

No,, Actually, the point is, that a M1 Tank (or whatever piece of equipment) in Ft Bragg, is the same exact piece of equipment in Ft Irwin.

It is a HUGE waste of money and Manpower, when you could just put men on a transport plane and send them for training.
Though HUGE wastes of money and resources are quite common to our Government,,, The country is BROKE.

One M16 is the same as the next, One APC is the same as the next. One model of Tank is the same,,east coast or west.
Moving them is hugely expensive.

 

[sailingaway]

Agency With Ties To Blackwater Running Training Facility In Otay Mesa After Another Name Change

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/staff/dorian-hargrove/

Last week, Gail Collins, an op-ed columnist for the New York Times, wrote a story about privatization. In the article, Collins describes privatization efforts that haven't gone so well. Some examples she listed were privatizing prisons, educational facilities, and training of "mercenaries" by private security firms such as Blackwater and it's affiliated companies Xe Services, and now Academi.

In recent years the Blackwater firm has gone through some changes, mostly name changes. Last year, new investors purchased many of the assets and facilities owned by Blackwater offshoot, Xe Services, rebranding the company under the new name, Academi.

Academi...?!

That sounds positively .... neutered. As in 'it's academic'.....

 

[Ranger29860]

No,, Actually, the point is, that a M1 Tank (or whatever piece of equipment) in Ft Bragg, is the same exact piece of equipment in Ft Irwin.

It is a HUGE waste of money and Manpower, when you could just put men on a transport plane and send them for training.
Though HUGE wastes of money and resources are quite common to our Government,,, The country is BROKE.

One M16 is the same as the next, One APC is the same as the next. One model of Tank is the same,,east coast or west.
Moving them is hugely expensive.

NTC is not training as much as it is field testing equipment. That is why units use their own equipment.

*edit*

Also they are not the same as the next. Even a APC with the same designation can have been rigged with different systems due to the need of that particular unit. When I was in as a 25C we would get these things in and then rip all the pieces out and replace it with our own stuff. Our stuff was completely different then another units.



*edit 2*

That being said maybe if we were not in war state constantly then we could afford to not be constantly having to upgrade and jerry rig our systems. So an approach of using someones else stuff for training purposes might be better. But as it stands today with equipment constantly changing due to the MIC that is just not a possibility.

 

[Brian4Liberty]

Didn't we have this same thread about a year ago?

 

[ZENemy]

Didn't we have this same thread about a year ago?

I think this is different. There was a video last year of tanks and other military vehicles being transported by train but it was in Santa Cruz. Same scenario tho, same paint.

 

[Athan]

and... Iran.

 

[ShaneEnochs]

I see this all the time in WV. What's the big deal? How do people think these things get moved? Magic?

 

[Zippyjuan]

Agency With Ties To Blackwater Running Training Facility In Otay Mesa After Another Name Change

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/staff/dorian-hargrove/

Last week, Gail Collins, an op-ed columnist for the New York Times, wrote a story about privatization. In the article, Collins describes privatization efforts that haven't gone so well. Some examples she listed were privatizing prisons, educational facilities, and training of "mercenaries" by private security firms such as Blackwater and it's affiliated companies Xe Services, and now Academi.

In recent years the Blackwater firm has gone through some changes, mostly name changes. Last year, new investors purchased many of the assets and facilities owned by Blackwater offshoot, Xe Services, rebranding the company under the new name, Academi.

Name changes and ownership aside, Blackwater/Xe/Academi is no stranger to San Diego County. In 2008, plans to build a training facility in Potrero was shot down. A few years later, the U-T San Diego stumbled upon a training facility in a remote area of the Los Coyotes Indian Reservation run by a former a Blackwater employee.

But, there is one other training facility in San Diego County that hasn't been talked about for some time; Academi Southwest, located just a few blocks away from the Otay Mesa border.

In 2008, Mayor Jerry Sanders took some flak for not questioning what seemed to be a rather peculiar permit obtained by representatives from Blackwater.

"The one man standing in the way of Blackwater is Mayor Jerry Sanders," read a letter from Jess Durfee of the San Diego democratic party.

"He has the power -- under San Diego's "strong mayor" system -- to launch a full investigation into the false pretenses Blackwater used to obtain a "vocational trade school" permit for their facility in Otay Mesa."

Of course that project was eventually approved.

According to a spokesperson for the firm, Academi Southwest "offers a variety of services available to government, corporate and individual customers in a 61,000-square-foot indoor training facility. The facility includes a 25-yard indoor multi-purpose range, classrooms, a 2,500 square foot indoor tactical shoot house, a three-story 3,000-square-foot ship simulator, and a tower configured for the instruction of technical climbing and rigging."

The facility "provides training for civilians, local law enforcement and government agencies."

The facility has been closed down.
http://globeedia.blogspot.com/2012/02/xe-services.html

Xe tried to open an 824-acre (3.33 km2) training facility three miles north of Potrero, a small town in rural east San Diego County, California located 45 miles (72 km) east of San Diego, for military and law enforcement training. The opening has faced heavy opposition from local residents, residents of nearby San Diego, local Congressmember Bob Filner, and environmentalist and anti-war organizations. Opposition focused on a potential for wildfire increases, the proposed facility's proximity to the Cleveland National Forest, noise pollution, and opposition to the actions of Blackwater in Iraq.


In response, Brian Bonfiglio, project manager for Blackwater West, said "There will be no explosives training and no tracer ammunition. Lead bullets don't start fires." In October 2007, when wildfires swept through the area, Blackwater made at least three deliveries of food, water, personal hygiene products and generator fuel to 300 residents near the proposed training site, many of whom had been trapped for days without supplies. They also set up a "tent city" for evacuees.On March 7, 2008, Blackwater withdrew its application to set up a facility in San Diego County.

 

[Athan]

I see this all the time in WV. What's the big deal? How do people think these things get moved? Magic?

Cue the Dungeon Master pic: "It's magic. Don't got to 'xplain shit."

 

[pcosmar]

Cue the Dungeon Master pic: "It's magic. Don't got to 'xplain shit."

sort of like, where the money for this shit comes from??

 

[John F Kennedy III]

Whats a decent explanation for these tanks? Giving them to local LE?

Being deployed for DEFENSE. I guarantee that isn't the case though.

 

[Athan]

sort of like, where the money for this shit comes from??

lol.. exactly.

 

[Zippyjuan]

Being deployed for DEFENSE. I guarantee that isn't the case though.

Probably looking for your house?

 

[Pericles]

a little insight on this. It could be a unit from one part of the country moving it's material for training in another part. It's common for units say in Fort Bragg to railhead all tanks etc to a training site in say Fort Irwin, CA. This is very common. They are not going to just drive them across roadways there.

If we had some bumper numbers off some of the vehicles, we could know exactly what was up.

 

[Zippyjuan]

Reports are that the units were heading to Fort Irwin for two weeks of training.