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Saturday, Feb. 13, 1999

Military training disrupts Port A residents

Local officials say they were unprepared for questions, complaints from residents about exercises

From staff reports
The Department of Defense conducted training Friday in Port Aransas similar to exercises earlier this week in Kingsville, Channel 6 News reported.
   Port Aransas Mayor Glenn Martin said he didn't know how to answer questions from residents about the training because he hadn't been notified.
   "I didn't know what was going on," Martin said. "They were calling me up asking me about a bunch of black helicopters."
   Carol Darby, a spokeswoman for Army Special Operations Command in Fort Bragg, said this week that the public never is notified before such exercises because it poses an security risk and also a danger to residents, who tend to gather to watch.
   She has said that there may be other exercises in Kingsville, Corpus Christi and around Fort Sam Houston before next Saturday but didn't elaborate.
   Darby has said that as the world grows more urban, it is important for special forces to practice their skills in a variety of urban environments.
   Monday's training in Kingsville led to a fire in the abandoned former police station. Army officials have said they will pay for the damage.
   Staff writer Doreen C. Bowens contributed to this report. She can be reached at 886-4334 or by e-mail at bowensd@caller.com

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  © 1999 Corpus Christi Caller Times, a Scripps Howard newspaper. All rights reserved.