FWIW - Got a phone call from an old friend stationed at Ft. Hood Friday night. He said no one was going to be allowed to leave the base (at least from his division) after Dec. 27, through at least January 3rd.

He also said "Deadly Force Briefings" were given, and weapons have been assigned. I didn't get a good explanation what that meant, he said the content was classified (I think it was bacause he was at work). That's a surprise because he's never had to carry a weapon before, even in Kosovo. He's in a purely support role.

This guy was the best man at my wedding. He wouldn't BS me. He's given me good intel before. In fact, he even sent me the entire library of Army manuals not too long ago. Like I said FWIW...

-- Powder (Powder@Keg.com), December 20, 1999

Answers

Correlate this with Silver ion's intel about Fort Hood, and Deadly Force Briefings make a lot of sense.

How surprised will we all be in the next few days...

-- Losing it (Losing it @ Lost it.com), December 20, 1999.

Not very. I just hope they wait til the 28-29th.

I just acquired the reqiuisite wherewithall to complete the preps at a VERY different level but I need 3 days from the 25th.

C

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), December 20, 1999.

Looks like the pieces of the puzzle are fitting together like never before. Thanks for the report.

-- Irving (irvingf@myremarq.com), December 20, 1999.

Its looking more and more like scary Gary was right, and that is SCARY!

-- Dick Moody (dickmoody@yahoo.com), December 20, 1999.

For non-US types, could someone say what Fort Hood is and why it is important (assume it's an army base?)

-- Risteard Mac Thomais (uachtaran@ireland.com), December 20, 1999.

Ft. Hood is an army base in Texas. There was a long thread over the weekend from a woman named Silver that had a lot of responses. There is growing concern and some realistic evidence in the states that the military will be called out on the 28th.

The terrorism issues we are having with the cache of explosives stolen in Arizona, the plot to blow up an enormous propane reserve tank farm in Californai and the man attempting a Canadian border crossing with a car filled with explosives adds to the "discomfort" and uneasiness here while the days and hours click off.

-- Nancy (wellsnl@hotmail.com), December 20, 1999.

Fort Hood is a major place for training in tank manouvering. They have lots of tanks. Much of the armour for Desert Storm came from Fort Hood.

-- David Holladay (davidh@brailleplanet.org), December 20, 1999.

I notice no one needs to ask what a "Deadly Force Briefing" is....

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), December 20, 1999.

Just got off the phone with my Parner in the 1st Cav Div. He says nothing like this is going on. For that matter, several contacts at Hood, some in 4th Infantry Div, and some in the MP un its say that this is a crock. The only ones who are 'on alert' are the MP battalions in both Divisions, as well as the CID unit. (Criminal Investigative Dept.) The Fort as a whole is currently on a Threat Level A of preparedness, which it's been on for about a year an a half now. This consists of 24hour Security/Staff Duty at all level, and door gurads and baggage check at all command buildings, such as III Corps, 1st Cav and 4th ID Main Buildings. Also Jersey barriers have been in place to not allow carbombs to get close to these structures as well.

As far as the posting from above

He also said "Deadly Force Briefings" were given, and weapons have been assigned.

This doesn't jive. period. Weapons are assigned in every unit as soon as a soldier arrives to the unit. This is done to give the soldiers their own weapon, and to instill a sense of ownership, as well as responsibilty. It doesn't matter what kind of unit. Be it support pukes, to intel weenies, to combat troops, everybody gets a gun

I didn't get a good explanation what that meant, he said the content was classified (I think it was bacause he was at work). That's a surprise because he's never had to carry a weapon before, even in Kosovo. (intejecting a comment here:Bullshit. Pure, unadulterated, bullshit.) Anyone who went to Kosovo went armed. Only the Padres and Chaplains go without a piece in todays Army. He's in a purely support role. Dealt with this bit before. Every swingin' dick gets a piece. From the lowest clerks n jerks to the Highest Commanding General, la-dy-da-dy evvabody gots ta have a gun. Nuff said. And for the Record: My sources as quoted are in the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry 1st Cav Div, and the 1st of the 81st Chemical Company, III Corps., and in the 32nd Armored, 4th Infanrty Division. Rant off.

-- Billy Boy (Rakkasan@Aol.com), December 20, 1999.

Sorry I hate when this happens...underline off

-- Billy Boy (Rakkasan@Aol.com), December 20, 1999.

Like I said Pal, I was just repeating what was told to me firsthand. I thought I qualified the remarks well enough. How do I know that your reply isn't just disinformation? Hmmmm??

BTW - How can you say he's not a Chaplain?

-- Powder (Powder@keg.com), December 20, 1999.

Billy Boy,

To clarify my statement, What I meant was "What if you're not the real Billy-Boy" Dats all I haf ta say 'bout that.

-- Powder (Powder@keg.com), December 20, 1999.

My money is on Billy-Boy. When in doubt, prefer the post of a TB2K regular who has made good sense in the past.

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), December 20, 1999.

Ft Hood is not "an armor training base". It's THE armor training base. Army has schools for armor, infantry, artillary, etc... Ft Seal OK is artillary school. Ft Dix NJ is infantry school, FT Hood is armor school. Not sure about airborne, California maybe.

All troops are not issued guns. Even those with guns, are rarely issued ammo. I have heard of support troops in "rear areas" in Viet Nam having to wait in line for ammo when their base came under sniper fire. The Army is kinda anal about handing out guns and bullets. Especially here in the states. When you are issued ammo for practice, they count the brass when it's returned.

-- MegaMe (CWHale67@aol.com), December 20, 1999.

It's me... just for verification I used to post as Rakkasn@yahoo.com before I got the AOL thing squared away. Can Understand where you are coming from, Its just that I get so tired of the real 'agent provacatuers' rolling in here, posting the "AHHH Martial Law...AHHH....Emperor Clinton....AHHH" Makes the forum look like a bucha paranoid skitzos and Makes the Troopies look bad. I'll always defend my Bros in uniform, come hell or high water. Death Before Dishonor still means something to some of us...

-- Billy Boy (Rakkasan101st@Aol.com), December 20, 1999.

MegaMe

Hood is Home of III Corp. It is a Armored Combat Base Home to the 1st Cav Division, 4th Infantry Division and the various support elements. Lets just get something straight, putz.

Ft Benning = Home of the Infantry, TRADOC COMMAND The Infantry School, Airborne School, Ranger School, Special Forces School

Ft Hood = Home of Heavy Armor, Primary Leadership Development School PLDC

Ft Bragg = Home of the 82nd Airborne, 18th Airborne Corp Command

Ft Sill = Home of the Artillery

Ft Campbell = Home of the 101st Airborne Air Assault, and the Rakkasans, 187th Regimental Combat Team (My favorite Alma Mater)

So before you open you mouth again, I'd do a little Research, and know just what in the hell you are talking about. Nuff said.

-- Billy Boy (Rakkasan101st@Aol.com), December 20, 1999.

Oh yes..just to be petty, Dix has been closed for a long time...

-- Billy Boy (Rakkasan101st@Aol.com), December 20, 1999.

Billy Boy, MegaMe: I thought Knox was Armor? Sure seemed that way when I went thru Basic (that's where tanker school was, anyway, the drills all called it "Disneyland"). Had to get off the road often during roadmarches so wouldn't get pancakeized by green boots driving M1s and M88s (M88-totally cool, want to get one someday if they ever let tracks out like they did the old APCs/Shermans etc).

Jes Thinkin...

-- Little Pig (littlepig@brickhouse.com), December 20, 1999.

Em, uh, a brief break from lurking to inform you who may NOT be regular army at the moment that it is not standard protocol to assign everyone a weapon, at home OR abroad. Darling hubby has spent the past year making the rounds in locations such as Nicaragua, Honduras, Haiti, and of course in the good ol U.S. of A., and the ONLY place he has carried a weapon has been Haiti. The MPs have 'em, sure, but regular officers and NCOs don't. He thought the Haiti thing was quite unusual precisely because he HASN'T had to carry a weapon in so long. They have enough weapons, or ought to, for everyone to use, and they regularly practice to keep skill level high, but the weapons are normally locked up in a central arms (high security) area. Don't mean any disrespect to ANYONE here, but just thought I'd throw my .02 worth based on very recent personal experience (I'm talking mere weeks ago, not in years past).

-- S Byng (sbyng@yahoo.com), December 20, 1999.

It's been a while since I served. There seems to be a slight misunderstanding of terms here. Everyone in every unit in the entire army (with practically NO exceptions) is ASSIGNED a small arm. That weapon is NORMALLY stored in the arms room from whence it is ISSUED when you deliver your weapons card to the armorer. He removes your weapon from the weapons rack and places your card where your weapon was stored. Woe be unto you if you loose your weapon. If there is an operational need for weapons to be issued, the unit armorer goes to the arms room and the entire unit checks out their weapons. Weapons can be issued in about fifteen minutes in an emergency (in a company sized unit). Ammunition if rarely issued with weapons. Typically the armorer maintains control of the ammo until the troops are safely in their range area AND EVEN THEN, ammo is controlled until the troop steps up to the firing position on the range. Yes if troops are deploying into a hostile fire zone AND THEY ARE AUTHORIZED AMMO they will be carrying live ammo. I have deployed into the DMZ in Korea more than once but have ONLY ONCE been issued ammo while deploying into that area. Anyway supper calls.

-- (...@.......), December 20, 1999.

Billy-Boy,

Oh yes..just to be petty, Dix has been closed for a long time...

I have NO knowledge of how the military works but about a month ago the local news was reporting on a week-long training exercise at Ft. Dix titled "Operation Phoenix Readiness". The news said it was one of the largest exercises of it's kind and included some very large cannons, tanks, etc. They mentioned that members of the RAF were also taking part of the exercises.

They claimed this was all urban training for dealing with situations like Kosovo (which seemed kind of strange because of all the big guns they were firing for the reporter). Like I said, I don't know anything about how the military operates, but from what I saw Ft. Dix looked alive and well.

-TECH32-

-- TECH32 (TECH32@NOMAIL.COM), December 20, 1999.

Billy-Boy: Just wanted to say thanks for your contributions to this forum as far as the active duty Army goes. Hubby was in for 11 years, and I have fond (???!?!?!) memories of the years as an Army wife.

I met him, BTW, while he was in the 1st Cav at Ft. Hood. His favorite assignment. Went to Desert Storm with the 1st Cav. Purple Heart. Maybe I shouldn't say anything else too specific.

Fond memories, too, of Ft. Benning, where, at Martin Army Hospital, I became a mom.

(sigh) He got out b/c he volunteered to go to Korea numerous times as a single soldier, then when Benning was done w/him, they wanted him to go to Korea. Unaccompanied tour. Said nope, I've been all I can be, been in since I was 17, time to do something else.

The "real" world has been a shock. He became a warehouseman and still is a warehouseman. Wants to do something different, but doesn't know what. He often wishes he didn't get out.

None of the above has anything to do with diddly squat, sorry for rambling.

-- preparing (preparing@home.com), December 20, 1999.

just to let you know a bit of information on Fort Dix..my father is retired Air Force,and lives about 30 minutes from McGuire AFB,in New Jersey.. my mother shops in their commisary every month,and has to drive right by Fort Dix..it is open and operational..

-- Cynthia Yanicko (yanicko@infonline.net), December 21, 1999.