Iowa National Guard Launches Terrorist Training Troops Will Train For Two Weeks

POSTED: 6:34 p.m. CST January 8, 2002 UPDATED: 9:36 p.m. CST January 8, 2002

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa -- The Iowa Army National Guard launched a two-week training mission Tuesday preparing members to protect our state against terrorist attacks.

Troops will be stationed in areas like Waterworks Park and Maffet Reservoir. Anyone driving or walking in or out of those areas will be subject to a military search.

Military helicopter pilots surveyed Des Moines all day Tuesday getting shots of the places troops will patrol.

"They know with events that have occurred they have a role here and they're prepared to do that role," Lt. Col. Tim Orr's said.

Starting next week, officers will be making their presence known around town as part of their terrorist training.

They'll be checking for id's and searching through vehicles. The Guard knows some people might consider the searches invasive, but officials said the idea is to be prepared when and if it's ever necessary.

Aside from training, the exercises are meant to serve as a reminder to Iowans. That attacks could happen here and we all need to be better prepared.

The Iowa Guard is working with the Governor's office and the Homeland Defense Coordinator so that any problems that come up can be worked out.

Iowa is the first state conducting this kind of training.

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-- Anonymous, January 10, 2002

Answers

Especially interesting to me since I'm both from Iowa, and was in the NG (tho not the Iowa NG). Under ordinary circumstances a state's Governor commands the state NG. If we had a terrorist attack, however, I'm almost positive that full command would immediately revert to the Defense Dept.

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2002

I can understand the need for training, but seems to me that the 'military search' of anyone who happens by is bad.

Troops will be stationed in areas like Waterworks Park and Maffet Reservoir. Anyone driving or walking in or out of those areas will be subject to a military search.

I think they could just as easily practice on each other. Now, if they are doing this for real, and not as a training exercise, then that's different.

Course it could be that they are going to try and train the citizenry, too. Or maybe they want people to stay out of those areas?

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2002

Troops will be stationed in areas like Waterworks Park and Maffet Reservoir. Anyone driving or walking in or out of those areas will be subject to a military search.

If they are walking out, didn't they get searched/questioned when they walked in? Talk about overkill.

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2002