GOV/MIL Strange Military Movement in SC

Wife just got in... Troops and heavy equipment in a field across from the mall a few miles from here. Troops directing traffic past. This field is normally used as a farmers market, fairgrounds, etc. Very strange... Nothing on local news. She said they were at least 5 or 6 large canvas topped trucks, a number of humvees... She said they appeared to be "setting" up camp?
I'm tempted to ride down there and see what's going on.

In fact, I think I will... be back in a few.

Interesting!

Could it be a FTX? It is the weekend.

Have they ever used the fairgrounds before for a staging area?

Jarhead


(FTX= Field Training Exercise)

What part of SC is this ?? Quite interesting on the timing to.. National Guard, Army, Marines, UN Troops??

Time to get the vodka out and get ready for a long week if more reports come in from across the country like this

Looking forward to the update Ron!

Ron Galt said:

Wife just got in... Troops and heavy equipment in a field across from the mall a few miles from here. Troops directing traffic past. This field is normally used as a farmers market, fairgrounds, etc. Very strange... Nothing on local news. She said they were at least 5 or 6 large canvas topped trucks, a number of humvees... She said they appeared to be "setting" up camp?
I'm tempted to ride down there and see what's going on.

In fact, I think I will... be back in a few.

Click to expand...

Ron, did you just move to the Columbia, SC area?

One block down from the fairgrounds on the right if you're headed south on Bluff Rd. is the T. Eston Marchant National Guard Complex.

Nothing odd at all about military vehicles one block from the headquarters of the SC National Guard.

By the way, go down one or two more blocks and on the right you'll see "Bernie's Broasted Chicken"...best fried chicken on the planet IMNSHO!!!

I hope someone will take a camera.

OK... just got back. They seemed to have moved back into the wooded area across from the mall. I was able to see what appeared to be a military front end loader with a couple guys in next to it at the tree line. I tried to snap a pic but there was a cop a couple of cars behind me and didn't want him to see me taking pics and my radar detector is blocking the front end loader. I "think" they were troops but it was hard to make them out against the tree line. Too far away.



Near where my wife said they were, a car had rear ended another car, probably someone gawking at what was going on.



Helecopter (blackhawk?)

Probably just the Guard practicing or something.

Move along citizen... nothing to see here.

RB Martin said:

Ron, did you just move to the Columbia, SC area?

One block down from the fairgrounds on the right if you're headed south on Bluff Rd. is the T. Eston Marchant National Guard Complex.

Nothing odd at all about military vehicles one block from the headquarters of the SC National Guard.

By the way, go down one or two more blocks and on the right you'll see "Bernie's Broasted Chicken"...best fried chicken on the planet IMNSHO!!!

Click to expand...

I have not been living here that long. Bluff rd? I think that's on the other side of town? This was over the Sandhills Mall on Clemson rd.

I was just typing a question about the "wooded area" once I saw that I knew you weren't in Columbia on Bluff Road...

Here is what you saw . It is the NG moving a lot of dirt for a school.
http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=9101409&nav=0RaPPk9j

Spot

Well, they would explain the military earth moving equipment. But that's on the other side of town.

These days, you just never know. I was expecting to drive by tommorrow and see all the trees cleared, a 12 foot fence with razor wire on top, guard towers, and signs at the mall saying "looters will be shot" (at the new camp across the rd)

Good reporting Ron. And good pics too. This kind of reporting in a real plus for other members here, I believe.