Army Rangers to Conduct Night Exercises at JBLM and Pendleton, OR Starting Monday

(Editor's note: I just got this from Joint Base Lewis-McChord)

Rangers from 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., will conduct a military exercise March 12-22 at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.; Pendleton, Oregon; and in the surrounding communities. In addition, units from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, from Fort Campbell, Ky., and Air Force Special Operations Command from Hurlburt Field, Fla., will also be participating.

This training has been fully coordinated with Pendleton city leaders, law enforcement officials and safety personnel, as well as Joint Base Lewis-McChord personnel.

Rangers are being tested on their combat skills in a simulated urban environment similar to those they may find during combat missions. This is a routine military exercise conducted periodically to maintain a high level of combat readiness for the Rangers. 

To make the exercise as realistic as possible, it will be conducted during hours of darkness during which residents may hear increased air traffic. Rangers will use simulated munitions and small pyrotechnics, which may cause loud noises. 

The unit is extremely sensitive to the impact that such military exercises has on local citizens and we intend to train safely and courteously.  Every measure will be taken to reduce the amount of noise associated with this training. 

As with all training, safety is the first priority. Rangers will receive up-to-date safety briefings and safety standards must be observed at all times during training.

The 75th Ranger Regiment is a lethal, agile and versatile special operations force that conducts forcible entry operations and special operations raids across the entire spectrum of combat. Therefore, tough, realistic military exercises conducted regularly give the Rangers a decisive edge for real-world missions. Exercises such as this are the best method to test their readiness capabilities. 

The 75th Ranger Regiment and U.S. Army Special Operations Command would like to thank Joint Base Lewis-McChord, the city of Pendleton and the surrounding communities for their support during the exercise and their understanding of any inconveniences this training may cause.