marshall3
Member
This was in the Chattanooga Times/Free Press on Tuesday morning, October 18, 2005...
COMPLAINTS END MILITARY MARCH
Riverwalk training with rubber guns scares civilians
BY MIKE O'NEAL
STAFF WRITER
Some of the Tennessee Army National Guard's freshest recruits had their first road march cut short Saturday when a park ranger ordered them to halt.
The ranger was responding to concerns and questions about the presence of 50 recruits conducting tactical training during a scheduled four-hour march along the Tennessee Riverwalk from Chickamauga Dam to Ross's Landing.
"Of course it took us by surprise that the civilians were upset," said Sgt. lst Class William Ziegler of the Chattanooga-based 196th Field Artillery Brigade. "It may have seemed intimidating, but that was certainly not our intention:"
Some recruits had joined the Guard just days earlier and had not been issued uniforms or boots, but all wore helmets and camouflage face paint and carried replica M-16 rifles made of rubber. It was the realistic-looking guns that caused the greatest concern, said Jim Wigley, facilities superintendent at the Tennessee Riverpark.
"It was just a breakdown in communications," Mr. Wigley said. "We had reports that military personnel were on the trail carrying weapons. No one knew what was going on."
Since the exercise was creating concern for some park users, Mr. Wigley said Park Ranger Don Chandler advised the military unit to stop what it was doing.
Sgt. 1st Class Ziegler said the field exercise was intended to get recruits out of the classroom to learn basic small-unit movement and tactics. He said that when the company reached what would be combat danger areas--such as a creek crossing--the troops practiced proper techniques to secure and cross Riverwalk bridges.
"A few people stopped to watch a bit," Sgt. 1st Class Ziegler said. "Nobody said anything to us directly, though I would have taken the time to explain what we were doing."
Hamilton County spokeswoman Gina Hatler said civilians started asking, 'What's going on?" and were afraid because they saw troops with guns.
"Since the park rangers had no answers, they asked that the exercise be suspended," she said.
Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Hudgins said the rangers never were rude, and he understood they were looking out for others who were using the park.
"It is sad that there is nowhere convenient to train our troops," he said. "This seemed like a natural site with woodlands, a modern environment, civilian areas and mixed terrain."
He said that aside from weapons that from a distance could be mistaken as real, the troops had not disturbed anyone. No pyrotechnics were used, and troops never prevented others from using park facilities. "There was no war gaming. We were teaching tactical maneuvering," he said.
Sgt. 1st Class Hudgins said that the Guard wants "to work out some sort of arrangement with the park, rangers or whomever we need to talk to in order to do it again."
Mr. Wigley said the nearby Chattanooga Navy and Marine Reserve notifies rangers whenever they intend to use the Riverwalk for training.
"With the heightened sense of security concerning terrorism, people worry about anything out of the ordinary" he said. "Our rangers keep the park secure. They were doing their job."
I hope the Guard has more than just RUBBER guns!
Marshall at www.mouseguns.com
COMPLAINTS END MILITARY MARCH
Riverwalk training with rubber guns scares civilians
BY MIKE O'NEAL
STAFF WRITER
Some of the Tennessee Army National Guard's freshest recruits had their first road march cut short Saturday when a park ranger ordered them to halt.
The ranger was responding to concerns and questions about the presence of 50 recruits conducting tactical training during a scheduled four-hour march along the Tennessee Riverwalk from Chickamauga Dam to Ross's Landing.
"Of course it took us by surprise that the civilians were upset," said Sgt. lst Class William Ziegler of the Chattanooga-based 196th Field Artillery Brigade. "It may have seemed intimidating, but that was certainly not our intention:"
Some recruits had joined the Guard just days earlier and had not been issued uniforms or boots, but all wore helmets and camouflage face paint and carried replica M-16 rifles made of rubber. It was the realistic-looking guns that caused the greatest concern, said Jim Wigley, facilities superintendent at the Tennessee Riverpark.
"It was just a breakdown in communications," Mr. Wigley said. "We had reports that military personnel were on the trail carrying weapons. No one knew what was going on."
Since the exercise was creating concern for some park users, Mr. Wigley said Park Ranger Don Chandler advised the military unit to stop what it was doing.
Sgt. 1st Class Ziegler said the field exercise was intended to get recruits out of the classroom to learn basic small-unit movement and tactics. He said that when the company reached what would be combat danger areas--such as a creek crossing--the troops practiced proper techniques to secure and cross Riverwalk bridges.
"A few people stopped to watch a bit," Sgt. 1st Class Ziegler said. "Nobody said anything to us directly, though I would have taken the time to explain what we were doing."
Hamilton County spokeswoman Gina Hatler said civilians started asking, 'What's going on?" and were afraid because they saw troops with guns.
"Since the park rangers had no answers, they asked that the exercise be suspended," she said.
Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Hudgins said the rangers never were rude, and he understood they were looking out for others who were using the park.
"It is sad that there is nowhere convenient to train our troops," he said. "This seemed like a natural site with woodlands, a modern environment, civilian areas and mixed terrain."
He said that aside from weapons that from a distance could be mistaken as real, the troops had not disturbed anyone. No pyrotechnics were used, and troops never prevented others from using park facilities. "There was no war gaming. We were teaching tactical maneuvering," he said.
Sgt. 1st Class Hudgins said that the Guard wants "to work out some sort of arrangement with the park, rangers or whomever we need to talk to in order to do it again."
Mr. Wigley said the nearby Chattanooga Navy and Marine Reserve notifies rangers whenever they intend to use the Riverwalk for training.
"With the heightened sense of security concerning terrorism, people worry about anything out of the ordinary" he said. "Our rangers keep the park secure. They were doing their job."
I hope the Guard has more than just RUBBER guns!
Marshall at www.mouseguns.com
I feel much more secure ... 
