GOP Rep. Demands Private Briefing On Military Training Exercise In Mississippi

UNITED STATES - MARCH 01: Rep. Steven Palazzo, R-Miss., attends a House Armed Services Committee hearing in Rayburn entitled "FY2013 National Defense Authorization Budget Request from U.S. Pacific Command." (Photo B... UNITED STATES - MARCH 01: Rep. Steven Palazzo, R-Miss., attends a House Armed Services Committee hearing in Rayburn entitled "FY2013 National Defense Authorization Budget Request from U.S. Pacific Command." (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call) (CQ Roll Call via AP Images) MORE LESS
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Rep. Steven Palazzo (R-MS) has requested a briefing on an upcoming U.S. military training exercise expected to take place in Biloxi, Mississippi.

“I’ve requested and will soon receive a private briefing from Special Operations Command regarding the scope of the exercise, but after looking into it, I think it is a very important event,” Palazzo said Friday in response to questions from The Sun-Herald newspaper. “All you have to do is turn on the news to realize that real dangers exist just outside our back door. I support our military continuing to train in order to be fully prepared for the real threats that we face.”

Part of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command’s “Jade Helm 15” training exercise, which has been the subject of numerous wild conspiracy theories, particularly in Texas, was initially expected to take place in Biloxi. But the training exercise ultimately approved by the Biloxi City Council was dubbed “Serpent Guardian,” and there was no mention of “Jade Helm 15” in the documentation.

Palazzo, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, added in his statement to The Sun-Herald that he believes the training exercise “has nothing to do with martial law and does not threaten Americans in any way.”

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