North and South Carolina to Host Simulated “Guerrilla War”

[chuckman]

C'mon guys, you were supposed to let the tension build before explaining this happens all the time. I was hoping for a repeat of the Jade Helm 15 mania.

Before we do that can I go get some tums and tinfoil first??

[Alpha-17]

Before we do that can I go get some tums and tinfoil first??

*checks watch*

Make it fast.

[Averageman]

About 3, sometimes 4.

22, 23 years ago I participated as a friendly guerilla; our reserve unit did some OPFOR in the late-90s. For the past several years they've had a single contractor to provide all non-mil role players. Robin Sage rolls over about a third of NC and a bit into SC.

A guy I used to work with was a SF Medic and Evaluator there for a year or two. Seems like a good gig if you can get it.

[chuckman]

A guy I used to work with was a SF Medic and Evaluator there for a year or two. Seems like a good gig if you can get it.

A friend of mine is a retired firefighter and EMT, he does this as his full-time job now. Of course it doesn't pay all the bills, his wife also works, but he absolutely loves it.

[ST911]

Like a bucket of chum in the water.

[chuckman]

A guy I used to work with was a SF Medic and Evaluator there for a year or two. Seems like a good gig if you can get it.

I reached out my FF buddy, here is what he said:

"Ok, here I go with some random crap. I'll see if I can answer some questions without actually aswering any questions. Not exactly what some of y'all are looking for but you're getting it anyways.
I'm a broken glass guy on the half empty/half full scale so TIFWIW.

Sage is somewhere between Groundhog Day, Red Dawn, The Truman Show with Stripes and MASH thrown in to keep from going crazy.
Very heavy on the Groundhog Day and Truman Show.


I'm in my 4th year of contracting in a G base and I can tell you it isn't for everybody, in fact it isn't a good fit for most people. Somewhere around 50% of first timers either aren't invited back or choose not to return if they even make it all the way through the first class.
The money is pretty OK, but if you're doing it for the money you're doing it for the wrong reason and really aren't going to like it at all, and we aren't going to like you.
Background checks, confidentiality agreements, physicals, LLCs and liability insurance are just a part of the contracting requirements.

It is a secretive good old boys type of club on the volunteer and contractors side of things. Its just the nature of the beast.. Referrals aren't just thrown around to strangers, too much at risk. Many are local to the specific AO and have been doing Sage for generations. Retired SF, family in SF or having kin with land use agreements or transportation assets is pretty normal for a majority of those involved.
Half of the guys in my camp are retired SF, I am the only one that is not prior military or Montagnard.

I barely survive each class and spend the whole time wondering why I'm out there again.

2 weeks eating rice and beans, I hate rice and beans.. But the good news rumor floating around camp is tomorrow night we get beans and rice, for a change.

And yet here I am, yet again, counting down the days like a kid before Christmas, waiting to see what flavor the shit storm being thrown at us this class will be."

[SteyrAUG]

This is part of the SF Qualification course. They’ve been doing this for decades.

Yep, that. For real "OMG the Gubmit is taking over", about 10 years ago Navy Seals practiced an amphib landing on South Beach.

[ABNAK]

HA! You spoiled the surprise. Thread could've been epic!

But yeah, nothing new at all. It's an 18 series thing.

Why the hell are they announcing it now? As is well-known, Robin Sage takes place every year, several times a year in fact. Why the high-profile announcement? Are they expanding the operational area beyond what is the usual "Pineland" setting?

[Diamondback]

Douglas Waller discussed Robin Sage a fair bit in his 1990s book "The Commandos." Nothing big or scary here unless they've really changed it.

[ABNAK]

About 3, sometimes 4.

22, 23 years ago I participated as a friendly guerilla; our reserve unit did some OPFOR in the late-90s. For the past several years they've had a single contractor to provide all non-mil role players. Robin Sage rolls over about a third of NC and a bit into SC.

Did not know that. I thought their AO was more limited.