Army warns NC residents of upcoming warfare training

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Army officials are telling North Carolina residents not to worry if they see suspicious-looking military activity over the next few weeks, saying it’s most likely part of Special Forces training that’ll be staged across 21 counties.

The Charlotte Observer reports the exercises that’ll take place from Aug. 30 to Sept. 12 are known as Robin Sage training. An army release says it resembles extreme role playing in which trainees may fire blanks and engage with Fort Bragg soldiers acting as guerrilla fighters.

The newspaper says notice of the annual exercise started after a soldier was killed in 2002 by a sheriff’s deputy who mistook it for criminal activity.

The paper previously reported a 1997 military exercise created panic when residents encountered a staged attack with helicopters and simulated blasts.