14 October, 1999
Congressman Kolbe,
Senator Kyl,
Senator McCain,
Sirs.
An article in the WEST VALLEY VIEW newspaper, says the Marines are going to do one of their urban assault training exercises, with live ammo, in Goodyear, Arizona, a town I drive through frequently.
As you read the following, you might want to ask some questions: Like, how is it the Marines are "overseen" by the FBI? When did the FBI take over the military? Why in heaven's name, if this is training for "more realistic circumstances" in the Middle East early next year, is the Avondale SWAT team and Phoenix FBI SWAT team involved?
This is Goodyear, Arizona. Not Waco. Not Ruby Ridge!
I object STRENUOUSLY to this activity going on in Arizona.
Sincerely,
Victor J. Mergard, sui juris
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FBI TO TRAIN MARINES IN GOODYEAR
by Megan Rutherford
Staff Writer
hy would the FBI want to train a special team of Marines in Goodyear?
Apparently because of the "urban environment" they found here, according to a letter the bureau sent to the Goodyear police department in September.
"Your assistance will greatly enhance our ability to develop and evaluate special capabilities in an urban environment," FBI special agent David Weber told Goodyear police chief Peter Nick in the letter.
That's right. A total of 80 Marines, instructors and the FBI agents overseeing them will invade the Unidynamics Corp. building on Litchfield Road from Oct. 18-20.
Their mission: pretend to be kidnappers and hostages for a realistic hostage rescue exercise in preparation for possibly even more realistic circumstances in the Middle East early next year.
Weber says in his letter that the training will include use of "diversionary devices, a water explosive breaching device and live fire [in bullet traps]."
The rescue training will last two hours on he night of the 20th, with the Special Weapons and Tactics [SWAT] team of the Avondale Police Department and the Phoenix FBI SWAT team joining them for about two hours afterward.
The FBI, which has oversight on all Marine training with live fire in the civilian community, assured Chief Nick that the fire department and emergency medical services would be on standby during the event. Also, a Marine Corps Judge Advocate General will be on hand for "any legal issues that may arise."
"The day of the event [we] plan on going door to door with fliers," Weber said of his plans to inform neighbors so they wouldn't become concerned with the unusual activity going on at the usually quiet Unidynamics building.