FORT BRAGG ó Another class of students attending the Special Forces Qualification Course will conduct a two-week training exercise across a 15-county area in central North Carolina beginning Friday. At the end of each class, the Robin Sage exercise is conducted in or near Alamance, Anson, Cabarrus, Chatham, Davidson, Guilford, Hoke, Montgomery, Moore, Randolph, Richmond, Rowan, Scotland, Stanly and Union counties.
Scheduled to end May 11, the exercise has been coordinated with public safety officials throughout the exercise area. Residents may hear blank gunfire and see occasional flares, neither of which poses any risk to people or property.
Residents who encounter a problem should contact local law enforcement officials, who will immediately contact exercise control officials.
Conducted by the 1st Special Warfare Training Group here, Robin Sage is designed to provide realistic training in unconventional warfare tactics and techniques. It is the final training exercise before graduation and assignment to one of the operational Special Forces groups.
Robin Sage has been conducted for more than 40 years with the help of civilian authorities and the citizens of central North Carolina.
To add realism to the exercise, auxiliary forces consisting of civilian volunteers throughout the state will act as role players during the training. Participation by these auxiliary members is crucial to the success of the Special Forces training, and anecdotal evidence gathered from past trainees attests to the realism they add to the exercise.
The students conduct the unconventional warfare training scenario in the fictional country of Pineland. Approximately 200 service members will support the exercise from units across the military, including Fort Bragg. These military members will provide realistic opposing and guerrilla forces the students will encounter in the country of Pineland.