FORT BRAGG ó Students attending the Special Forces Qualification Course will conduct a two-week training exercise across a 15-county area in central North Carolina beginning Sunday.
Called “Robin Sage,” the exercise is conducted in or near Rowan, Alamance, Anson, Cabarrus, Chatham, Davidson, Guilford, Hoke, Montgomery, Moore, Randolph, Richmond, Scotland, Stanly and Union counties.
Scheduled to end April 3, the exercise has been coordinated with public safety officials throughout the exercise area, military officials said in a press release. Residents may hear blank gunfire and see occasional flares, neither of which poses any risk to persons 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, 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 of the exercise, auxiliary forces consisting of civilian volunteers throughout the state act as role-players during the training. Approximately 200 service members support the exercise from units across the military, including Fort Bragg. They provide realistic opposing and guerrilla forces the students encounter in the fictional country of Pineland.