At the end of August, Special Forces candidates in the final stages of their training will participate in the two-week “Robin Sage” exercise that takes place across several counties in North Carolina.
From Aug. 30 to Sept. 12, the students, who are based out of the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School at Fort Bragg, must complete the exercise before they graduate the course and get their first assignments, the Army said in a press release.
The exercise is the culmination of a year’s worth of training for aspiring Special Forces soldiers.
The simulated event takes place in 21 counties in the fictional country of “Pineland,” with regular Army units, civilian personnel, and community volunteers taking part in the exercise. The regular Army personnel will be acting as realistic opposing forces and guerrilla freedom fighters, known as Pineland’s resistance movement.
Because of the nature of the training exercise, the candidates will be using blanks for their weapons. The Army has coordinated with local law enforcement and towns to ensure people are aware of the event and do not panic.
The advanced notice hopes to avoid a repeat of a 2002 incident in which a confused Moore County deputy killed one soldier and wounded another soldier who were participating in “Robin Sage,” according to the Charlotte Observer.
The Special Forces candidates will be mostly training on private land in 10 of the 21 counties.
