Monitoring Opportunity in Franklin and Jefferson Counties!

[unitcharlie]

Looks like we're hosting some out-of-town visitors in Franklin and Jefferson Counties... They'll be operating some large aerial machines... Wonder what kind of freqs they'll emit! There is also a notice of Realistic Urban Training in the Peaks Mill area of Franklin County for the period 24 Sept to 07 Oct...

Release #-3-09

Sept. 18, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Noise Advisory - Marine Corps Aircraft Using Landing Zones In Civilian Areas of Southern Indiana and Northern Kentucky

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. – Marines from the Camp Lejeune-based 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit will be using pre-designated landing zones in civilian areas throughout southern Indiana and northern Kentucky from Sept. 24 - Sept. 29. Local residents can expect to see, and hear, helicopters and tilt-rotor aircraft at various times throughout the day and night.

Specific areas this activity will affect include:

Hoosier National Forest, Ind.
Brown County State Park, Ind.
Columbus, Ind.
Seymour, Ind.
Nashville, Ind.
Tell City, Ind.
Louisville, Ky.
Frankfort, Ky.

Aircraft that might be noticed in any of these areas include:

MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft
CH-53 Super Stallion helicopter
UH-1 Huey helicopter
AH-1 Super Cobra helicopter

Locals are encouraged to view from a safe distance but are asked not to interfere with the training. For safety reasons do not approach any aircraft or Marines.

All areas used for training have been approved by local land and business owners, as well as local and state officials. All areas designated as landing zones have been surveyed by the Marine Corps and civilian safety officials months before training was approved.

In some cases, locals may notice aircraft landing in close proximity to civilian buildings and infrastructure.

The 24th MEU is slated to be the landing force for the Norfolk-based Nassau Expeditionary Strike Group, and will be deployed early next year on three amphibious assault ships – USS Nassau, USS Mesa Verde and USS Ashland.

Since 1985, the three Camp Lejeune-based MEUs have used numerous cities throughout the mid-western and southeastern United States to simulate as realistically as possible the kinds of hotspots to which MEUs are often called in a crisis. In 2008, the 24th MEU conducted its RUT exercise at Ft. Pickett, Va., and in the surrounding communities.

The 24th MEU is composed of its command element, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, VMM 162 (Reinforced), and Combat Logistics Battalion 24.

The Marines kicked off their pre-deployment training program in June, and before completing RUT, they will have completed a host of specialized combat courses, field training exercises and at-sea drills aboard the ships they will be living on for at least seven months next year.

If there are concerns, or if damage is done to civilian property, locals can contact the 24th MEU hotline - 1-877-676-0396.

-USMC-

For more information about the 24th MEU, visit the unit's Web site athttp://www.marines.mil/unit/24thmeu.

If media needs video or photos please feel free to pull our products from -

- http://www.dvidshub.net/units/24meu

- http://www.flickr.com/people/24meu

[StinkyB]

OH BOY! OH BOY! I love Aircraft!

[unitcharlie]

A friend just sent me more info....

Also, on Saturday, October 3rd the 24th MEU will be having a Community Outreach Day at the Capital City Airport where the public can see the aircraft and equipment of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit.

Gonna be a fun day in Frankfort....

[alphabravo1]

Love the line... if any property damage to report call the hotline...

oops, you mean that wasn't Hoosier national forest....

I'll see what I can get but mostly working those days. But at least it sounds like they will flying very low.

[alphabravo1]

Letter to the editor from commander
Marines to use southern Indiana for training
Posted: Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 - 10:16:59 am EDT
To the editor:

By now you may have heard that approximately two thousand Marines and sailors from North Carolina will be conducting a training exercise in southern Indiana and northern Kentucky beginning later this month. As the commanding officer of that unit, I’d like to explain to you what we have in mind and why it is so important.

The 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit is the landing force for the Norfolk-based Nassau Expeditionary Strike Group, set to deploy next year as America’s 911 force ready to accomplish a variety of missions anywhere in the world. A Marine Expeditionary Unit’s job is typically to serve as a sea-based quick-reaction force, ready to respond to a contingency or crisis should it arise in our area of operations.

Some of you may remember the story of Air Force Capt. Scott O’Grady, an F-16 pilot shot down over war-torn Bosnia in June 1995. If the plot seems familiar, it was the basis for the movie Behind Enemy Lines.

For six days, he eluded capture by enemy forces. He finally established radio contact with U.S. forces, and within a few hours, Marines of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit launched from the USS Kearsarge in the Adriatic Sea to pluck him to safety.

Many of the Marines you’ll see in the coming few weeks have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Also, 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment — now the Marine Expeditionary Unit’s ground combat element — was in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, helping to wrest that city from insurgent control.

Another interesting aspect of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit is the fact that we’re only the second Marine Expeditionary Unit to deploy with the MV-22 Osprey — a tilt-rotor aircraft that can fly like a plane and rotate its wings to hover like a helicopter.

Our aim in south central Indiana and northern Kentucky is to expose our Marines to realistic scenarios in an actual urban community. We simply cannot replicate those conditions aboard our home base.

The exercise runs from Sept. 24 through Oct. 7. We’ll be spread among a number of areas including Camp Atterbury, Muscatatuck Urban Training Center, Seymour, Nashville, Columbus, and Hoosier National Forest in Indiana as well as the Frankfort, Kentucky area. While much of the activity will take place aboard the military bases, residents in some areas can expect to see helicopters flying overhead, military vehicles on the roads, and Marines patrolling on foot. Residents living in close proximity to a select few sites will be notified in advance that Marines will be conducting mock raids nearby.

We understand that the added noise we’ll bring can be a nuisance. We greatly appreciate your patience and understanding, and we hope you’ll bear with us as we complete this critical training. Finally, we hope that what you observe will make you as proud of us as we are to serve on your behalf.

Pete Petronzio
Colonel, United States Marine Corp.
Commander, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit

[alphabravo1]

Also,

The Marines will operate out of several area military installations — including Camp Atterbury, Muscatatuck Urban Training Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, and Fort Knox — and will conduct urban-combat training off base in some of the surrounding communities from Sept. 24 to Oct. 7, according to a press release from the MEU.

The Realistic Urban Training Exercise (RUT) prepares the MEU to respond to a variety of missions they may face on their deployment, which is scheduled for early next year.

The 24th MEU will be the landing force for the Norfolk-based Nassau Expeditionary Strike Group, and will be deployed on three amphibious assault ships – USS Nassau, USS Mesa Verde and USS Ashland.

The 24th MEU is composed of its command element, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, VMM 162 (Reinforced), and Combat Logistics Battalion 24.

[jsoergel]

Patterson is hosting three VMA-223 AV-8Bs ("MIRAGE") and a VMGR-252 KC-130J ("OTIS").

Freqs/callsigns I've noted:

136.150 AR w/OTIS
236.250 MIRAGE BASE?
248.700 MIRAGE BASE
281.900 ???: "PHARAOH"
283.600 designated BRICK: "HENCHMEN," "VALHALLA"
288.300
308.200 MIRAGE primary interplane
(unknown) NEWCASTLE

[StinkyB]

My son had a marching band competition at Columbus East High School Saturday(Bartholomew Co. Indiana), we saw a CH-53 Super Stallion helicopter, oodles of C-130's and a MV-22 Osprey, those Osprey's look pretty cool!. What a show, marching bands, and a airshow!!!!

[unitcharlie]

That would be an awesome show (always wished the Bridgemen could add some tactical aircraft for General Effect!).... Follow these links to pix of the UH-1N, CH-53E and V-22 as they left the airport in Frankfort Saturday following a static display.... they were flying to their training base at Columbus, Indiana...

[LouisvilleScanMan]

So is this over now or is it still going on? Where were/are they in Louisville?

[unitcharlie]

Unfortunately ENDEX was 09 Oct....

[StinkyB]

Originally Posted by unitcharlie

Unfortunately ENDEX was 09 Oct....

I am glad I got to see some of the aircraft! We will be in Terre Haute Saturday for the ISSMA Regionals! GO! Corydon Central Vanguard!!!! Will see a lot of marching bands, but no aircraft this time.