Pasadena residents were literally rattled and shaken by helicopters, explosions, and simulated gunfire this past Wednesday, on the night of June 3. The occasion wasn’t a production of the latest Marvel Universe superhero film, but a training exercise conducted by the U.S. military.
In a statement, Jacqueline Hill, a spokesperson for U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) confirmed that soldiers from USASOC carried out the overnight exercise, which was coordinated with the City of Pasadena, as well as applicable law enforcement agencies, to provide the most realistic training environment for U.S. Army Special Operations Forces and Aviation.
"Our ability to operate in various challenging environments is essential to being capable in the most challenging of missions. All safety precautions were observed,” Hill continued in the statement. “We appreciate the support of the citizens and residents in the surrounding areas who were impacted by the training.”
Before USASOC confirmed its involvement, it was unclear what part of the military had been training at the hospital. L.A. TACO contacted the City of Pasadena about who was participating in the training exercise before USASOC answered.
In an email response, Lisa Derderian, the chief communications officer for the City of Pasadena, wrote that the city was “not aware” which branch of the military was participating, as “they coordinated with the private property and we had very few details.”