THUMP-THUMP-THUMP

That sound overhead from mysterious special ops choppers has some people thrilled and others looking for earplugs

By Tillie Fong, Rocky Mountain News (Contact), Alan Gathright, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published June 18, 2008 at 9:03 a.m.

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Photo by Becky Alfrey © Special to The Rocky

Two Blackhawk and two Little Bird helicopters fly over Denver on Tuesday evening, June 17, 2008.

Photo by Glen Barber © The Rocky

Military choppers fly over Denver in training for the war on terror

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For those who missed the racket of several military choppers buzzing downtown Denver on Monday and Tuesday nights, the show isn't over.

U.S. military Special Operations commandos will be conducting airborne counter-terrorism training from early afternoon until 11 p.m. through Friday night.

Tuesday, two Blackhawk and two Little Bird helicopters were training at the old Children's Hospital in Denver, circling the building before landing on the roof and parking lot, then taking off again.

Two Denver firetrucks and two Denver police cars were also on hand on Downing Street near the hospital.

"It's a great opportunity to learn how a premier organization functions in this event." said Sonny Jackson, spokesman for Denver police. "The officers are soaking up the information like sponges."

Jackson's information sharing Tuesday contrasted with Monday's lack of it. Monday, police spokesman John White would say little about the exercise, other than that it was run by the U.S. Department of Justice, which was inaccurate.

The exercise by special ops troops, supported by Denver police SWAT teams and firefighters, is intended to prepare for any terrorism threat in a "realistic urban environment," said Lt. Steve Ruh, a spokesman for the U.S. Special Operations Command, headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida.

"It familiarizes our guys with the inner workings of Denver," said Ruh, who is in town for the exercise.

Tip of the spear

"It's all in preparation for anything that could possibly happen with the global war on terrorism," said Ruh, whose command coordinates all the military branches' crack commando units - from Army Rangers to Navy SEALS.

The Special Operations Command calls itself the "Tip of the Spear" against the nation's gravest threats.

Ruh noted that the exercises are conducted in major cities in the U.S., usually at the invitation of the cities, but that doesn't mean those cities are necessarily possible targets for terrorism.

Denver police Lt. Ron Saunier said that SWAT teams are helping secure the locations and doing separate training, but not participating directly with the ops units.

Some people were thrilled to see choppers in action, but others grumbled about the window-rattling night flights.

Becky Alfrey watched in amazement as the whirlybirds whizzed by her 13th-floor flat, "darting in between the buildings downtown."

"I waved at one of the copters and someone waved back!" she said, adding that the tethered, camouflaged commandos "were literally hanging half out of the helicopter."

Several complaints

But others, like Chuck Clawson, 52, a schoolteacher, didn't like the choppers in his Baker neighborhood.

"I know all these guys are pros, but this is a dangerous place in the city," he said.

Some Colorado Rockies fans complained about the distraction of the helicopters repeatedly circling Coors Field on Monday.

Ruh dismissed reports the exercise was preparation for the Democratic National Convention.

A fire drill involving 4,500 workers at 1670 Broadway and the Colorado State Bank Building at 2:30 p.m. today has nothing to do with the training, authorities said.

Given the loud nature of the night flights, wouldn't it have been smart publicity to alert the public before exercises began?

"Advance notice was given to the (Denver) civil authorities. We were here as guests," Ruh said. "It would be up to (local authorities) to send it out."

Saunier said that Defense Department officials asked police to "respond to inquiry only." So he provided a "very generic statement" Monday to police dispatchers in case the public called.

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