TN Maneuvers exercise underway this weekend
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – A massive mock training exercise is underway right now in Tennessee. It’s called the Tennessee Maneuvers 2024, and its legacy dates back to WWII with a primary objective – to keep Tennesseans safe when disaster strikes.
“Being the planning part for Tennessee Maneuvers has been an amazing experience,” said Capt. Thomas Forsyth with the Tennessee National Guard.
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The Tennessee Maneuvers happen every year around this time. It’s when federal, state and local agencies spend days practicing saving lives in situations as close to real-world as possible.
“We’re just trying to make sure that if something happens, we’re ready and we’re there for you,” Forsyth said.
This year’s safety focus is primarily severe flooding in Tennessee. The Nashville Fire Department’s Helicopter Aquatic Rescue team is working with local emergency management and the national guard doing water rescues, and military planes practice refueling at Arnold Air Force base in Tullahoma.
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“A lot of this is to make sure that when these things occur, whether there be a tornado that happens or if we have some kind of earthquake, we can work well with our civilian counterparts so when the actual event happens, we’re there and we’re prepared for the people of Tennessee,” said Forsyth.
The Tennessee Maneuvers go back decades. During WWII, soldiers trained in drills across Middle Tennessee in order to battle and defeat Adolf Hitler overseas.
“It’s huge to be a part of that legacy because it’s continued since 1942, and it’s going to continue on well past my time in the service for sure,” Forsyth said.
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The drills continue this weekend. Next year, the focus is on a massive earthquake in Tennessee and the New Madrid fault line near Memphis.
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