PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles Coast Guard base will work with other military commands to ensure that the public is aware of upcoming training exercises, the commanding officer said in a letter to Mayor Cherie Kidd.
Capt. Keith McTigue, skipper of Air Station/Sector Field Office Port Angeles on Ediz Hook, sent a letter to Kidd on Friday after an unannounced nighttime Army training exercise startled and frightened many in the Port Angeles area.
Kidd and McTigue also met Friday at City Hall to talk about what happened.
Army special-operations helicopters had landed and taken off from the Coast Guard base across Port Angeles Harbor from the downtown area, though the Coast Guard was not directly involved in the training exercise.
Here’s the letter from McTigue to Kidd:
“On [the] evening of 11 July a planned exercise of [Department of Defense] aircraft from Joint Base Lewis-McCord took place as scheduled in the vicinity of Port Angeles and the Coast Guard Airfield (KNOW). My staff was aware of the exercise and I approved the use of the airfield.
“DoD exercise personnel did make appropriate notifications to the aviation public through the Notice to Airman (NOTAM) system. However, it has become apparent that the operation has alarmed the Port Angeles and Clallam County public.
“In the future we will make an effort with event planners to be sure they work more closely with communities that may become alarmed by their exercise.”