The Navy is seeking a permit to conduct special operations training exercises in 28 Washington State Parks, despite concerns from park users over the “creepiness” of the proposal.
The Navy plans to conduct five types of special operations training in Washington parks day or night for up to five years. Types of training include:
- Insertion and extraction training where trainees might approach or depart an area using submersible craft or watercraft.
- Combat swimming or diver and swimmer training where trainees would be confined to the ocean or inland water areas.
- Over-the-beach training where trainees would exit the water, cross the beach and continue to land-based activities.
- Surveillance and reconnaissance operations where trainees are taught techniques for conducting reconnaissance without alerting anyone to their presence or location.
The 28 parks where the Navy could conduct the training include Blake Island, Cama Beach, Camano Island, Cape Disappointment, Deception Pass, Dosewallips, Fort Casey, Fort Columbia, Fort Ebey, Fort Flagler, Fort Townsend, Fort Worden, Grayland Beach, Hope Island, Illahee, Joseph Whidbey, Leadbetter Point, Manchester, Mystery Bay, Pacific Pines, Scenic Beach, Sequim Bay, Shine Tidelands, Skagit Island Marine, South Whidbey, Triton Cove, Twin Harbors and Westport Light.
In 2015, the Naval Special Warfare Group 3, based at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado in San Diego, California, was granted a five-year permit to conduct training in five Washington parks: Blake Island State Park, Fort Flagler State Park, Illahee State Park, Mystery Bay and Scenic Beach State Park. That permit expired in May 2020.