Politics & Government

Defense Dept. Will Train Again at Closed Mental Health Center

The grounds of the former Tinley Park Mental Health Center will be the site for more Illinois-sponsored training exercises by the Department of Defense. Find out what tentative dates have been scheduled and when training 'quiet hours' will be.

Another round of Department of Defense training drills sponsored by the State of Illinois has been tentatively scheduled to start next week on the grounds of the closed Tinley Park Mental Health Center. 

According to Pat Carr, director of the village's Emergency Management Agency, the training drills will be run during the following times:

  • July 15 and 17: During daytime hours 
  • July 23 and 24: From 6 to 11 p.m. 

This time around the village has set up "quiet hours" between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., meaning no helicopter or explosives training will occur during days exercises are scheduled, Carr said. The training again will be closed to the public, he added.  

Find out what's happening in Tinley Parkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

In April, the Defense Department used the former mental health facility to conduct nighttime urban warfare exercises. Noise from military helicopters flying overhead, as well as explosions from "building breaching" drills frightened and angered some Tinley Park residents, who said they were happening too late at night.

Patch will continue to update this story.

Find out what's happening in Tinley Parkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Emergency Management Agency Director Pat Carr has set up a blog on Patch that keeps residents updated about helicopter operations from the village's helipad. Check it out for updates about the training.

Coverage of the DoD's First Drills in the Village on Tinley Park Patch:


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