U.S. Army military training in San Antonio continues on Wednesday, but it began earlier than expected.
The City of San Antonio posted the notice just two hours before daytime training began around noon.
Some experts said warnings to the community can make a big difference to veterans living with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Doctor Harry Croft said people with PTSD can be irritated, angry and hypervigilant when they hear simulated gunfire or low-flying helicopters.
If someone you know becomes triggered, Dr. Croft suggests comforting them and reminding them it will be over.
Dr. Croft said you can reduce the impact of PTSD symptoms by telling someone about the ongoing training.
“I understand it was on the police Facebook page. What? Well, maybe people don’t watch that,” Dr. Croft said. “The more warning people with PTSD have, the better off they’re going to be in, the less likely and less severe their symptoms will be.”
Mayor Ron Nirenberg said San Antonio police coordinated the training but said notifications to the community can be improved.
“We wanna make sure that notifications are made to those in the community that might be, might see them, might encounter them so that they’re aware of what’s going on without also making an unnecessary spectacle out of it,” Nirenberg said.
Training is set to continue until 3 a.m. Thursday and for the rest of the week.