WAIMANALO, Hawaii -- Members of the Waimanalo community are bracing for a showdown with the military over a new training center at Bellows.

About a dozen protestors gathered at the entrance to Bellows Air Station saying they were alarmed to learn a new urban training center was going up without their knowledge.

"Yeah we are upset, we are mad and we want them to stop it," said Mabel Spencer, a Waimanalo resident.

The protestors say the military mentioned nothing at its monthly meetings with the community and, in the last few weeks, they noticed large shipping containers being trucked in.

"We just saw 12, 20 trucks a day in Waimanalo. We were wondering what's happening," said Spencer.

They said they should have been warned, instead of learning about the project in the news.

"Regardless of whether this is permanent or temporary, they failed to tell the community. An apology at this time is not acceptable," said Andy Jamilla Jr., the neighborhood board vice chair.

Residents said the Marines did apologize and invited community representatives to see for themselves what's going on.

The military said it has spent more than $3 million to construct a mobile Iraqi town using the shipping containers.

This structure will soon get a dome and canopies to look like a mosque.

The military said it would conduct its training with about 200 troops from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends.

The issue is slated to be revisited at a neighborhood board meeting Sept. 10.

The Marines said they would like the community to tour the site before they start drills in about two weeks.