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ROAD TO WAR RUNS THROUGH MISSISSIPPI

Camp Shelby is one of the National Guard's largest training sites

Date published: 9/9/2007

By RUSTY DENNEN

CAMP SHELBY, Miss.--With President Bush's troop surge in full swing, "There's lots of stuff going on at Camp Shelby," said Sgt. Kenny Hatter, a base spokesman.

"You name it, we do it. Anything they do in-country, they can do it here" said Hatter. The aim is to simulate whatever troops might face in spots such as Afghanistan, Iraq or Kuwait--a supply hub and staging area for American troops.

Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center, about 20 minutes south of Hattiesburg, Miss., is one of the nation's largest National Guard and Reserve training sites. Thousands of Army, Air Force Reserve and National Guard troops have cycled through since Operation Iraqi Freedom began in March 2003.

Now that the National Guard and Reserves are taking on more of the tasks of active-duty military, the base has been busy.

Three years ago, mobilization training took about six months.

"That's now down to two to three months," Hatter said, because of more refined and focused techniques. Some troops get accelerated training that lasts about six weeks.

Founded in 1917, Camp Shelby became a National Guard training site in 1954. It became a mobilization site in June 2004.

Home of the 177th Armor Brigade, the base supports the Army, Air Force, Marines, Navy Seabees, Special Operations Forces, National Guard and Reserves.

It has 11,398 beds (most of them cots) for soldiers.

"The common denominator is that we have a high level of motivation of guys coming through here," Hatter said.

"Also, the families are really supportive, too. Everyone pulls together like one big, happy family. It's corny, but it's true."

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Date published: 9/9/2007