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The soldiers of Greeneville-based Troop G of the Tennessee Army National Guard’s 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment (ACR) returned to Camp Shelby, Miss., on Friday, Oct. 22, from a month of training at Fort Irwin, Calif.

The 278th ACR soldiers, including those from this community, are scheduled to begin 12 days of leave (including two days of travel time) at midnight on Thursday, Oct. 28, according to Teresa Carey, who heads Troop G’s Family Readiness Group.

The 278th ACR — which, with about 3,200 soldiers, is Tennessee’s largest National Guard unit — is expected to be sent to Iraq by late November.

Since first arriving at Camp Shelby in June, the soldiers of Troop G have been divided between Erwin-based "H Company" and the Kingsport-based headquarters unit of the 278th ACR’s Second Squadron.

"The tankers are with H Company, and the scouts, mortars and mechanics are with the Headquarters Company," said Carey.

Many Going To Camp Shelby

She said many spouses of Troop G soldiers are planning to travel to Camp Shelby to pick up their soldiers on Oct. 28. Other soldiers are flying or driving home, she said.

"They should all be home sometime on Oct. 29," she said.

The 550-mile drive from Morristown, where Carey resides, to Camp Shelby takes about 8.5 hours with stops only for gas and restroom breaks, Carey said, noting that she had made the drive to and from Camp Shelby to see her husband, Lester Carey, five times since Troop G went to Camp Shelby in June.

Carey said the 278th ACR soldiers have to return to Camp Shelby near Hattiesburg, Miss., from leave before midnight on Tuesday, Nov. 9.

Veterans Day Send-Off Set

The Tennessee Army National Guard announced recently that the 278th is scheduled to deploy "shortly after" Nov. 11 in support of "Operation Iraqi Freedom", although the specific departure date has not being released.

The National Guard said that several thousand family members and friends of 278th soldiers are making plans to be at Camp Shelby on Veterans Day to honor the soldiers with "a huge send-off celebration."

The main ceremonies, according to the National Guard, will take place at the Camp Shelby Parade Field beginning at noon on Thursday, Nov. 11, which is Veterans Day.

"The families and friends of these soldiers, joined by employers, national, state and local leaders, will observe the massed troops 'pass in review' as part of the send-off ceremonies," a National Guard press release said.

The release said the deployment of the 278th Regimental Combat Team is the largest single deployment of Tennessee National Guard troops since World War II.

"More than 3,200 of the 278th RCT are Tennesseans, while soldiers from Wisconsin, Texas, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Vermont and New York complete the team," according to the release.

An "advance party" of the 278th ACR (now called the 278th Regimental Combat Team) is expected to begin leaving Camp Shelby for Kuwait in mid-November, Carey said soldiers’ families have been told.

"They will all be gone (from the United States) by Thanksgiving," she said.

Story Copyright to Greene County Online