GRENADA, Miss. -- Mississippi Army National Guardsmen with Company C, 2nd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne), based at Camp McCain Training Site near Grenada, Mississippi, deployed to Southwest Asia Dec. 15, 2015, from the Grenada Municipal Airport.
It was the first time that Mississippi Army National Guard Soldiers have deployed from the airport near Camp McCain that was formally named the Grenada Army Airfield during World War II and used as a training base.
It is significant because the airport's location allows the unit to deploy independently, using internal resources, and also allows them to move equipment that would normally have to ship separately using more expensive modes, said Maj. Ellis Monk, the company commander
The Special Forces Soldiers are unconventional warfare specialist called upon to support contingency operations worldwide, said Monk.
Using the airfield as a deployment platform lets the Soldiers stage and load equipment, and then deploy anywhere in the world quickly, said Command Sgt. Maj. Jeffrey Dawson, the battalion's senior enlisted advisor.
After loading their equipment and supplies onto an Air Force C-17 Globemaster airplane the Soldiers said goodbye to loved ones who came to support them and then loaded the plane themselves, leaving for their destination.
The battalion's leadership hopes that the successful load-out will demonstrate the time and cost saving efficiency of using the former Army airfield, potentially allowing them to use it more often for future operations.
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