Soldiers of the Mississippi National Guard’s 106th SupportBattalion Headquarters Company, based in Monticello, will behonored during a downtown parade at 10 a.m. Saturday.

The soldiers are departing for training exercises at Camp ShelbyTuesday to prepare for deployment to Iraq. The deployment is partof the mobilization of more than 3,500 soldiers of the155thSeparate Armored Brigade, which also includes units in Brookhaven,McComb, Crystal Springs, Prentiss and Tylertown.

“I want to see a big turnout,” said Mayor David Nichols. “Thesemen and women are leaving their spouses and children and their wayof life to support our efforts over there. These are trulyvolunteer soldiers, and they deserve to see our support.”

The highlight of the parade, Nichols said, will be when the 49soldiers of Monticello’s home company march along the route at theend of the parade.

“They wanted to march. They didn’t want to ride,” he said.

The parade has about 20 entries, the mayor said, includingentries from Brookhaven, Magee, Hazlehurst and Hattiesburg, whichsome of the 106th’s soldiers call home. The Copiah-LincolnCommunity College band also has committed to participate in theparade.

“It’s getting bigger by the minute,” he said.

Entries are still being accepted, Nichols said, and thoseinterested should call city hall to register their entries.

“Every effort will be made to get everyone in the parade whowants to be in it, even up to the last minute,” he said. “We wantbusinesses and individuals, not just the government agencies, toparticipate in this. I would like it to be huge.”

The parade will start at the Lawrence County Civic Center at thecorner of F.E. Sellers Highway and Highway 84 and travel down BroadStreet, ending at First Baptist Church.

Nichols requested parade entrants arrive at least 30 minutesearly.

The 155th SAB, headquartered in Tupelo, is comprised of units in49 locations throughout the state. Component units will bemobilizing to Camp Shelby throughout the month of August.

The soldiers will spend three months at Camp Shelby forin-processing and post-mobilization training before deploying toFort Irwin, Calif., for a three-week long mission rehearsalexercise, according to Maj. Danny Blanton of the National Guard’s102nd Public Affairs Office in Jackson.

The brigade was called up as part of a presidential partialmobilization of reserve forces to support operations in Iraq. Underpartial mobilization orders, reservists can be activated for 24months, but that period can be extended or shortened depending onthe needs of the Army, Blanton said.