Members of the Lafayette based Tennessee Army National Guard unit received a tentative schedule last weekend for their mobilization.

The local unit, Detachment 2, Troop B (ORD), Support/ 278 Armored Cavalry Regiment (Det 2, Trp B (ORD), SPT/278 ACR) is part of 4,000 Tennessee guardsmen who were placed on alert on March 1, as part of the current rotation of forces.

According to the released schedule, the unit is currently scheduled to move to their mobilization site on June 15. They will train at this site for two - three months, before being sent to the National Training Center in California. On November 15, 2004, the unit is expected to be "in country". The unit is expected to return to their home station in December 2005, with a scheduled release from active duty set at June 14, 2006.

All of these dates are tentative and could change without warning. As with any plan, changes may be made to allow the unit to more effectively complete their assigned mission.

The 278th ACR is the only armored cavalry regiment in the entire National Guard. The 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment from Tennessee has about 4,500 members, and 4,000 of them have been placed on alert. The regiment, with units at about 30 armories mostly in East and Middle Tennessee, operates tanks and armored personnel carriers.

The Guardsmen will be part of a larger force, probably to total about 100,000 active duty and reserve troops, that is expected to take over for the contingent just beginning a one-year tour in Iraq.

The length of their mobilization depends on how much training they need as well as the requirements of the Central Command commander, Gen. John Abizaid, who manages the Iraq operation.