NATCHEZ &045; Officials of the Mississippi Army National Guard said Friday there’s no reason to believe the 155th Infantry Battalion’s Natchez-based Company B will be activated for duty in Iraq.

An Associated Press article quoted Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace, the Pentagon’s second-ranking general, as saying Wednesday that thousands more Guard and Reserve troops could be activated.

&uot;But we’ve received no indication that that’s the case,&uot; said Lt. Col. Tim Powell, a spokesman for the Mississippi Army National Guard.

Staff Sgt. Mark Gillentine, readiness non-commissioned officer for Company B, confirmed Friday that the Natchez-based unit has not received any indication that they will be activated.

Would the 54-member unit, which Gillentine said basically consists of &uot;scouts and mortars,&uot; be likely to be activated soon? &uot;I don’t think so,&uot; he said.

Powell said he believes the AP report &uot;was triggered by Washington saying that if they couldn’t get more counties to contribute (troops), the services would have to fall back&uot; on Guard and Reserve troops.

If Company B was activated for duty in Iraq, how notice would they receive? There’s no telling, Powell said.

&uot;I’ve seen units that get several weeks&uot; from the time they are notified until the time they ship out,&uot; he said. &uot;I’ve seen them get a month’s notice or as little as a week’s notice, although we usually like for them to get at least two weeks.&uot;

And National Guard members already have their affairs in order just in case their country calls, Powell said.

&uot;That’s the Guard’s mission &045; to train and be ready,&uot; he said.