More than 4,000 Mississippi National Guard soldiers will be training over the next few weeks in California in preparation for possible overseas deployment.

The 155th Armored Brigade Combat Team will be undergoing intense training at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin.

The training is the last step in being certified for deployment overseas if needed.

About 3,500 soldiers are in the 155th. An additional 800 National Guard troops are helping to transport the unit’s equipment to California.

“We’re ready for deployment on an every 4-5 year cycle, and so this is sort of their third or fourth year of training,” said Maj. Gen. Janson D. Boyles, Mississippi’s adjutant general.

“It’s culminated to this point and once they finish this training, they’ll take a knee for a few months, and then, they’ll be ready to go overseas, if their number is called.”

Boyles says the training should wrap up around July 1.