GULFPORT, Miss. - The Mississippi National Guard is hosting the 11th annual Southern Strike tactical level training exercise beginning April 21. The training exercise will take place at multiple sites across the region through May 3. The National Guard Bureau funded event will feature state-of-the-art joint and coalition training at the Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center (CRTC). About 2,000 service members from active, guard and reserve components of the military are participating in the combat training exercise from 20 states. Southern Strike is designed for conventional operations, counter insurgency, close air support, search and rescue, non-combatant evacuation, and maritime special operations events. Army and Air Force fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft will be in the skies above Mississippi, Alabama and Florida during the exercise. The training will take place until May 3 at other state sites including Camp Shelby in Hattiesburg, Camp McCain in Grenada, Naval Air Station Meridian, and Port Bienville in Pearlington. Other locations include Avon Park in Florida and Fort Morgan in Alabama. (Source: WLOX/CRTC Gulfport 04/20/22) Southern Strike (af.mil)