LAUREL — State Rep. Steven Palazzo (R-Biloxi), who is challenging U.S. Rep. Gene Taylor (D-Miss.) this November, has reported to Camp Shelby for annual training.

Palazzo said Thursday that was notified about two weeks ago that he had to conduct the training prior to Oct. 1.

“It’s part of my military obligation,” said Palazzo, who remains a part of the National Guard. “I have to do weekend training and then two weeks out of the year.”

Palazzo said Camp Shelby is currently the premiere mobilization station in the country, preparing National Guard units for service in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“The groups here are going to Afghanistan,” he said. “My job is that of base support, supporting the people who are doing the training and deploying the troops.”

Palazzo said there is a definite change in mood between those soldiers preparing to go overseas and those who have returned home.

While it’s rare for a Congressional candidate to be called to active duty so close to Election Day, Palazzo said it’s just part of his job.

“My call to active duty comes during a challenging time, and adds to my already demanding schedule,” he said in a press release. “I am still running a small business, serving the people of Mississippi House District 116, campaigning to unseat Gene Taylor, and most importantly, spending precious time with my family. Life as a citizen-soldier comes with sacrifice, and families of soldiers sacrifice the most while their loved ones serve multiple tours abroad. I am proud to be a citizen-soldier and I am grateful for the opportunity to defend our nation’s freedoms against our foreign and domestic enemies.”

Palazzo said his call to active duty has had more of an effect on his family than his campaign.

“My wife’s running our business,” he said. “It’s a sacrifice that we have to make, but it’s a small sacrifice of being a citizen soldier. There are a number of soldiers, sailors and Marines who have been on two to three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. It’s just part of the obligation and oath that I took.”

Palazzo, a former member of the U.S. Marines 3rd Force Recon, is a combat veteran of Operation Desert Storm. He previously served on active duty at Camp Shelby in 2004 and 2005 as a member of the Mississippi Army National Guard in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Palazzo noted that everyone is “ecstatic” about the recent decision by President Obama to end the combat effort in Iraq, but said U.S. involvement is far from over.

“We’ll keep sending people there, and training people to go there,” he said. “But, we’re turning the keys over to the Iraqi people. I’m proud of their accomplishments and what they’ve been able to do. For the Iraqi people, we’ve given them a gift. It’s up to them what they do with it. Hopefully, they’ll have the same success over 200 years that we’ve had with our country.”

Palazzo said he hopes the U.S. will continue to support the Iraqi people’s efforts over time.

“The last thing we need to do is put the country in a situation that creates a power vacuum, and another Saddam state comes out of it,” he said. “The global war on terror dictates our long-term commitment there. We can’t allow things to go back to the way they were.”

Palazzo noted the momentum is building for campaign every day.

“It’s been very exciting,” he said. “The thing that people are realizing in 2010 is that South Mississippi matters. The fate of our country literally hangs on 4th Congressional District.

“We can’t afford to send Pelosi back as Speaker of the House,” Palazzo added. “If we do, it may be too little, too late. We may not able to reverse all of the damage from the past two years. We know there will be a push for amnesty for illegals and cap and trade.”

Palazzo said President Obama said in his speech this week that he supported educating children so that the U.S. could compete in a global economy and build good jobs in America.

“I could tell he wasn’t serious because he is continuing to pile on taxes and litigation,” he said. “His moratorium in the Gulf is killing the Gulf States oil and gas industry. At the end of the day, it’s just political rhetoric.

“We know the federal government will not lead to a robust economy,” Palazzo added. “It will be the private sector that leads the effort. We have to kill the bills such as Obamacare and cap and trade, lower taxes and lower regulation to get the economy going.”

Palazzo, who owns a small CPA business on the Coast, said he knows tax cuts are good for the economy and job creation.

“We need to slash the budget, and make government smaller like President Reagan did in the ‘80s,” he said. “We had unprecedented growth for over 25 years. That’s proof that it works. I don’t know why the Democrats haven’t been able to grasp that model for job creation.”

For more information on Palazzo and his campaign, visit www.palazzoforcongress.com.