The bumpy ride from U.S. Highway 95, across the desert and to the sagebrush-dotted foothills south of Hawthorne took only 20 minutes in an Army Humvee. With Capt. James Phoenix driving the various routes, the commander of Fallon's 485th Military Police Company seemed to travel back in time and distance to a remote compound that looked like a small village a half-world away.

This compound resembled an isolated Middle East village, complete with one and two-story buildings and a three-story Mosque. The hot sun beat down on the desert with a light breeze blowing across the valley floor like a furnace.

For the past two weeks, Nevada Army National Guardsmen have been using the Silver State's outback to prepare themselves for possible deployment to either Iraq or Afghanistan, said Phoenix, a Reno police detective in civilian life.

Already, two Nevada Army National Guard MP units are in the Middle East, while the 72nd MP Company of Las Vegas is serving its second tour in the Baghdad region. Soldiers from the local MP company - who travel to Fallon from Carson City-Dayton, Reno-Sparks and Fernley - always have that gut feeling they could be called up like their counterparts. According to Phoenix, anything is possible.

Phoenix said his soldiers have been enduring some intense training in clearing out buildings and suppressing the enemy. For many military policemen and infantrymen, they practice their skills in MOUT training, or Military Operations in Urbanized Terrain.

In addition to MOUT training, Phoenix said guardsmen also refined their techniques in conducting and protecting convoys and how to react to adverse conditions. One day was also spent at the range for weapons qualifications.

"They're coming along," said Phoenix. "Our soldiers are really motivated."

During the past three to four years, Central Nevada has given soldiers, U.S. Marines and Navy SEALS invaluable training in preparation for any possible deployment to the Middle East. While the MPs used a MOUT site for their urban training, Phoenix said other units have used the 101-compound area for addition urban operations. The 101-compound buildings, constructed of thick concrete walls with tunnels running underneath the structures, are nestled near the foothills, approximately two miles east of the Hawthorne Ammunition Depot's main gate. Many of the buildings housed ordnance during the Vietnam War.

"Hawthorne is a hidden secret," Phoenix said. "We try to use it a little more."

During the past year and in addition to the MPs using the facility, the 150th Maintenance Company used the 101-compound area last year for its MOUT training, while the 422nd Signal Battalion established a communications site northwest of the main installation.

1st. Lt. Wesley Mewes had been training at the MOUT site for two days. He said the unit has been working on company level occupation of the site.

"We've done the crawl stage of this MOUT site," he explained of the clearing operations. "We've cleared one room, then one building, two buildings and multi-buildings."

When the unit conducted its full-fledged MOUT training, Mewes said individual squads entered the buildings trying to empty the rooms.

"In the real world, we would need a company element to clean this site," he said.

Every time squads conducted a MOUT mission, evaluators quickly reviewed the operation and offered both positive feedback and recommendations for an improved second try.

Staff Sgt. Rutilio Lara, one of two instructors, praised the first squad.

"You went into the room and were vocal with your teams," Lara pointed out. "Squad leaders always need to ask questions."

Lara said the squad crossed the opened area quietly and maintained security and identified dangers.

Mewes said the training is more general rather than specific. The general training meets the unit's annual goals.

"The instructors need to know what is to be taught per the TM (training manual) and DA (Department of Army) standards," Mewes said. "We're filling that base."

Once the second squad had an opportunity to watch the first attack on the compound, soldiers appeared to be more confident in their MOUT training.

"Your initial movement was strong, moving with a purpose and being quick," Lara stressed.

Squad leader Staff Sgt. Helen Schroeder agreed.

"It was great, great teamwork," she said. "Our overall mission was accomplished. It's a huge learning experience, and many soldiers have never done this."

Sgt. Ricardo Rios said each scenario presented a challenge, especially the maneuvers around a small village.

Both squads also took part in hostage rescue. Each squad had to breach a heavily fortified building, armed with enemy combatants, and rescue a fellow soldier.

Lara discussed some of the pitfalls of the first rescue attempt and how extensive crossfire led to several "fatalities."

The second squad learned from the mistakes and frustrated the militants.

"We couldn't get a visual (of any guardsman) out of any windows," said 1st Sgt. Robert Boldry, one of the militants.

Lara said the communications and movement to the building were better.

"When you slow down and reassess, you save on time," he said. "The first time took an hour and this time 30 minutes. You cut it in half."