Sgt 1st Class Raymond Drumsta

Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Lt. Gen. Takeshi Sakai, commander of the Northern Army, presents a commander's challenge coin to U.S. Army Maj. Jamey Barcomb with the 42nd Infantry Division Headquarters Tactic More

New York Army National Guard soldiers Pvt. Toby Smith, Pfc. Timothy Strong and Sgt. Edward Joy move a Shadow RQ-7 unmanned reconnaissance aircraft to its launcher at Fort Drum's Wheeler Sack Airfield.

Sgt. 1st Class Walter Meshenberg poses with some of the 3,600 boxes of Girl Scout cookies recently delivered to 27th Infantry Brigade Soldiers (Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Raymond Drumsta)

Heroic WWII fighter ace, jet pioneer and retired United States Air Force Maj. Gen. Chuck Yeager speaks about his experiences during his visit here April 12.

Pfc. Steven T. Mcelveen (middle), from the 4th Battalion, 118th Infantry Regiment, holds the 4th Battalion colors as Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Fredrick Pasley (left), and 4th Battalion Command Sgt. Maj. Rick More

Country music superstar and USO veteran Toby Keith hits a high note while singing "American Ride" to a crowd of service members and others at Camp Buehring, Kuwait, April 26.

M1A2 Abrams Tanks of the 2nd Combined Arms Battalion, 8th Cavalry maneuver before engaging targets during a Combined-Arms Live-Fire Exercise (CALFX) with the Kuwaiti Army's 151st Tank Battalion, 15th Mubarak Ar More

Spc. Randall Adkins (left) and Spc. Ramon Roberts (right), 4th Battalion, 118th Infantry Regiment, play opposing forces during a training exercise with Kuwaiti National Guard troops near Kuwait City on May 16. More

Spc. Christopher Powell, of Lucerne Valley, Calif., sings and leads the band Sgt. Stroud’s Mullet in their rendition of “Bulls on Parade” by Rage Against the Machine during a talent show at Camp Virginia, Kuwa More

Sgt. Colin Jeffcoat, the non-commissioned officer in charge of Camp Buehring’s First Sergeant’s Detail, poses by a white board showing the myriad of ongoing chores and projects his soldiers are tasked with in o More

Soldiers of A Company, 4th Battalion, 118th Infantry Regiment move out to clear buildings and a trench system as part of a platoon live-fire exercise at the Udairi Range Complex in northern Kuwait on July 31. I More

Sgt. Victor Barrington, of Clio, S.C., applies a tourniquet to a simulated casualty during combat lifesaver re-certification in the Medical Simulation Training Center at Camp Buehring, Kuwait. Barrington belong More

Spc. Joshua Long (left) and Sgt. William Hyde (right), of the 4th Battalion, 118th Infantry Regiment, South Carolina Army National Guard, check ribs that they’re barbecuing during the opening of the battalion’s More

Sgt. 1st Class John Gallman (right) briefs candidates during the Expert Infantryman Badge (EIB) course held in and around Camp Buehring, Kuwait, from Sept. 17 to 21. Eleven candidates passed the course, which i More

Staff Sgt. Andrew Craig, an Expert Infantryman Badge (EIB) course evaluator (right) watches as EIB candidate 1st Lt. Maurice Merritt reads a map during the EIB course held in and around Camp Buehring, Kuwait f More

Aided by another soldier, Spc. Gabriel Wilson (center) erects a fence to enclose the Convenience Center at Camp Buehring, Kuwait. The center is designed so troops and other camp personnel can leave second-hand More

The 4th Battalion, 118th Infantry Regiment's softball league finished up here, Nov. 16, with the Delta Company Juggernauts winning the championship over the Camp Command Cell Cobras. The final score was 30 to 1 More

New York State Command Sgt. Maj. Frank Wicks (left) meets Soldiers deployed to Kuwait during a command visit in November 2012.

Army 2nd Lt. Joshua Craft (left) speaks with Maj. Gen. Steven N. Wickstrom (right), commander of the New York Army National Guard's 42nd Infantry Division, and Lt. Col. Frederick Pasley, commander of the 4th Ba More

Soldiers of Delta Company, 4th Battalion, 118th Infantry Regiment, engage targets with TOW missiles at the Udairi Range near Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Nov. 27. In addition to performing security-force and camp ope More

New York Army National Guard Pfc. Joshua Haller, assigned to the 827th Engineer Company, uses a hydraulic excavator to remove a boulder and other flood debris from Fulmer Creek following flash flooding in the M More

U.S. soldiers with the 827th Engineer Company, New York Army National Guard unload bulldozers and other equipment near Fulmer Creek in German Flatts, N.Y., July 3, 2013. The soldiers used the equipment for debr More

U.S. Army Spc. John Daras, right, points out a sector of fire for Spc. Michael Aguon during the New York Army National Guard's annual Infantryman Transition Course at Camp Smith in Cortlandt Manor, N.Y., Aug. 7 More

Kristen Cargill, a representative from Northwestern Mutual Financial Network, (left) speaks with New York Army Guard soldier 1st Lt. John Scott (right) at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s “Hiring Our Heroes” job More

New York Army National Guard Pfc. Edwin Olivera distributes disaster and emergency response starter kits at the launch of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's Citizen Preparedness Corps Training Program here on Feb. 1. More

New York Army National Guard Command Sgt. Maj. David Oliver leading a Citizens Emergency Preparedness Corps session in Fredonia, N.Y., April 24. (Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Ray Drumsta)

New Jersey Army National Guard Soldier Spc. Claudio Da Silva (left) tries to calm a crowd of mock disaster victims during a disaster readiness evaluation at the New York State Preparedness Training Center in Or More

New York Air National Guard Airman 1st Class Fabian Rodriguez (far left), Airman Marianna O'Brien (middle left) and Airman 1st Class Estacamille Covey (center) distribute training certificates and disaster and More

New York Army National Guard 1st Lt. Frank Houghtaling (far left), chaplain, Maj. Gen. Patrick Murphy, the New York State adjutant general (middle left), Thomas Abt, the state deputy secretary for Public Safe More

New York Guard Staff Sgt. Joseph Dee fires an M9 pistol during the 35th Annual "TAG (The Adjutant General) Match at Camp Smith on May 31. Dee and about 125 New York National Guard members are taking part in the More

New York Army National Guard Capt. Glenford Rose leading a Citizens Preparedness Training Program session in New York City on June 5. (photo by Sgt. 1st Class Raymond Drumsta)

New York Air National Guard Tech. Sgt. Joseph Hernon leads a Citizens Emergency Preparedness Corps session in Watertown, N.Y., on June 26, 2014. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Ray Drumsta)

New York National Guard leaders at the Joint Operation Center in Latham get the situation update Monday morning, Jan. 26, as 260 New York Army and Air National Guard members were called out to assist in the New More

Spc. Matthew Shearer, of Voorheesville, N.Y., inspects the exterior of an airliner following a flight. Shearer belongs to C Company, 27th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, which used the airport to learn airpor More

Heroic WWII fighter ace, jet pioneer and retired United States Air Force Maj. Gen. Chuck Yeager (left) pins private first class rank on Sean Stang in a promotion ceremony here April 12. The ceremony took place More

Country music superstar and USO veteran Toby Keith holds his microphone over a crowd of service members and others so they can sing along to his song "American Ride" during his show at Camp Buehring, Kuwait, April 26.

M1A2 Abrams Tanks of the 2nd Combined Arms Battalion, 8th Cavalry engage targets during a Combined-Arms Live-Fire Exercise (CALFX) with the Kuwaiti Army's 151st Tank Battalion, 15th Mubarak Armored Brigade at n More

Kuwaiti National Guard counter-terrorism soldiers move down a hallway during an exercise near Kuwait City on May 16. Soldiers of the 4th Battalion, 118th Infantry Regiment played opposing forces during the exe More

Sgt. Dustin Hooks and Spc. Nicole Burbach sing Faith Hill’s “Give In To Me” during a talent show at Camp Virginia, Kuwait, June 15. Hooks, of Fork, S.C., is assigned to Company D, 4th Battalion, 118th Infantry More

Sgt. Evan Guthrie, a member of Camp Buehring’s First Sergeant’s Detail, drives a stake for a sunshade outside one of the camp’s dining facilities. Erecting sunshades is just one of the myriad of jobs the detail More

Soldiers of Company A, 4th Battalion, 118th Infantry Regiment form up to enter and clear a building as part of a platoon live-fire exercise at the Udairi Range Complex in northern Kuwait on July 31. The soldier More

Combat medic Sgt. Daniel Campbell (left), of Branchville, S.C., instructs Spc. Thomas Connor (right), of Columbia, S.C., during combat lifesaver re-certification in the Medical Simulation Training Center at Cam More

Spc. Joshua Long of the 4th Battalion, 118th Infantry Regiment, South Carolina Army National Guard barbecues ribs during the opening of the battalion’s dayroom at Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Aug. 25. With the suppor More

Staff Sgt. Andrew Craig, an Expert Infantryman Badge (EIB) course evaluator (left) watches as EIB candidate 1st Lt. Maurice Merritt (right) sets the head space and timing on a.50 caliber machine gun during the More

The 4th Battalion, 118th Infantry Regiment's softball league finished up here, Nov. 16, with the Delta Company Juggernauts winning the championship over the Camp Command Cell Cobras. The final score was 30 to 1 More

Maj. Gen. Steven N. Wickstrom (right), commander of the New York Army National Guard's 42nd Infantry Division, and Lt. Col. Frederick Pasley, commander of the 4th Battalion, 118th Infantry Regiment, South Carol More

Soldiers of Delta Company, 4th Battalion, 118th Infantry Regiment, engage targets with TOW missiles at the Udairi Range near Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Nov. 27. In addition to performing security-force and camp ope More

Staff Sgt. Bryan Starkweather, a member of the New York Army National Guard's 827th Engineer Company, uses a bulldozer to remove flood debris from Fords Creek July 3. About 24 hours after being called up by New More

New York Army National Guard Pfc. Trey Hubbard, left, Spc. Jason Briggs, middle, and Spc. Brandon Demeree, all assigned to the 206th Military Police Company, dump flood-damaged property into the bucket of a fro More

U.S. Army Spc. John Daras, left, and Spc. Joe Golonka assault a simulated enemy position during the New York Army National Guard's annual Infantryman Transition Course at Camp Smith in Cortlandt Manor, N.Y., Au More

New York Air National Guard 1st Lt. Robert McCoy (left) and Chief Master Sgt. Mark Mann (middle) pose with Susan Miserandino (right) after her completion of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's Citizen Preparedness Cor More

New Jersey Army National Guard Soldier Pvt. Yesenia Guizar (right) stops a mock disaster victim from crossing a perimeter during a disaster readiness evaluation at the New York State Preparedness Training Cente More

The FEMA Region II Mobile Emergency Operations Center deployed at the New York State Preparedness Training Center here in support of New York National Guard Homeland Response Force training.

New York Air National Guard Airman 1st Class Estacamille Covey (left) gives Tina Gitto (right) a disaster and emergency response starter kit after a session of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's Citizen Preparedness More

Command Sgt. Major Frank Wicks, the New York National Guard command sergeant major, speaks at a Memorial Day Ceremony held at the New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs here May 20, 2014. In acco More

New York National Guard leaders at the Joint Operation Center in Latham get the situation update Monday morning, Jan. 26, as 260 New York Army and Air National Guard members were called out to assist in the New More

Stabilization and Transition Team member Sgt. 1st Class Leonard Claus (left), from Schagticoke, N.Y., discusses Afghan customs with a former Afghan National Army officer during cultural awareness training here More

Some cheering service members hold up red Solo cups as Country music superstar and USO veteran Toby Keith sings his song of the same name during his show at Camp Buehring April 26.

Spc. Richard Creecy, 2nd Combined Arms Battalion, 8th Cavalry, describes aspects of an M1A2 Abrams Tank to a Kuwaiti Soldier following a Combined-Arms Live-Fire Exercise (CALFX) with the Kuwaiti Army's 151st Ta More

Sgt. Sam Matthews performs his rendition of the classic Tom Petty song, “Last Dance with Mary Jane” during a talent show at Camp Virginia, Kuwait, June 15. Matthews impressed the audience with his singing, acou More

The soldiers of Camp Buehring’s First Sergeant’s Detail pose near the camp recycling point, where many items have been improperly disposed of. Continually cleaning the area is just one of the myriad of jobs the More

Soldiers of Company A, 4th Battalion, 118th Infantry Regiment enter a building to begin clearing it as part of a platoon live-fire exercise at the Udairi Range Complex in northern Kuwait on July 31. The soldier More

Spc. Robert Brown, Jr., of Summerville, S.C., applies a bandage to a simulated casualty during combat lifesaver re-certification in the Medical Simulation Training Center at Camp Buehring, Kuwait. Brown belongs More

Spc. Clayton Smith, of the 4th Battalion, 118th Infantry Regiment, South Carolina Army National Guard, plays music during the opening of the battalion’s dayroom at Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Aug. 25. With the suppo More

Army 2nd Lt. Kevin Vilardo (right) and Staff Sgt. Sean Shillington (left) take part in the 12-mile march, the final event in the Expert Infantryman Badge (EIB) course held in and around Camp Buehring, Kuwait fr More

The 4th Battalion, 118th Infantry Regiment's softball league finished up here, Nov. 16, with the Delta Company Juggernauts winning the championship over the Camp Command Cell Cobras. The final score was 30 to 1 More

Maj. Gen. Steven N. Wickstrom, commander of the New York Army National Guard's 42nd Infantry Division (left), and Capt. Germani Wilson, commander of the 1118th Forward Support Company, 4th Battalion, 118th Infa More

Soldiers of Delta Company, 4th Battalion, 118th Infantry Regiment, engage targets with TOW missiles at the Udairi Range near Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Nov. 27. In addition to performing security-force and camp ope More

Staff Sgt. Bryan Starkweather, a member of the New York Army National Guard's 827th Engineer Company, uses a bulldozer to remove flood debris from Fords Creek July 3. About 24 hours after being called up by New More

U.S. Army Pfc Keith Gray, right, Pfc. Juquan Ford, and Spc. Joe Golonka, left, move tactically during the New York Army National Guard's annual Infantryman Transition Course at Camp Smith in Cortlandt Manor, N. More

Two New Jersey Army National Guard Soldiers (center and right) allow a National Guard member (left) to carry a mock disaster victim through a perimeter during a disaster readiness evaluation at the New York Sta More

New York Air National Guard Master Sgt. Daniel Price teaches a disaster and emergency preparedness class during a session of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's Citizen Preparedness Corps Training Program at the State More

New York Army National Guard Soldiers Sgt. Danny Pena (far left), Spc. Walesa Ponce (middle left), Sgt. Matthew Reilly (middle right), Pvt. Harley Laduke (far right) and others in a firing detail present arms a More

United States Army soldier Pfc. Melissa Green (right), holds up a red Solo cup and cheers with fellow soldier Spc. Thomas Goodpaster (left), as country music superstar and USO veteran Toby Keith sings "Red Solo More

Sgt. Stroud’s Mullet member and lead guitarist Spc. Aaron Reaves performs one of his many guitar solos during a talent show at Camp Virginia, Kuwait, June 15. Reaves and his fellow Soldiers, who belong to Compa More

Spc. James Foster (left), Spc. Josiah Johnson (middle) and Spc. Jerry Stewart (right), line up in the stack formation while clearing a building as part of a platoon live-fire exercise at the Udairi Range Comple More

Gordon Smith, the senior site lead and facilitator for the Medical Simulation Training Center at Camp Buehring, Kuwait, uses computers to control simulated life functions of mannequins during combat lifesaver r More

Soldiers of the 4th Battalion, 118th Infantry Regiment, South Carolina Army National Guard watch football in the battalion's dayroom at Camp Buehring, Kuwait, following the facility's opening on Aug. 25. With t More

The 4th Battalion, 118th Infantry Regiment's softball league finished up here, Nov. 16, with the Delta Company Juggernauts winning the championship over the Camp Command Cell Cobras. The final score was 30 to 1 More

New York State Command Sgt. Maj. Frank Wicks (left) meets with Sgt. 1st Class Rudolph E. Seabron (middle) and Sgt. Frank Suarez (right) during Wicks’ visit here on Nov. 23. Seabron, of Rome, N.Y., and Suarez, o More

Soldiers of Delta Company, 4th Battalion, 118th Infantry Regiment, engage targets with TOW missiles at the Udairi Range near Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Nov. 27. In addition to performing security-force and camp ope More

Pfc. Joshua Haller, a member of the New York Army National Guard's 827th Engineer Company, uses a hydraulic excavator to remove a boulder and other flood debris from Fulmer Creek July 3. About 24 hours after be More

U.S. Army Spc. Benjamin Lewis, right, and other Soldiers move tactically over hilly terrain during the New York Army National Guard's annual Infantryman Transition Course at Camp Smith in Cortlandt Manor, N.Y., More

New York Army National Guard Capt. Victoria Depaulis teaches a disaster and emergency preparedness class at the launch of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's Citizen Preparedness Corps Training Program here on Feb. 1. More

New York Army National Guard Sgt. Justin Zuchowski strides toward the finish of a 10-kilometer ruck march during the New York Army National Guard's Best Warrior Competition here April 5. About a dozen New York More

New Jersey Army National Guard Soldier Pvt. Yesenia Guizar (left) stops a crowd of mock disaster victims from crossing a perimeter during a disaster readiness evaluation at the New York State Preparedness Train More

New York Air National Guard Master Sgt. Daniel Price teaches a disaster and emergency preparedness class during a session of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's Citizen Preparedness Corps Training Program at the State More

New York Army National Guard Soldier Sgt. Charles Holmes (right) plays taps while a firing detail presents arms (left) during a Memorial Day ceremony held at the New York State Division of Military and Naval Af More

Spc. Cameron Durham (right), a member of Camp Buehring’s First Sergeant’s Detail, leads Third Infantry Division soldiers Spc. Shane Shahan (left) and Pfc. Dominic Montoya (center), on a daily pickup of trash al More

Spc. Charles Doward (left), and 1st Lt. Matthew Walters (right) and another soldier of A Company, 4th Battalion, 118th Infantry Regiment jog toward a building they're tasked to clear as part of a platoon live-f More

Sgt. William Hyde (far left), Sgt. William Ortiz (middle left), Sgt. Roger Ceasar (middle right), and Spc. Joshua Long (far right) enjoy barbecued ribs in the newly-opened dayroom of their unit, the 4th Battali More

The 4th Battalion, 118th Infantry Regiment's softball league finished up here, Nov. 16, with the Delta Company Juggernauts winning the championship over the Camp Command Cell Cobras. The final score was 30 to 1 More

Capt. David Baxley, commander of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Battalion, 118th Infantry Regiment, South Carolina Army National Guard (right), describes camp life-support operations to Maj. Gen. St More

Soldiers of Delta Company, 4th Battalion, 118th Infantry Regiment, engage targets with TOW missiles at the Udairi Range near Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Nov. 27. In addition to performing security-force and camp ope More

Spc. Pat Edwards, a member of the New York Army National Guard's Buffalo-based 152nd Engineer Company, uses a bulldozer to remove rocks and other flood debris from Otsquago Creek July 4. New York Gov. Andrew Cu More

U.S. Army Spc. Tyler Farrar takes aim at a simulated enemy position during the New York Army National Guard's annual Infantryman Transition Course at Camp Smith in Cortlandt Manor, N.Y., Aug. 7, 2013. The 106th More

New York Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Joseph O’ Connor reassembles a M249 Squad Automatic Weapon during the New York Army National Guard’s Best Warrior Competition here April 5. About a dozen New York Army Na More

New Jersey Army National Guard Soldiers Spc. Claudio Da Silva (left) and Pvt. Yesenia Guizar (center) try to calm and direct a crowd of mock disaster victims during a disaster readiness evaluation at the New Yo More

New York Air National Guard Airman Marianna O'Brien (far left) and Tech. Sgt. Leonard Smith (center) give Patrick Kelsey (right) a disaster and emergency response starter kit and emergency information after a s More

Command Sgt. Maj. Frank Wicks, the New York National Guard command sergeant major, speaks at a Memorial Day ceremony held at the New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs here May 20, 2014. In accor More