An Army National Guard Soldier with 3rd Battalion,

An Army National Guard Soldier with 3rd Battalion, 116th Cavalry Regiment, stands ready to fire an M2 .50 caliber machine gun while the driver operates an M113 armored personnel carrier through deep creek beds, known as wadis, during the first day of simulated combat operations at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, Calif., Aug. 22. This 12-day field training exercise is the first force-on-force training cycle the National Guard has participated in since the beginning of Operation Enduring Freedom, and is composed of more than 5,200 Soldiers with National Guard units from 10 states as well as U.S. Army Reserve and active duty U.S. Army Soldiers. (Photo by Spc. Michael Germundson, 115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)