Candidates for Class No. 45 celebrate officially becoming

Candidates for Class No. 45 celebrate officially becoming Maryland National Guard Freestate ChalleNGe Academy cadets during a crossover ceremony at the Aberdeen Proving Ground South (Edgewood) recreation center July 27. After a two-week acclimation phase, 136 cadets were inducted into the program, which offers at-risk adolescents 16 to 18 years old an opportunity to change their futures for the better. The Freestate ChalleNGe Academy, hosted at Aberdeen Proving Ground, is endorsed by the State of Maryland and is a cooperative agreement between The Maryland National Guard and the National Guard Bureau. (Photo by Stacy Smith, APG News)