Sgt. 1st Class Jeffery Wise, an operations sergeant,

Sgt. 1st Class Jeffery Wise, an operations sergeant, and Staff Sgt. Brian Babcock, a master gunner, with the 2nd Battalion, 174th Air Defense Artillery Brigade demonstrate converting to the man-portable air-defense system, May 13, 2011, at the unit’s McConnelsville, Ohio armory. Soldiers with the 2-174th are conducting Avenger crew drills in preparation for a scheduled mobilization to the national capital region. This is the second time the battalion has been selected to support Operation Clear Skies, a mission which provides continuous air defense of the skies over Washington, D.C. The National Guard has provided air defense artillery units for the mission to safeguard the national capital region since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. (Ohio National Guard Photo by Sgt. Peter Kresge)