(U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Michael Davis)
FORT POLK--New York State Command Sgt. Major David Piwowarski the senior enlisted advisor to the New York Army National Guard speaks with Pfc. Mathew Smithers a cavalry scout with the 2nd Squadron 101st Cavalry while atop a Humvee and manning a .50-caliber machine gun at the Army's Joint Readiness Training Center Fort Polk La. July 20 2016. The Soldiers of the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team joined another 2000 Soldiers from other state Army National Guard units active Army and Army Reserve troops to hone their skills and practice integrating combat operations ranging from infantry troops engaging in close combat with the enemy to artillery and air strikes July 9-30 2016.