Staff Sgt. Joe Gallik stood in the driving rain and lightning at the Yakima Training Center and told his platoon they had done a good job.

"That was some good shooting," the Washington Army National Guard (WANG) Soldier said.  "You guys did a great job out there."

During a recent three-week annual training period, more than 600 Soldiers from 1st  Battalion, 161st Infantry Regiment, 81st Infantry Brigade perfected infantry and gunnery skills. While some of the training was accomplished in simulators, most of it was conducted on ranges at the center.

"There is nothing better than being outside and training like this," said 23-year veteran Sgt. Mark Shaw as he loaded 50 25mm shells and 250 rounds of 7.62 ammunition into his Bradley Fighting Vehicle."It makes no difference as to the weather; training is training, and we train to be the best."

While infantry skills remain at the heart of the training, the proficiency of teamwork needed to engage with a Bradley was being perfected.

Sixteen Bradleys lined up.  One by one, the crews took their vehicles through a course that tested accuracy and maneuverability.

"They will engage targets from 400 to 1,200 yards," Sgt. Maj. Kelly Workman explained.

Moments later, a Bradley fired a 25mm shell from a battle position (BP).  The target disappeared.

"There is a little bit of a punch in these bad boys," Workman said with a grin.

Training hard and well is something to smile about, and the battalion's commander, Lt. Col. Kevin Mahan, was smiling.

"This three weeks of training has been good and has given us a chance to polish infantry skills and to accomplish new equipment training, or NET," he explained."Although we are not scheduled to deploy, we are training to be ready to go should we need to."

Another way the regiment sharpened its skills was in the Conduct of Fire Training (COFT) simulator. "These simulators allow us to sharpen skills while at the same time saving money," Mahan continued.

As he spoke, master gunner Staff Sgt. Richard Macanas walked a group of local reporters through an M1 Abrams' tank firing sequence.

As the news people watched and learned, they were impressed with the speed and precision of the training.

"I had no idea the Guard worked at this level," one of the reporters said.  "This is amazing."

Mahan smiled.

"We are a dynamic group of individuals," he said.  "We've got lawyers and doctors to plumbers and carpenters serving in the Guard.  We adapt quickly; we have the ability to do more.  We are the Guard."