Seven Soldiers quietly lined up against the side of a small building. After an order was given, the Soldiers breached a door and spilled into a narrow hallway. The group paused for a moment before entering a small room. Shots were fired.

Before the smoke had a chance to clear, shouts rang down from metal scaffolding positioned above the action.

"Good, good," yelled Capt. Paul Tanghe, commander of B Troop, 8th Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment. "You guys are looking better. Keep going."

Once a squad leader announced mock enemy combatants were "K.I.A", a confirmation of "room clear" was given and Soldiers from the Troop proceeded back into the hall.

The drill, meant to instruct Soldiers on how to infiltrate and control an enemy building with multiple rooms, was just one of many training events that occurred at the Yakima Training Center during the month of August. Throughout the Training Center (YTC), the squadron, a part of 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, prepared for the variety of roles that would need to be filled if and when the brigade was deployed.

Roles, that for the men under Tanghe's watchful gaze, included precision and teamwork.     

"I love classical music because it incorporates many separate parts that come together as one," said Tanghe as he watched the training exercise from an observation area. "Like classical music, these men need to work together to be successful."

Of course, things didn't always go smoothly in the tight-quartered, mock space on YTC's Range 25 - known as a shoot house.  Tanghe and the other commanding officers watching from metal scaffolding above the drill were quick to stop the Soldiers when they saw something they didn't like.

"We will be out here until 0400," said Tanghe. "We like to see improvement each time a group passes through the shoot house."

Because the training in the shoot house was a live-fire exercise, safety was a primary concern. Before each seven-man group entered the shoot house, there was a run through in a glass house outside. Only after successful completion of blank fire runs would squads practice with real bullets.

Tanghe said an important part of the infiltration drill was the post run-through evaluation. Like football players watching game tape, it was important for Soldiers to stop after each drill and go over how they performed.

"It's very important the squads go over how each pass went," continued Tanghe. "They learn from their mistakes so they can do better next time."

Sgt. 1st Class Shawn Scott has served in the army since 1989. He said the training at YTC is some of the best preparation for a tour of duty.  

"It's the closest we get to combat," said Scott. "The main difference is the enemy doesn't fire back."

With all the critique and restart requests from the commanders up above, one could easily get the impression that the soldiers in training were a long way off from combat ready. But Tanghe said despite the critique, the drill on Range 25 was going well.

"They're learning," said Tanghe. "Soon enough it will be habit."