BOISE — The Oregon Army National Guard’s 3rd Battalion, 116th Cavalry Regiment, showcased its combat prowess through rigorous training at the Orchard Combat Training Center, outside of Boise, Idaho, during the month of July.

The battalion, which includes soldiers from Baker and Union counties, dedicated its annual training to fine-tuning the skills of tank and Bradley Fighting Vehicle crews through intense live-fire gunnery exercises.

“Our primary focus at the Orchard Combat Training Center was to qualify our tank and Bradley crews, along with our mortar teams. Proficiency with these weapons and vehicles is paramount to achieving mission success,” Battalion Commander Maj. Christopher Miller said.

The 3-116th Cavalry, distinguished for its utilization of the formidable M1A2 SEPv2 Abrams Tanks and the M2A3 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles, engaged in day and night gunnery exercises. During these exercises, Abrams crews demonstrated their marksmanship by accurately engaging targets up to 2,000 meters away using the tank’s 120mm main gun. Bradley crews showcased their skills as well, skillfully employing their 25mm cannons and co-axial machine guns.

“Table VI exercises enable crews to function seamlessly as a unified team in simulated combat scenarios,” Staff Sgt. Joaquin Murillo III, an experienced tank platoon sergeant, said. “Operating the Abrams fulfills my passion for being a part of the tank crew.”

Maintenance of the combat vehicles proved pivotal for the success of live-fire operations. Sgt. Sarah Bennett, a wheeled-vehicle mechanic and civilian Certified Nursing Assistant, likened the vehicles to non-verbal patients, requiring dedicated care and expertise for optimal performance.”

“Our mission revolves around ensuring these combat vehicles remain operational to fulfill their mission,” she said.

Among the battalion’s 442 assigned soldiers, over 220 actively participated in this year’s Orchard Combat Training Center exercise. The rest had seized opportunities for different training events earlier in the year, including deployments to Bangladesh and Morocco.

“The 3-116th Cavalry Regiment ensures its soldiers have various avenues to fulfill their annual training requirements, and the Orchard Combat Training Center exercise was one of those choices,” Miller said.

This year’s training holds heightened significance as a company from the battalion prepares to deploy to the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, Louisiana. The mission is designed to support the Oregon Army National Guard’s 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team.

“This year’s training presented considerable challenges, including dry conditions and interruptions due to high winds and fires caused by the volume of fire from our armored vehicles,” Miller said. “Despite these obstacles, we triumphed and successfully qualified essential crews, firing over 100 rounds from the 120mm main gun.”