Prime Beef roars through Camp Roberts, California

Brigadier General Keith Jones (left), Post Commander, Camp Roberts, Calif., discusses power plans of a renovated building with Tech. Sgt. Eric Bennet, a power production specialist with the 126th Civil Engineering Squadron, Illinois Air National Guard. Camp Roberts, a California Army National Guard training base, was created in 1941 to support troops leaving for World War II and is now in need of repairs to buildings and infrastructure. Air National Guard Civil Engineering squadrons, known as "Prime Beef" units when deployed, are using the opportunity to train on real world electrical, structural, plumbing and heavy equipment scenarios. This creates a collaboration that proves valuable to both National Guard components.

Prime Beef roars through Camp Roberts, California

Loaded magazines sit ready during weapons qualification training with the M-4 rifle at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Cali. The 126th Civil Engineering Squadron, Illinois Air National Guard, from Scott Air Force Base, Ill., is in California doing two weeks of annual training at Camp Roberts. The Army National Guard training base was created in 1941 to support troops leaving for World War II and is now in need of repairs to buildings and infrastructure. Air National Guard Civil Engineering squadrons, known as "Prime Beef" units when deployed, are using the opportunity to train on real world electrical, structural, plumbing and heavy equipment scenarios. This creates a collaboration that proves valuable to both National Guard components.

Prime Beef roars through Camp Roberts, California

Lieutenant Colonel Marc Eccher, commander of the 126th Civil Engineering Squadron, fires his M-4 rifle during weapons qualification training at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. The Illinois Air National Guard squadron, from Scott Air Force Base, Ill., is in California doing two weeks of annual training at Camp Roberts. The Army National Guard training base was created in 1941 to support troops leaving for World War II and is now in need of repairs to buildings and infrastructure. Air National Guard Civil Engineering squadrons, known as "Prime Beef" units when deployed, are using the opportunity to train on real world electrical, structural, plumbing and heavy equipment scenarios. This creates a collaboration that proves valuable to both National Guard components.

Prime Beef roars through Camp Roberts, California

Airman First Class Andrew Nance, a structural team member with the 126th Civil Engineering Squadron prepares to fire during weapons qualification training with the M-4 rifle at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Cali. The Illinois Air National Guard squadron, from Scott Air Force Base, Ill., is in California doing two weeks of annual training at Camp Roberts. The Army National Guard training base was created in 1941 to support troops leaving for World War II and is now in need of repairs to buildings and infrastructure. Air National Guard Civil Engineering squadrons, known as "Prime Beef" units when deployed, are using the opportunity to train on real world electrical, structural, plumbing and heavy equipment scenarios. This creates a collaboration that proves valuable to both National Guard components.

Prime Beef roars through Camp Roberts, California

Tech. Sgt. Jeffrey Dornin welds a rod to a piece of angle iron so it can be used as a curb on a concrete pad. Tech. Sgt. Dornin is a water and fuels maintenance technician for the Illinois Air National Guard and a qualified welder in his civilian job. The 126th Civil Engineering Squadron is assisting the California Army National Guard in renovations at Camp Roberts, Cali. The Army National Guard training base was created in 1941 to support troops leaving for World War II and is now in need of repairs to buildings and infrastructure. Air National Guard Civil Engineering squadrons, known as "Prime Beef" units when deployed, are using the opportunity to train on real world electrical, structural, plumbing and heavy equipment scenarios. This creates a collaboration that proves valuable to both National Guard components.

Prime Beef roars through Camp Roberts, California

Tech. Sgt. Jeffrey Dornin, (left) explains welding procedures to Airman First Class Alexander Castillo. Both airmen are water and fuels maintenance technicians for the Illinois Air National Guard but Tech. Sgt. Dornin is also a qualified welder in his civilian job and is passing on the skill to other members of his team. The 126th Civil Engineering Squadron is assisting the California Army National Guard in renovations at Camp Roberts, Cali. The Army National Guard training base was created in 1941 to support troops leaving for World War II and is now in need of repairs to buildings and infrastructure. Air National Guard Civil Engineering squadrons, known as "Prime Beef" units when deployed, are using the opportunity to train on real world electrical, structural, plumbing and heavy equipment scenarios. This creates a collaboration that proves valuable to both National Guard components.