Capt. Aaron Bickerstaff, Company Commander, Company D., 125th Infantry Battalion, Michigan Army National Guard, prepares for an Operations Order Brief at Adazi Military Base Training Center, Latvia, to help train his unit for their role in Exercise Saber Strike 18. Exercise Saber Strike 18 is an annual combined-joint exercise conducted at various locations throughout Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. About 18,000 participants from 19 different countries will be taking part. The combined training prepares allies and partners to respond more to regional crises and meet their own security needs by improving the security of borders and countering threats. (Michigan National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st. Class Helen Miller)