 In July 2008, elements of the 1st Battalion were mobilized under state control in response to widespread wildfires throughout California.The battalion completed hand crew training for wildland fire fighting in conjunction with the United States Forest Service at McClellan Airfield, but the battalion was never selected to perform actual wildland fire fighting.In August 2008, the 1st Battalion's Companies A and B (augmented with soldiers from other battalion elements) were mobilized for a deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 08-09.