FORT DRUM, N.Y. -- It's a massive ground with rocks, water, dirt and sand.

"This is designated as Range 44. It's part of, obviously, the range complex here on Fort Drum," said Fort Drum Garrison Commander Col. Bryan Laske. "It's a combined arms, live-fire range. It's intended to give infantry and cavalry a test in terms of executing their battle drills under live-ammunition conditions."

For Fort Drum, this live range is as real as it gets. It takes everything and everyone -- the people, the weapons, the terrain -- and it allows soldiers from all aspects of the Army, ground forces, air support and even other military branches to train together in New York.

"If you think of it as a football team, the offensive line has practiced, the defensive line has practiced, the kicker, the quarterback. Now on this range, we're putting together all of those teams together to fight as a single company," said Col. Scott Naumann of the 1st Brigade Combat Team.

"We can fire artillery right over the objective, so it's in close proximity to soldiers, so they get used to the sound and the feel of those effects," said Col. Laske as explosions rang out behind him.

This range features one other very cool aspect. The cement used in those buildings is mixed with a special shock-absorbing material. It can take bullets without ricochet. It can take blasts. It doesn't have to be replaced or rebuilt each time. It saves time and money.

"That allows us to continue to come at this and practice it again and again and again without destroying an objective," Col. Naumann said. "With the weapon systems we're bringing to bear, we would certainly destroy an objective if it was just wood."

That special cement is made locally. We'll bring you inside the company that provides the blocks to Drum on Friday.

Fort Drum says it strives to be a good neighbor, especially with all the noise that comes from ranges like this, and buying materials locally is just another aspect of that.