Photo By Sgt. 1st Class P. Behringer | Saltillo, Miss., native, Cpt. Daniel Brooks (right), commander of Battery B, 1st...... read more read more
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FORT HOOD, Texas – Traditionally, certain honors are awarded to Soldiers in the Army who prove their ability to conquer challenges, and the way cavalry units grant their exclusive privilege to wear spurs is through the Spur Ride.
Dating back to knighthood, cavalry Soldiers are inducted into the Order of the Spur by meeting individual Spur Ride requirements and completing a series of tasks.
Thirty-nine Soldiers assigned to the 1st “Dragon” Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st “Ironhorse” Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division braved triple digit temperatures, physical exertion, 18 non-stop hours and a downpour of rain to earn their spurs during the Dragon Spur Ride Sept. 4 and 5at Fort Hood, Texas.
Syracuse, N.Y., native, 2nd Lt. Markus Spicer, a Dragon fire direction officer, said the Spur Ride is a right of passage, a way to build unit cohesion and teach new cavalry Soldiers about tradition.
Miami native, 1st Lt. Carlos Cuervo, Dragon Spur Ride coordinator, said the event is a way for Soldiers to prove themselves and show they are worthy of wearing the spurs.
A Spur Ride usually entails some type of physical activity and knowledge of being a cavalry Soldier, Cuervo added.
Dragon spur candidates were required to meet the Army’s height and weight standards, have a minimum Army Physical Fitness Test score of 250 points, qualify sharpshooter on their individual weapon by shooting at least 30 out of 40 targets and have no pending disciplinary actions before participating in this event.
After a safety brief, Soldiers took a trip to the 1st Cavalry Division Museum to brush up on cavalry history and prepare for questions at a knowledge board held at the end of the Spur Ride.
“It’s been (interesting) learning all the history and being a part of something more than (myself),” said Spicer.
The challenge began with a run in true Texas heat including stops at two exercise stations that required candidates to sprint up and down a steep hill and lift large military vehicle tires in teams.
The main obstacle was a land navigation course in pouring rain with five stations for teams to demonstrate proficiency in basic Soldier skills.
“I like that it kind of pushed you outside your own element and made you think under stress and when you’re tired,” Spicer said.
If candidates correctly navigated the route, they walked a minimum of 16.2 miles.
Soldiers were tested on their ability to evaluate and treat simulated casualties; call in a medical evacuation; react to enemy contact; communicate via radio; disassemble and reassemble an M249 squad automatic weapon, a M240B machine gun and an M4 rifle; and react to a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threat.
The basic Soldier skills tested during the Spur Ride are perishable and should not be forgotten, Spicer said.
“If you don’t use it over time, then you lose it,” Spicer added.
During the last leg of the Spur Ride, Tampa, Fla., native, Lt. Col. Richard Ng, Dragon Commander, and Fresno, Calif., native, Sgt. Maj. Steven Rosales, the Dragon command sergeant major held a knowledge board to quiz candidates on the significance of elements in their unit’s crest, the colors of the 1st Cavalry Division patch and the importance of the Spur Ride.
When Rosales asked a team why cavalry units host Spur Rides, Orland Hills, Ill., native, 2nd Lt. Patrick Hastings, a Dragon fire direction officer and Spur Ride team member listed esprit de corps, camaraderie, teamwork, tradition and challenge.
Claiming they missed a reason, Rosales asked the question again. After discussing, the team responded: lineage.
“There you go, history,” Rosales smiled. “Why is it important to know your history?”
“To know where we came from, sergeant major,” responded Alpine, Calif., native, Sgt. Jeff Dieterle, a Dragon cannon crewmember.
All finishing candidates were released after the knowledge board and later received their spurs during a ceremony.
“Personally I believe it’s an accomplishment, but (there are) many more accomplishments to be had so (I) can’t stop at that,” Spicer concluded.
| Date Taken: | 09.04.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 09.12.2013 11:15 |
| Story ID: | 113522 |
| Location: | FORT HOOD, TEXAS, US |
| Hometown: | ALPINE, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Hometown: | ORLAND HILLS, ILLINOIS, US |
| Hometown: | ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, US |
| Hometown: | SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, US |
| Web Views: | 119 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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