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Cavalry saber… meet Bowie knife. Razorbacks… meet Cornhuskers.
That was the scene that unfolded at the Mead Training Site’s Titan Readiness Center, Dec. 10, as the Nebraska Army National Guard’s 1-134th Cavalry officially became members of the Arkansas Army National Guard’s 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team during a patching ceremony held at the readiness center drill floor.
During the ceremony, which was attended by the 39th Infantry BCT commander and command sergeant major, the Soldiers of the Nebraska cavalry squadron pulled off the “Pike” patches they had worn as members of Nebraska’s 67th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade and replaced them with the new “Bowie Knife” patches of the 39th infantry BCT.
The ceremony was just the latest visible example of the ongoing transformation of Nebraska Army National Guard units across the state as the old 67th BfSB transforms into a new mission as a maneuver enhancement brigade. In the case of the 1-134th Cavalry Soldiers, that transformation led them to become members of the Arkansas Army National Guard organization, marking the first time that Nebraska Soldiers have served within an infantry brigade formation since the 67th Infantry Brigade (Mechanized) transformed into an area support group in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
According to Col. Michael Spraggins, commander of the Little Rock, Arkansas-based 39th Infantry BCT, the Nebraskans are a welcome addition to his formation.
“I look at this as a great opportunity,” Spraggins said, adding that the 39th Infantry BCT had recently deactivated its long-time cavalry squadrons as part of their ongoing force structure changes. He said that deactivation was followed by a heavy dose of somber emotions as those cavalrymen concluded a mission that had seen them racking up numerous accomplishments during their history.
“Replacing that unit was hard,” Spraggins said. “Then I walk in here and I see that same ‘Cav’ swagger and it does my heart good.”
According to Spraggins, the Nebraska patching ceremony signifies the start of a “new partnership” between two historic organizations.
“I think we’re going to work well together. For one thing, our universities belong to different conferences so we can root for your football team and you can root for ours,” Spraggins said, smiling. “Many a fight has occurred over football, fortunately I don’t think that’s going to be a problem with us.”
“As you take you patch off, I know that it’s a part of your history,” he added. “It’s something I don’t want you to get rid of because I know it’s always going to have a sacred place in your hearts.”
Among those attending the early Saturday morning ceremony was Brig. Gen. Kevin Lyons, Nebraska Army National Guard land component commander who began his career within the old 67th Infantry Brigade formation as a member of the 1-195th Armor and 1-167th Cavalry. According to Lyons, the 69th Infantry BCT patch into Nebraska is a welcome addition.
“By bringing the 39th patch into Nebraska, it adds to our relevancy of being a strong Army National Guard state that is ready and able to be a full partner within the U.S. Army and the Department of Defense,” Lyons said.
Lyons said the partnership will also have direct impacts on the Nebraska Soldiers involved.
“It’s going to be very beneficial for the Soldiers. They’re going to gain valuable experiences and more training opportunities,” he said. “There are a lot of training opportunities out there. The nice thing is, the 39th has been very open in advertising these opportunities for the Soldiers while also giving them the time to also keep up with their state-specific training so that they remain ready and reliable for the state of Nebraska.”
Spraggins echoed those comments, saying he believes both units will complement each other extremely well as they tackle their combined challenges of ensuring Soldiers are physically fit and have received the required military schooling to function well in a highly unpredictable world.
“We have some of the same challenges,” he said, adding that his entire brigade must work as a team to ensure Soldiers are eligible to receive the training and promotion opportunities that are available. “Here is my challenge to you. I look to the leadership here to be ready when nation calls. It’s not a matter of if; it’s going to be a matter of when because as you have noticed, the world hasn’t calmed down any in the last 10 or 15 years. And we have figured out that the terrorist threat is not the only threat out there.”
“Large units deploying and going hand-in-hand against a large formation is definitely on the horizon,” he added. “I hope that that day never comes, but I also hope that if it does come that we will all be prepared.”
| Date Taken: | 03.21.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 12.13.2017 15:26 |
| Story ID: | 258731 |
| Location: | NEBRASKA, US |
| Web Views: | 224 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Nebraska Army Guard cavalrymen exchange ‘Pikes’ for ‘Bowie’ knives, by Lt. Col. Kevin Hynes, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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