Cavalry Soldiers earn coveted combat spurs

Courtesy Photo | First Sgt. Darryl Hill, a native of Milledgeville, Ga., shakes hands with 1st Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) Command Sgt. Maj. Fred Morris as he is awarded a pair of cavalry spurs by 1-89 commander, Lt. Col. Mark Suich. Hill is astride the cavalry squadron's "horse" for the honors, conducted at the Camp Striker dining facility Aug. 27.  

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

09.04.2007

Courtesy Story

2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division Public Affairs

By 1st Lt. Sean Troesch
1st Sqdn., 89th Cav. Regt., 2nd BCT, 10th Mtn. Div. (LI)
Multi-National Division – Center

CAMP STRIKER —It's not a Super Bowl ring, a pennant or a trophy. Yet a pair of them marks success and achievement. For cavalry Soldiers, it is all about the gold spurs.

The Soldiers of Troop D, 1st Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) out of Fort Drum, N.Y., currently deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, participated in the time-honored tradition of the spur ceremony Aug. 27.

The spur ceremony is a time-honored tradition in every cavalry unit. In days of old, when "green troopers" first arrived at their new cavalry assignments, they were in need of extensive training. During this phase of training, the troopers were not allowed to wear spurs, since this would simply compound their problems. Cavalry Soldiers were required to undergo rigorous training and professional development, and only when they were able to demonstrate their ability to perform with their horse and saber were they awarded the coveted spurs.

Today, spurs indicate the modern trooper has demonstrated cavalry and leadership skills greater than those expected of a common Soldier. Spurs are visual symbols of the demonstrated qualities of professional excellence which all cavalrymen hold in high regard – esprit de corps, technical and tactical competence, common sense, judgment, humor, humility, daring, dash and panache. Only those who have served in combat with a cavalry unit and been issued a spurs certificate are authorized to wear gold combat spurs.

The ceremony began with a brief dinner, and opening comments by Capt. Joe Vargas, commander of Troop D. Vargas spoke about the history and traditions of the cavalry. He was followed by Squadron Command Sgt. Maj. Fred Morris, the squadron's senior cavalryman, who provided the troopers with the significance of their induction into the "Order of the Spur."
The troopers then lined up and, one by one, mounted the troop's steed to be presented their spurs by the chain of command.

In preparation for the ceremony, the maintenance platoon constructed the troop's mount - a 55-gallon barrel welded to a frame and customized to resemble the horse of the cavalry of old. Painted in the traditional cavalry colors of red and white, with a rope handle set across the flanks, the mount proved sturdy enough to provide a seat for the new inductees, and even survived a number of courageous - and outrageous - mounting techniques employed by exuberant Soldiers.

In all, 55 combat-hardened Soldiers of Troop D were recognized for their achievements and inducted into the Order of the Spur. The new inductees are scheduled to return to Fort Drum in the fall, where they will play a key role in training the next batch of "green troopers" to ensure their success in the next combat deployment.

• Date Taken: 09.04.2007
• Date Posted: 09.04.2007 09:39
• Story ID: 12137
• Location: BAGHDAD, IQ