Photo By Giancarlo Casem | Sgt. Eddi Valenzuela, D Company, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, and Sgt....... read more read more
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FORT IRWIN, Calif. - Nearly 40 Soldiers from the 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, earned their spurs after a grueling Spur Ride at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif., April 8-9.
Thirty-two leaders from 1st Squadron, three from the Regimental Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, and one from Task Force Pale Horse, completed all requirements for induction into the 11th ACR Order of the Spur and were inducted into the order during a twilight ceremony at the Blackhorse Stables, April 9.
"The Cavalry was founded upon the tradition of the spur," said 1st Sgt. Arturo Ortiz, A Troop, 1st Squadron, 11th ACR, first sergeant. "When new cavalry Soldiers arrived they were identified by their horses' shaved tails so that the experienced cavalry men could embrace, mentor and teach the new generation of cavalry men."
As Spurs Program, Spur Rides are time honored traditions practiced by all good cavalry units. In days of old, troopers newly assigned to cavalry units required extensive training and professional development before they were considered full-fledged members of the unit. As a mark of this inexperience, green troopers had the tales of their horses shaved and the troopers were not allowed to wear spurs. Thus, green troopers came to be known as "shave tails" and they were not allowed to wear spurs until they passed a rigorous examination of their cavalry skills.
In more recent times, the Spur Ride has taken on a different meaning. The modern-day Spur Ride is a leadership certification program. In order to even be allowed to participate in the Spur Ride, candidates must complete a range of 16 pre-requisites laid out in the Regimental Spur Charter. Once they meet the pre-requisites the shave tails, which included commissioned and non-commissioned officers participating in the Spur Ride, endure two days of mental and physical tests designed as an opportunity for leaders to demonstrate mastery of their cavalry skills. Spur Programs and Spur Rides are administered by those leaders that have already been tested and deemed worthy of wearing spurs during a Spur Ride. These leaders are called "spur holders."
On day one of the Spur Ride the shave tails were tested by a four-mile run, a regimental history test and a Shave Tail Board. The-four mile run tests the shave tails' physical conditioning and intestinal fortitude. One of the most important aims of a Spurs Program is to maintain the traditions and customs of the Army and the cavalry. To that end, the regimental history test determines whether or not each shave tail has mastered all aspects of the regiment's 108 years of service to the U.S.
Currently, the 11th ACR conducts a unique mission, it serves as the oppositional force and as civilians on the battlefield for rotational units training at the National Training Center. The Blackhorse Regiment trains 10 brigade-size elements - one at a time - in the harsh climate of the Mojave Desert. The high-level of realism, climate and the 11th ACR has made the NTC a world-class training center.
After the history test, comes the most daunting and mentally challenging trial of day one for some: the Shave Tail Board. One by one, the shave tails reported to a board consisting of spur holders. Conducted very much like an NCO promotion board, the board evaluated the shave tails' knowledge of the warrior tasks, Army regulations and other conventional Army board questions, as well as required the candidates to recite the Soldier's Creed, sing the regimental song, "Allons!," and recite the old cavalry poem, "Fiddlers' Green." As with all Army boards, a key component of the process was to determine how a leader acted under stress and pressure.
The shave tails began day two of the Spur Ride with a 7 mile foot march from Fritz Field to Medina Wasl. Conducted in teams of four to five shave tails, the foot march again tested the endurance and fortitude of the candidates. Once the teams of shave tails arrived at Medina Wasl, they immediately began circulating through a set of eight stations, in "round robin" style, designed to test the shave tails' basic Soldier skills.
Taken straight from the Army's list of warrior tasks, the stations evaluated the candidates' ability to perform common tasks ranging from map reading to first aid to communications as well as the employment of a variety of individual and crew served weapons. During the station testing, spur holders kept the pressure on by continuous testing of the shave tails' knowledge of unit history and customs. The melodious tune of "Allons!" echoed off the walls of the Iraqi-style buildings in Medina Wasl all day long.
The final physical and mental test of the Spur Ride began at 2 p.m. under a hot April sun in the High Mojave Desert as the shave tails prepared to conduct another 7 mile foot march back to Fritz Field. In the end, 36 shave tails stood proudly on Fritz Field, having met all requirements of the Spur Ride.
Later that afternoon, Lt. Col. Todd Walsh, the 1st Squadron commander, and Command Sgt. Maj. Steven Mulig, 1st Squadron command sergeant major, presided over an induction ceremony where the 36 shave tails ceased being candidates and became full members of the Order of the Spur. Each shave tails mounted a horse from the Regimental Horse Detachment, then a spur holder placed a spur on the candidates boot; signifying the transition from shave tails to spur holder.
"Each of you have been tested and been found worthy of membership in the Order of the Spur," Mulig told the new spur holders. "This is not an honor to be taken lightly. You will now carry the responsibility of teaching others the skills of our trade, the traditions of the regiment and the history of cavalrymen."
After the ceremony, the newly-inducted Ortiz, explained what the experience meant to him.
"After going through the Spur Ride myself, I have come to realize it is not so much about the task, it is more about the experience, camaraderie and bonding developed by those who have the spurs teaching the aspiring shave tails, while keeping the spirit of the spur alive," he said.
As leaders in the regiment, Ortiz and the other new spur holders have ensured that they have set a standard for their Soldiers to follow, to continue a cavalry tradition.
"It is important to promote the 'do as I do, not as I say mentality,'" Ortiz said. "I could not ask other Soldiers to go get their spurs if I don't have them myself."
| Date Taken: | 04.20.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 04.20.2009 16:53 |
| Story ID: | 32622 |
| Location: | FORT IRWIN, US |
| Web Views: | 1,121 |
| Downloads: | 614 |
This work, Blackhorse Troopers Earn Spurs, by Giancarlo Casem, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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