SEMBACH, Germany - Soldiers of the 230th Military Police Company “War Masters” rushed up a steep hill, in the middle of August, with gas masks fitted securely to their face and heavy hooded coats and trousers over their duty uniform in order to attack a notional enemy.
This was one of many challenges faced by dozens of soldiers who sought induction into the prestigious Huscarl Order Aug. 28 on Sembach Kaserne.
“The Huscarls set the standard for what a soldier should be,” said Pfc. Rachel E. Cloud, a 230th MP from St. Leonard, Md. “This event has pushed me to the limits, forced me to achieve and overcome, and made me realize I can push through any obstacle that crosses my path. I am proud to be a part of this legacy.”
According to 230th officials, Huscarl fought for King Harold II of England against Duke William II of Normandy. The Duke coveted the rich farm lands of southern England and thought the recently crowned king vulnerable.
Today, induction into the order still holds great significance for soldiers who uphold the legacy.
“Huscarl means to me the ability to be a part of history, step out of the boundaries of the norm and overcome and accomplish each task at hand that I will face,” said Pfc. Alixiis S. Lee, an MP from Douglasville, Ga.
Tasks included combatives, weapons assembly, rope climbing, riot control after being exposed to pepper spray, assembling and operating a Manpack radio, a tire flip course, a traffic stop with two armed assailants in the car, chemical suit run, treating a war casualty and carrying him to safety, resupplying the safe camp with two full water cans, finding the defects on a Humvee thorough proper maintenance, and conducting an ambush in the woods.
War Masters also had to stop along the way and attend a Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention board where they produced their SHARP card, answered questions on Army regulation and advised a role playing victim.
Aspiring members of the order also answered questions about the order, unit history and MP training.
All of the new Huscarls embrace the challenge and the opportunity to triumph over obstacles.
“I’m enjoying it,” Pvt. Rayshawn Currie, a 230th MP and native of Kissimmee, Fla., said at the half way point of the Huscarl event. “It’s pretty challenging, but I’m learning as I go.”
Sgt. Thomas Musico, a member of the order and native of Syracuse, N.Y., summed up the Huscarl ideal.
“It is someone that is committed to conquering their fears and self-limiting beliefs,” said Musico. “It is not just about being positive but about waging the war against self-doubt and a negative mindset. The training exercise placed in the Huscarl course is one of the greatest ways to test one’s warrior spirit.”