FORT DRUM, N.Y. -- Nearly 50 Family members of 1st Brigade Combat Team's 1st Squadron, 71st Cavalry Regiment Troopers took part in the squadron's Family Spur Ride at a Fort Drum range, Sept. 24.
The family members, many wearing their trooper's uniform, arrived at the 1-71 headquarters ready to experience a day in the life of their Cav. Scout.
"The Family Spur Ride integrates our family members into the 1-71 Cav. team and brings them into our tradition and heritage," said Lt. Col. Keith McKinley, commander of 1-71.
The families were tested on many physically and mentally demanding tasks similar to those of a traditional Spur Ride.
"I liked the first event we did, it's where I got the most dirty," said Keoni Kadaraitis, a daughter of a 1-71 Trooper. "We had to pretend to shoot at our target with our gun while our partner crawled ahead. We had to run and duck down, then high-crawl to the next spot and then low-crawl to the one after that."
For many family members like Darian Heathington, a spouse of a 1-71 Trooper, firing the M4 Carbine and the M249 light machine gun was the most exciting of the day's events.
"Once I started hitting the target, I didn't miss," she said. "I'm proud of that."
Other events include a ride in the turret of a High-Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, modern Army combatives, face camouflage, multiple static displays and a Meal Ready to Eat for lunch.
"It's a great experience to do a Spur Ride" Heathington said. "I have met a bunch of other great family members here. And I even got a good MRE; pork ribs."
With the day over, McKinley hopes the families returned home with more understanding of what the trooper does on a daily basis.
"The main point of this event is for the Scout and their family to have a dialog when they go home at the end of the day," he said. "This will facilitate a discussion and strengthen the families."