Photo By Staff Sgt. Christopher Calvert | Retirees and volunteers clap along to the 1st Cavalry Division Band after a Cav....... read more read more
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FORT HOOD, Texas — Soldiers, family members and friends gathered on Cooper Field here Tuesday for the 1st Cavalry Division’s quarterly Distinguished Service Recognition ceremony.
During the event, four Troopers with more than 100 years of combined service and 17 years of deployment time hung up their Cav. Hats, two horses and one mule from the Horse Cavalry Detachment were retired, and more than 20 volunteers were recognized for their contributions to the First Team.
Retirees included Lt. Col. Rolland Niles, deputy chief of staff with Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion; Sgt. Maj. Walter Sims, operations sergeant major with 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team; 1st Sgt. Eric Andersen, 1st Cav. Div. Artillery; and Master Sgt. Jo Ann Cespedes, senior human resources noncommissioned officer for 2nd ABCT.
Niles said leaving the military after 22 years of service is bittersweet.
“It’s a new adventure; I’m a little excited, but there’s a little bit of regret,” said the Avon, Illinois, native. “I’m looking forward to seeing what the future holds, but I’m going to miss the people I’ve been working with for the past two decades.”
Not forgetting the division’s rich heritage, the First Team also honored military working horses “Slingshot,” a cav. mount of 11 years with the HCD, and “Big Ben,” a cav. mount of 16 years. Draft mule “Molly Mule” was also retired after 16 years of service.
“They put in just as much service as we do, if not more,” said Spc. Benjamin Wurrz, a member of the HCD and a Lake Wales, Florida native. “They work just as hard as us Soldiers. Without them, we wouldn’t have a way to commemorate the Cav.”
Just reaching his one year mark with the HCD, Wurrz said he and his fellow Troopers will miss Slingshot, Big Ben and Molly Mule.
“It’s kind of like losing family,” he said. “They will truly be missed.”
| Date Taken: | 08.11.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 08.11.2015 16:13 |
| Story ID: | 172794 |
| Location: | FORT HOOD, TX, US |
| Hometown: | AVON, IL, US |
| Hometown: | LAKE WALES, FL, US |
| Web Views: | 61 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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