Photo By james summers | SPC Tyrone Williams & SFC Eric Cassidy carrying SGT Will Cudrnak for the last phase...... read more read more
Camp As Sayliyah, Qatar- Weather this time of the year at Camp As Sayliyah is hot – and it’s windy. If you want to try and imagine what being a dryer sheet feels like, spend sometime, outside in the middle of the day. Outdoor physical activities are problematic if not downright dangerous.
That’s why on April 26 as the sun was setting in the west, thirteen Soldiers from the 1st Space Battalion, 1st Space Brigade, held their version of a cavalry “spur ride.”
Cavalrymen trace the history of the spur ride to the beginning of the American cavalry. It was a way of validating new troopers' individual skills both physically and mentally. Historically, new cavalry troops required extensive horsemanship training when they arrived at a unit. Only after they had proven to be proficient atop a horse could the cavalrymen wear spurs.
The event was called, “The Space Warrior Challenge.” It began with the Soldiers securing their outer space buddy also known as an “egg.” Even though the mood was light, the fitness part of the challenge was intense. The event included push-ups, sit-ups, being tethered to a teammate while going thru an obstacle course, and finally a ruck march.
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Manny D. Marrero, training officer, 1st Space Battalion, said, “an event like this is important because it is all about morale, espirit of the corps, and team building. We are out here laughing, joking, and giving each other names and at the end earns a buckle and is a part of a brotherhood. Now don’t get me wrong this event is taxing. I was former drill instructor and even when I went through it was hard, but it’s about carrying on the tradition and passing it on in the unit.”
Captain Daniel Smith, 1st Space Battalion, 1st Space Brigade said that in addition to the written test, the physical events were very demanding. He said he enjoyed working as a team alongside with his Soldiers. “It was very rewarding at the finish to know we accomplished all of our goals together. Obviously, it was very special to be the first detachment outside of Colorado Springs to participate in the event. All of us now will be able to tell people that we were part of something historic within 1st Space Brigade,” said Captain Daniel Smith, Commander, Bravo Detachment, 1st Space Brigade. What was even more special was that while we were going through our Space Warrior Challenge, Soldiers within the brigade were also participating in one being held in Colorado Springs at the same time.”
| Date Taken: | 04.26.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 04.30.2016 01:36 |
| Story ID: | 196977 |
| Location: | QA |
| Web Views: | 251 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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