Photo By Sgt. 1st Class William Prahl | Spur holders apply silver spurs to successful spur candidates in the time-honored...... read more read more
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Marching past, straight through to Hell
The Infantry are seen.
Accompanied by the Engineers,
Artillery and Marines,
For none but the shades of Cavalrymen
Dismount at Fiddlers’ Green.
-Author Unknown, excerpt from “Fiddler’s Green”
Fiddlers’ Green is folklore dating back to 17th century Ireland. As the limerick explains, Fiddler’s Green is a place in the afterlife for cavalry troops who die in battle. A place where the fiddle never stops playing and dancers never tire. When the U.S. Cavalry (also known as “cav”) started in 1776, it consisted of a large population of Irish immigrants and so continued the legend of Fiddler’s Green.
Historically, the cav is known collectively as the men who charged into battle mounted on horseback. On today’s modern battlefield, the term refers to troopers ‘mounted’ on a vehicle or aircraft to perform reconnaissance, surveillance or target acquisition missions.
Amidst all the technological advancements of modern warfare, the roots of the cav run deep. They honor the lineage and lives of cav troops before them with a grueling test of cavalry skills known as a “spur ride.”
Keeping with the time-honored tradition, troopers of the 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, Iowa Army National Guard had an opportunity to “earn their spurs” during annual training in Camp Ripley, Minn.
“You join through basic training and AIT (Advanced Individual Training) obviously, said Spc. Jacob Kopriva, a scout with Alpha Troop. “But to become a cavalry scout, the spurs are a big part of it. It shows that you know your stuff and you’re truly a cavalry scout.”
The tradition of the “Order of the Spur” dates back nearly 250 years with the inception of the cavalry. Troopers wore spurs to control their horses, and new enlistees had to earn their spurs to prove they could properly use them to control the horse.
“They weren’t allowed to wear spurs right away because they weren’t good horsemen yet, so they didn’t want the new enlistees kicking spurs into a horse and getting bucked off and injured,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Matthew Strasser, Command Sergeant Major (“CSM”), 1-113th Cav. “So they had to go through a really regimented training program before they were allowed to wear spurs as part of the cavalry.”
The 1-113th Cav’s spur ride was a continuous 24-hour event, testing the troopers’ technical and tactical proficiency. Spur candidates were tested on several basic Soldier skills, as well as cavalry-specific tasks designated by the squadron CSM and a spur council.
Conducting surveillance, participating in a search and rescue mission, reacting to enemy contact, performing first aid and evacuating a casualty were just a few of the tasks spur seekers performed.
“In the morning there’s a physical fitness portion, a boat carry, a bunch of other calisthenics just to get them wore out a little bit before we start field training,” said Strasser. “It’s about testing your mental capacity.”
As part of that mental challenge, candidates were required to recite, from memory, “Fiddler’s Green.” Additionally, they were to be prepared to discuss traditions and historical information pertaining to the cavalry.
Spur seekers each had their own way of preparing for the challenge.
“Many pages of reading, studying over the “Fiddlers’ Green” and the basic skills,” said Spc. Scott Ratliff, a scout with Alpha Troop. “Physically I’ve run a lot, sit-ups, push-ups and getting prepared for the ruck. Rucking of course, that’s a big part of it.”
The final test of the spur ride was a ruck march, where spur candidates and spur holders marched together in one last push through the night. Troopers lined the streets of Camp Ripley to cheer on their brothers-in-arms as finishers crossed the line for the docking of the spurs.
In this traditional ceremony, spur candidates who completed their spur ride assumed the front leaning rest position as spur holders placed a set of silver spurs on the heel of their boots.
“It shows my commitment towards my unit, my job and it shows that I do care about being in the Army and what I do,” said Ratliff, “You actually do want to make yourself better and make yourself a better cavalry scout.”
The significance behind the spur ride is recognized by both young and old. For many troopers of the 1-113th Cav., this was their first time witnessing a spur ride. For a few Soldiers, it was their last ride but the camaraderie will be long remembered after they’ve gone.
| Date Taken: | 06.22.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 06.27.2017 10:35 |
| Story ID: | 239315 |
| Location: | IA, US |
| Web Views: | 1,265 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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