4th Cav Soldiers Be All They Can Be By Earning Their Spurs

Photo By Sgt. Jacob Wachob | Soldiers assigned to 4th Cavalry Multi Functional Training Brigade, First Army Division East, conduct a 12-mile ruck march during a Spur Ride event held a t Fort Knox, KY March 17-19 2023. The Spur Ride challenges Soldiers to be all they can be by injecting them into an austere environment and leaving them no choice but to find a way to overcome the adversity of their conditions through teamwork, trust, and tenacity. Completion of the Spur Ride signifies that these Soldiers are now Spur Holders and Cavalry Troopers for life, charged with always sharing the spirit of the Cavalry no matter where they hang their Stetson in the future. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Jacob Wachob, 4th CAV MFTB.)  

FORT KNOX, KY, UNITED STATES

03.22.2023

Story by Sgt. Jacob Wachob 

4th Cavalry Brigade First Army Division East

4th Cav Soldiers Be All They Can Be By Earning Their Spurs
(U.S. Army story by Sgt. Jacob Wachob, 4th Cavalry Multi-Functional Training Brigade)

FORT KNOX, KY—27 Soldiers throughput the battalions of 4th Cavalry Multi-Functional Training Brigade earned the Order of the Spur after their successful completion of the Spur Ride that took place March 17-19th 2023 at Fort Knox, Kentucky.
“Soldiers that earn their Spurs at 4th Cav MFTB gain invaluable confidence and experience as observers, coaches and trainers because they’re getting first-hand training on Soldier tasks and battle drills. This makes them better prepared to train and validate our U.S. Army Reserve partners,” said Maj. Mitchell Creel, the lead planner for the Spur Ride.
Creel went on to speak on the significance of 4th Cav Soldiers earning their spurs in regard to honoring the traditions of a Cavalry unit.
“Completing the Spur Ride is a testament to our Soldiers’ respect to the traditions of a Cavalry unit and pays homage to all the great leaders from decades past that earned their spurs during trying times of our nation.”
For a Soldier to qualify and compete for the Order of the Spur within the unit, the Cavalry Soldier must first meet or exceed established standards of performance. Once documented as having achieved the performance objectives, Cav Soldiers become eligible to participate in the Spur Ride. The road to earning the Order of the Spur is no small task. It requires the Spur Candidates to complete numerous Soldier tasks amidst adverse circumstances, including medical evacuation, weapons systems qualification testing, land navigation skills assessment, tactical foot marches, as well as passing an evaluation before a board of the most Senior Spur Holders within the Brigade.
“The Spur Ride challenges Soldiers to be all they can be by injecting them into an austere environment and leaving them no choice but to find a way to overcome the adversity of their conditions through teamwork, trust, and tenacity, said Capt. Pat Reilly, an event planner for the Spur Ride. “The Spur Ride allows for Soldiers to rediscover what their true capabilities are and walk away from it with a renewed sense of purpose because they are able to look back and be reminded of what they overcame to earn their spurs, including the harsh elements of the weather, the physical exhaustion, lack of sleep, long nights and even earlier mornings.”
Completion of the Spur Ride signifies that these Soldiers are now Spur Holders and Cavalry Troopers for life, charged with always sharing the spirit of the Cavalry no matter where they hang their Stetson in the future.

• Date Taken: 03.22.2023
• Date Posted: 03.22.2023 11:14
• Story ID: 440923
• Location: FORT KNOX, KY, US