Photo By Angela Turner | Military Working Equine Shoffner, left, stands in stately grace while MWE Halverson is...... read more read more
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Retired Lt. Gen. David Halverson and retired Maj. Gen. Wilson Shoffner retired from the Army in 2016 and 2020, respectively. However, their names have been said many times at Fort Sill since then.
As has become tradition, the Field Artillery Half-Section named two of its Military Working Equines after the two former commanding generals of the Fires Center of Excellence and Fort Sill. And, like their namesakes, the two horses have now become retired “Soldiers.”
In a ceremony with several retired former FCOE commanders in attendance May 6, 2024, MWE Halverson and MWE Shoffner were the guests of honor in their own retirement ceremony on the same field where they spent countless hours paying respects to numerous other retiring Soldiers.
“Military Working Equines have a long and historic tradition at Fort Sill going back more than fifty years,” said Lara Armstrong, Field Artillery Half-Section Chief. “These horses, and the ## members of the team, have travelled around the country to perform in countless events including competitions, rodeos and even the Tournament of Roses Parade.”
The Field Artillery Half-Section was first organized on a temporary basis in 1963. However, they proved so popular that in 1969 the Lawton/Fort Sill Chapter of the Association of the United States Army, along with local business and civic leaders purchased the first eight Matched-Bay horses for the formation of a permanent Half-Section.
So, with flags being held up against the strong Oklahoma wind, MWE Halverson and MWE Shoffner were retired on a sunny day.
“MWE Halverson has proven himself has a dedicated member of the Field Artillery Half-Section,” said Lt. Col. Peter Salfeety, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Field Artillery commander. “MWE Halverson has taught every horseman assigned to the Half-Section, providing forgiving first rides and his own brand of on-the-spot corrections. His mentorship will be missed.”
The two-legged Halverson was in attendance and made sure he not only told his namesake how proud he was of him but, how proud he was to have an MWE named after him.
“It’s a great honor for me to come back to Fort Sill and participate in this ceremony,” Halverson said. “Now, Halverson the horse can have a great life in retirement just like I’m having!”
For its part, the four-legged Halverson, didn’t seem like he was quite ready to retire yet. He wouldn’t stay still and dragged his handler within a 50-foot circle of his posting point. However, once the ceremony was over, he was the very picture of a proud retiree, accepting praise from all who would get close to him.
MWE Shoffner was the epitome of grace. He just needed a little walk now and then but paid rapt attention to what was being said about him.
“MWE Shoffner was with the Field Artillery Half-Section from July 2022 to present,” Salfeety said. “Shoffner entered service in the Half-Section after retiring from his professional athletic career as a racehorse where he earned approximately $20,000 in winnings in only seven starts.”
MWE Shoffner is being medically retired.
Salfeety went on to say both horses serve honorably, calling their service records, “impeccable” and mentioning they even served as reindeer in Fort Sill’s annual tree lighting ceremonies.
After a strenuous vetting process, both MWEs have been adopted to qualified horse-owners with a lot of room to let these veterans live out their lives in luxury.
| Date Taken: | 05.13.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 05.13.2024 17:24 |
| Story ID: | 471184 |
| Location: | FORT SILL, OK, US |
| Web Views: | 32 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Military Working Equines retire in ceremony at Fort Sill, by Keith Pannell, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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