Soldiers with 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division have been training at Novo Selo Training Area, Bulgaria in preparation for the 2019 Gainey Cup Best Scout Squad Competition.
“We have been training non-stop since we heard that we will be competing in the competition,” said U.S. Army. Sgt. Cody Daniel, team leader with Scout Platoon, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1-16th Inf. Reg.
This will be the first time for all the Iron Rangers competing in the Gainey Cup and they are honored to be part of something so prestigious for cavalry scouts.
“It’s pretty exciting to be a part of it,” said Army Pfc. Nathan Spencer, cavalry scout with HHC, 1-16th Inf. Reg. “I am proud to be a part of it.”
The competition showcases the competence, physical and mental stamina, and competitive spirit of Cavalry Scout Troopers serving in formations that perform Reconnaissance and Security. The competition will be held from April 22 through May 3, 2019 at Fort Benning, Georgia. Scout teams from Germany, Netherlands, Canada and the United Kingdom will also be participating.
With the full support of the leadership, the scouts have been able to use all resources available to give them a leg up in the competition.
“They open up every ounce of resource they have to make sure we had training anytime we needed it,” said Daniel. “Anything that we needed it was there, we did not need to move mountains for it at all.”
Training for the competition has also allowed the scouts to have a closer bond within one another and build camaraderie within the team.
“Doing something special like this together, it has brought us close together,” said Daniel.
Regardless of the outcome of the competition, the scouts understand that competing in the Gainey Cup goes far beyond a piece of hardware. It will give them valuable knowledge to become more lethal and proficient at their job.
“At the end of the day, I’m only going to be a better scout for it and that’s the best thing I could ask for,” said Spencer.