FORT DRUM, N.Y. — After 164 years of dedicated service, the U.S. Army’s venerable 6th Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment (6/6 Cav), the "Fighting Sixth," has completed its formal inactivation December 12, 2025. This moment honors a reconnaissance unit whose personnel, known as Cavalry Scouts, have exemplified relentless vigilance, mobility, and the enduring creed that a Cavalryman’s work is never done.
Established in 1861 the regiment earned its enduring "Fighting Sixth" moniker shortly thereafter, riding at the Battle of Brandy Station in the Civil War and pushing through the dismounted charge at San Juan Heights during the Spanish-American War. The unit’s core mission of deep-penetration scouting and security endured as it transitioned from horse to mechanized and eventually to air cavalry.
MG (Ret.) Virgil L. “Duz” Packett II, who activated the squadron on June 6, 1990, and serves as the Honorary Colonel of the Regiment, reflected on the unit’s origins. “The bright, shiny object at that point in time was a thing called an Apache helicopter. You know, we brought on the Black Hawk at the same time. The old war horse was the OH-58,” Packett said. “But the fact of the matter is the new technology in the 1860s when you came on board was a thing called the Colt Six Shooter, a revolving pistol. And so representing the latest and greatest technology from our past in the 1860s, we forwarded that, and we named the squadron the Six Shooters to represent the latest and greatest technology that was on the battlefield then — the thing that brought fear into everybody’s eyes if you were at the end of its sights, the thing that brought flexibility to the fight. You’re all part of that.”
The legacy of the "Fighting Sixth" is defined by continuous adaptation, deep-penetration scouting, and an unwavering commitment to the most difficult and dangerous of missions. The Squadron’s inactivation marks the end of an operational chapter, but the spirit of the relentlessness, the dedication to move farther, see deeper, and fight harder—will continue to be passed down through the ranks. The personnel of 6/6 CAV can stand down knowing their work has been vital to national defense and truly deserving of the highest honors.
The inactivation of 6/6 Cavalry is part of the Army Aviation Transformation Initiative, a service-wide effort to modernize aviation formations, streamline reconnaissance capabilities, and align units with emerging operational requirements. While the squadron’s colors are cased, its mission endures through reorganized aviation brigades designed to deliver greater lethality, survivability, and adaptability on future battlefields.