Spur Ride

So today was a very interesting and cool day for Dwain...it was the first spur ride since 2001 at Ft. Hood! Dwain got initiated in a few weeks ago and got his spurs so that he could run some of the lanes during the actual spur ride. It started yesterday morning at 6:30am with 44 soldiers from the 1-7 to get the Order of the Spur. They had several qualifying events to get through in order to get them.

The tradition of ‘earning your spurs’ goes back to the horse days. You didn’t just get your spurs; you had to earn your spurs. Back in those days there was no basic training, if you enlisted in the Army, you enlisted in the local unit, or regiment. So, if you joined the cavalry you had to learn how to ride. When troopers first arrived at their new cavalry assignment they were assigned a horse with a shaved tail. Because of his amateur status, the horse’s rider was given extra maneuver space. During initial training, troopers were not allowed to wear spurs. Only after the novice riders had proved their ability to control their horse were spurs awarded.

It started with an exercise session and then they had to do a PT test which is where they went from 44 soldiers down to 22! But because the number got cut so drastically during the PT test (which they do every few months) they decided that all 44 soldiers would continue on in the other events.

Each soldier had a "battle buddy" during the the events! It was a raw egg that they decorated and carried with them everywhere! It was used when they did their exercises! Here is Lt. Hodges and his battle buddy at work! lol

They split up into 3 and 4 man teams and started an Interceptor Body Armor relay run!

After the run, they did more relays like

Water Jug run

Log carries

Tire-flipping race

Spur holders hanging out during the relays

Padilla, Dwain, Horschel and Skoble 

Dwain keeping an eye on the guys

After the morning activities...yes...this was all in the morning, they took a written test and answered questions during an oral exam.

During the board, the soldiers were asked about the history of the unit, the Order of the Spur and the Cavalrymen's poem "Fiddler's Green." Also while they were at the board, they had to mount Sabot the horse, yell charge and then ride Sabot around the room!

The remaining 22 candidates

Dwain's "set up" for the afternoon where he got to hang out until guys came to his lane

Once the guys completed the board, they started a 4 1/2 mile road march that carried them over into the night. That night they started land navigation events, assembly and disassembly of weapons and then they came to Dwain's part...combative drills! They had to do hand to hand combat.

Dwain and his guys out in the field as the sun went down getting ready for the long night ahead

Cooper taking a nap on the humv!

Dwain grilling

And teasing the guys during hazing!

Dwain giving instructions on his lane...hand to hand combat

The guys doing hand to hand combat

The lanes continued all throughout the night and into this morning. Dwain and his guys packed up their equipment at 6am and then headed back to squadron.

All of the soldiers marching back to the squadron area early this morning 

The soldiers who succeeded were awarded their spurs!