AUGUST 7, 2024 — In the Army, most Soldiers are familiar with the saying, “if it ain’t raining, we ain’t training!” For several days starting August 1, 2024, participants were able to experience the true meaning of this saying through a series of unexpected events during a spur ride hosted by 553rd Division Sustainment Support Battalion (DSSB), 1st Cavalry Division Sustainment Brigade (1CDSB) in Karliki, Poland.
After arriving at the ‘Day 0’ bivouac site, candidates were placed in groups, with respective spur holders in charge of each group. After the spur holders inspected their respective candidates’ packing lists to ensure they had all the essential gear needed to complete this spur ride safely, the candidates thought they were getting ready to conduct ‘Stand To’ before bedding down for the night. However, a consistent and gradual downpour of rain on ‘Day 0’ forced the event organizers to adjust the plan to uphold the spirit of the event while, most importantly, ensuring the safety of the candidates.
“We were informed by the Polish military we couldn’t use a pretty prime training space,” said Jones about the change of plans, which was mitigated by the quick thinking of the planners.
The candidates learned upon arrival that they would complete a four-mile ruck to a designated turn-around point before rucking back to their bivouac site. To motivate and encourage the teams, the group that returned first would be given the longest recovery time and an opportunity to start the next day’s events last.
1CDSB, known as Task Force Wagonmaster, hosted 138 candidates from three Army components: Active Duty, Reserve, and National Guard, making it a Total Army Force event. Many spur rides are hosted across the United States, but it is a unique and rare opportunity to participate in a spur ride during an overseas rotation or deployment.
“Task Force Wagonmaster … it’s a Total Army Task Force, so National Guard [and] Reserve units … along with our organic troopers altogether participated,” said Col. Christopher Jones, the 1st Cavalry Division Sustainment Brigade and Task Force Wagonmaster Commander, about the make-up of the pool of candidates.
“There’s a likelihood that many of the Soldiers that are here will never be in another cavalry unit [again] … but [because] they’re in the 1st Cavalry Division, the only Cavalry Division in the Army… [it was] really special to see how eager Soldiers and leaders were to do it,” Jones remarked.
The candidates ranged from junior enlisted Soldiers to senior leaders. Based on their unit assignment alone, many of them would not have had the opportunity to compete for the infamous Silver Spurs, an accessory awarded upon completion of the physically and mentally demanding event.
“I’m excited because I had the chance to do [a spur ride] … and usually wouldn’t have this opportunity,” said Pfc. Justin Moore, a motor transport operator from the Missouri Army National Guard.
For Lt. Col. Travis Peck, the 533rd DSSB commander, it was simply a matter of timing. The logistics officer from Wichita, Kansas, earned a pair of golden spurs earlier in his career as a first lieutenant. Golden spurs are only awarded during a combat tour, whereas silver spurs are earned during a non-combat rotation.
Upon completion of the spur ride, he now proudly holds the title of Master Spur Holder and a memory of earning his silver spurs in Poland.
“Earning my silver spurs would mean that I would be a Master Spur Holder,” said Peck. “That is something I have wanted to do since I earned my gold spurs as a lieutenant.”
Candidates underwent a number of challenges including a physical fitness lane where they had to work together to complete a required number of deadlifts and standing power throws, a CBRN lane, where they had to quickly don their protective mask then simulate administering an antidote for one of their contaminated Soldiers, recovering a disabled vehicle while maintaining tactical security, assembling and disassembling various weapons (with an accompanying functions-check), and reacting to a near ambush by flanking the enemy and conducting follow-on actions on the objective.
The candidates also underwent a lane where they had to camouflage their faces and equipment to blend into their environment, a lane where they had to crawl to a covered position to throw a grenade at a notional enemy position, and a lane where candidates had to treat and transport two of their group members who suffered extremity injuries as part of the scenario.
“I think I’m looking forward to the grenade lane and reacting to contact because those are the things that really get people going,” said Peck. “I’ll get to see how they react under pressure and how they’ll do as leaders.”
By the time the groups reached the finish line, hardly anyone was spared from being soaked and exhausted. Despite the pain, the emotions outweighed the relief of the new spur holders as they formed special bonds with their teammates, and created a lifetime of special memories. By upholding this unique Cavalry tradition, the Order of the Spur continues to live on, one new spur holder at a time.
By Capt. Zemas Andargachew