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SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii — The troops stood no more than four
feet tall with camouflage painted over smiles and the fierce look of
determination as they stood ready; poised with colorful rubber “hand
grenades” filled with water, ready to take on the assault course and
defeat the bad guys.
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Soldiers of 3rd Squadron, 4th
Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division
and junior Raiders salute the colors during the playing of the
national anthem at the Junior Spur Ride, here, March 21, 2013.
(Photo by Staff Sgt. Cashmere C. Jefferson, 3rd Brigade Combat Team
Public Affairs)
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More than 70 children of the 3rd Squardron 4th Cavalry
Regiment, “Raiders,” 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry
Division, took the Junior Spur Ride challenge, here, March
21 at F Quad with the help of their parents.
“One of
our most important traditions in the cavalry is the Spur
Ride, a tradition that goes way back and is a mark of
excellence for cavalrymen,” said Lt. Col. David Zinn,
commander of the 3-4CAV, 3rd BCT, 25th ID.
The Spur
Ride dates back to the beginning of the cavalry and is the
only means of joining the Order of the Spur, aside from a
wartime induction. The conduct of a Spur Ride varies but it
is generally an event held over multiple days during which a
Trooper must pass a series of physical and mental tests
relevant to the Cavalry.
Junior Raiders went through
events similar to tradition as their parents once did to
earn their spurs.
“We wanted to give the kids an
opportunity to go through some of the things their moms and
dads get to go through here, from tasting MRE's to seeing
the vehicles to [putting on camouflage] during the events,”
said Capt. Gary S. Bostic, plans officer, Headquarters and
Headquarters Troop, 3-4 CAV, 3rd BCT, 25th ID.
The
children were broken up into five platoons, by age group,
complete with a Raider platoon sergeant and kicked off the
Junior Spur Ride with the playing of the national anthem,
and a safety brief.
The Raiders hosted several
different stations that included a camouflaging class, an
assault course with Nerf guns and water balloons, an
obstacle course, a radio class, a first aid demonstration
(children 8-years-old and below learned “when to call 911,”
and 9-years-olds and above learned how to treat a minor
injury), a sprint competition, and MRE station, a weapon's
display (M4, M249, M240B), a vehicle display, an aircraft
and vehicle recognition test, and lastly an Easter egg hunt.
The activities of the Junior Spur Ride put an emphasis
on physical fitness and safety as children were constantly
moving through different obstacles.
Staff Sgt. Roy C.
Walters, squadron aid station noncommissioned officer in
charge, HHT, 3-4 CAV, 3rd BCT, 25th ID, who participated in
the event with his wife Natalie and their 3-year-old son
said his son is loving every minute of the event.
“He
loves getting to do the things that daddy gets to do and he
gets to see the general purpose of what being a soldier is,”
said Walters. “Taking that into the cavalry part of it, he
gets to see my unit in the Stetson and spurs and will also
get his Order of the Spur today so when he gets a little
bigger, he'll have a better understanding of how I earned my
spurs.”
At the end of the event, the children
received certificates, certifying them as Junior Spur
Cavalry kids.
By Army Staff Sgt. Cashmere C. Jefferson
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2013
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