Posted on Dec 27, 2021
LTC Field Artillery Officer
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Anyone served in a Cavalry Unit before - I guess this pic is from what is called a "Spur Ride". I'm Field Artillery & I've never really heard about this event. Can any RallyPoint member tell me more about what is going on in this picture?
Edited >1 y ago
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SGT Joseph Gunderson
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Spur rides can take many forms. Usually, they involve multiple days performing various tasks in the field, each task a demonstration of one's proficiency in different areas of soldiering, particularly those having to do with the cavalry (19 series). This image looks like this unit may have had a board-like component, if this was actually a spur ride event. Each unit will conduct their rides differently.

At the end of the ride, soldiers are awarded their silver spurs.
Silver spurs denote the successful completion of a spur ride.
Gold spurs denote the completion of a combat deployment with the cavalry.

Spurs are worn on several occasions, on combat uniforms or dress uniforms.
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LTC Field Artillery Officer
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Thanks for the info SGT Joseph Gunderson ...!
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SGT Joseph Gunderson
SGT Joseph Gunderson
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LTC (Join to see) - don't mention it.
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SGT Kenneth Duncan
SGT Kenneth Duncan
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I was in the 3/4 Cav in Hawaii and the 4/4 Cav in Germany. This is the first I have even heard spur ride. My ETS was 9/9/1991. Tomorrow will be 32 years. I did 9 years Army and retired from the Post Office with 35 years of Federal Serice. Army included. I had to ay extra to have my Army added but well worth it. I now get paid the same every month and do what I want to do. And I don't have to listen to anyone. I have started finding Gold.
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SFC Ralph E Kelley
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Edited >1 y ago
The Order of the Spur is a Cavalry tradition within the United States Army.
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The Spur Hierarchy in order of precedence determined by various Cavalry CSMs around 1990 was as follows
1. Combat Spurs - Gold (actually brass for enlisted Dragoon/Cavalry Revolutionary War) Officers and enlisted must have served assigned or attached in combat with Cavalry units, an Infantry or an Armor Scout/Recon element.
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2. Cold War Spurs - Bronze (some units Silver) (since 1945 - 1990 but not by all units). The earlier era ‘Spur Ride’ utilized the concept of Cavalry units, Scout Platoons (like with Infantry BNs) deployed on the East-West German Border, the Korean DMZ or the Panama Canal Zone. The Stateside Cavalry units and Scout/Recon elements that deployed overseas to Europe, Japan/Korea or Panama large scale exercises in support of the Army mission were included. Soldiers had to receive MOS performance pay (prior to 1970s) or pass 80%+ (late 1970s) on their SQT/Common Core Tests, + receive a distinguished with their Scout team/squad/section's Scout Proficiency Course (SSPC) or their crew's, scout vehicle, tank, Sheridan, artillery piece/mortar, antitank, ADA etc gunnery. Though called Spur Rides their criteria and implementation of the practice was based on an extended, longer-term Qualification Ethos.
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3. Rider Spurs - Silver (started up in some stateside units about 1980). The later era or Post-Cold War Spur Ride was developed to carry on the Order of the Spur tradition. The modern ‘Spur Ride’ varies from unit to unit, 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, detached/attached (such as with an Infantry HQs) Scout/Recon platoon . Some of the tests evaluate leadership, technical and tactical proficiency, physical fitness, the ability to operate as part of a team under high levels of stress and fatigue under both day and night conditions, though the specific tests vary by unit. A written test is often also administered, with questions that cover United States Cavalry and unit history.
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That's pretty much 'The Hierarchy' and it's based on some pretty practical precepts - Combat thumps all, Risk to Life is second (the West German Border and Korean DMZ had many skirmishes) and a demonstration (though grueling - not life threatening) of the Trooper's performance is lowest.
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I hope this helps.
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LTC Field Artillery Officer
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Thanks for the info SFC Ralph E Kelley
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SGT Kenneth Duncan
SGT Kenneth Duncan
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In 1990 I was in 4/4 Cavalry in Germany. We were more worried about Desert Storm then. No wonder I never heard about it. When Desert Storm ended, I got out. I volunteered to go to Kuwait after training for 9 years. When My commander sent me to a Physc. eval. I got out. Interesting how Desert Storm was mostly Reserves and National guard. Yup they knew exactly what to do. Many of Utah's National Guards, I grew up with. They were stuck at Grafenvier most of the time. I would drive over and take as many as I could in my van to go see stuff. I have a Border stone from near the Brandenberg gate in Berlin. Berlin was a good 3 hour drive through east Germany just to get there. Then Berlin was divided into east and west. My unit was on Border patrol when we were all called back to base. Once everyone got back we were told that the border had been open.
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SFC Randy Hellenbrand
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Edited >1 y ago
We did something like this in my troop. But we called it a War Run. It was 3 days of non-stop missions, and I mean non-stop. There is a vid from the 105th WI Cav doing one, which looks more like a lot of separate tasks, but we never had the pt thrown into ours.
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