Stryker Brigade News

FIRES Trooper earn their Spurs

Nov-26-2009 » Filed Under: 2nd SCR

2d Stryker Cavalry Regiment, Public Affairs Office

Vilseck, Germany – Troopers of FIRES Squadron 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment recently participated in the time-honored tradition known as the Spur ride. The Spur Ride is an event held over multiple days during which a Trooper must pass a series of physical and mental tests that evaluate leadership, technical and tactical proficiency, and the ability to operate as part of a team under high levels of stress and fatigue. FIRES Soldiers participated in three-days of events that taxed them both physically and mentally.

In the early morning hours of day one, participants formed teams and gathered for the first hurdle they had to face dubbed the PT test from hell. This was a three-mile run with various physical tasks along the route each team must accomplish. The teams completed team push-ups, sit-ups, log and water can carry.

From there it was out to the land navigation course where teams had to plot and find eight points on a map in under five hours. The plots were spread out over a distance of nine kilometers.

On day two, tired and sore the would-be spur riders gathered at the motor pool . for a 15 kilometer ruck march with each Trooper carrying a minimum of 35 pounds in his or her pack. With very little time to catch their breath, teams were ushered from the finish line of the march to the next event, a timed obstacle course. Soldiers faced several challenges that tested their strength and ability to work as a team.

The final day began with a Squadron run. Each team was then administered a written test on the history of the Regiment. Troopers had 5 minutes to answer 15 questions. After the test the teams began several community beautification projects both around post and in the town of Sorghof.

The Spur Ride ended with a presentation during which each Soldier was presented with their spur certificate inducting them into the coveted Order of the Spur.

In the team standings first place went to Bravo Battery Team 1. Engineers team 8 took second and third place went to HHB team 1. The top Battery/Troop average went to the Engineers.