U.S. Army

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Spur Rides: An Act of Shameful Hazing or Vincentian Honor?

Authored by Jamie Sloane

Pair of brass cavalry spurs minus leather made from brass expended in Afghanistan. Spurs were earned by troopers who performed job-specific tasks that tested their mental and physical capabilities. These particular spurs were earned by the 3-71 Cavalry, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division.

Earning one’s cavalry spurs has always been considered an act of honor and respect since the civil war (Montazzoli 2019, 1). However, for the past few decades, people began to question whether or not spur rides were actually an act of honor or just another form of hazing because of the mental and physical stress they entail (Mattson 2012). However, if the army doesn’t consider it hazing, then what is it?

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Fort Hood, The Great Place Memorializing Heroes that Shape the Standards for Today

Authored by Victoria Crosby-Haslim

“Perhaps it is fitting if this illustrious commander had to die on the field of battle, that his final mission was to visit the wounded and hospitalized soldiers of his division. Such was the man, General George Casey.” Stated by General Lemnitzer during Major General George William Casey Senior’s eulogy at Holy Trinity Church in Georgetown, Washington, D.C. on July 23, 1970.

Texas is the second-largest state in the United States and is known for its independent status by the single star on its state flag (Migiro 2018). Nevertheless, from personal experience, it proves its dedication to the citizens through the pride it takes in how they support their citizens. Located in the center of Texas, Fort Hood, along with other cavalry units, in tribute to its long-ago history, soldiers can earn “spurs,” through deployments or successfully completed missions and tasks, that attach to their boots and have the option of wearing the “Cav Hat” that is not mandatory, but encouraged if considered a “trooper,” or a soldier in a cavalry unit (1st Cavalry Division Association 2020). Military members in the Army characterize “L-D-R-S-H-I-P, an acronym for the seven Army core values: Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage” (U.S. Army 2018, under “Lifestyles”). Fort Hood, known for its cavalry, originated for patrol of the Mexican border via horseback and rode into battle yelling “charge!” It “is the only post in the United States currently capable of stationing and training two full armored divisions, first and third, within its campus” (Williams 2017, para 4.1), hence the name, The Great Place.

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