Cavalry Soldiers complete traditional Spur Ride - Nov. 15, 2014

Soldiers of the Virginia National Guard’s Portsmouth-based 2nd Squadron, 183rd Cavalry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team participate in a Spur Ride Nov. 15, 2014, at Fort Pickett, Va. This typically annual two day, team-building event tests the mental and physical endurance skills of pre-qualified Cavalry Soldiers, and once they successfully complete all the assigned tasks the Soldiers earn the right to wear the distinctive spurs at ceremonial events. The traditional event started with an early morning physical fitness session and included a land navigation challenge, the Air Assault obstacle course, a physical test of Combat Lifesaver skills, history lectures and a class on how to properly saddle a horse. In the evening, the Soldiers demonstrated proficiency in cavalry-specific military skills like advanced optics and communications, vehicle recovery operations and familiarization with the Raven unmanned aerial vehicle. More than 40 Soldiers successfully completed the Spur Ride and are scheduled to receive their spurs during a unit ceremony early next year.