Any cav guys here?

[Turtledrive]

I was in 1/11 ACR and 3/3 ACR the requirements are the same as MACTANK described for them as well. Although the border requirements do not exist anymore. You have to be at least a corporal to attend the spur ride. The units will allow other MOS's to attend the spur ride but you must be assigned to the CAV unit in order to do it, such as the 11C section or the medics. As long as you are an NCO and in a CAV unit you can attend the spur ride.

[Turtledrive]

C 1/163 ACR (National Guard, now deactivated)
A 1/11 ACR
HHT 5/17 CAV
L 3/3 ACR

Basic in C 5/15 CAV
AIT in D 6/16 CAV

[MACTANK]

Almost secured "Lucky 16" eh Turtledrive?!

[Turtledrive]

Just about. I know one guy who did but that is the only one I know of.

[CavScoutMom]

You guys are quite educating to me. Thank you!

Our son graduates his Cav Scout MOS very soon. We are so very proud of him and all the other scouts in training.

Now, another question. Do they have to have earned their spurs to procure the Cav Stetson as well? Is the Cav Stetson earned at the same time as the spurs, I guess is what I'm trying to ask.

Or is this a gift we can buy and suprise him with at anytime?

Thanks so much!! You guys are super!

[MACTANK]

The Stetson is usually boasted by the younger officers who have a need to showboat the Cavalry image.

The true NCO will wear his spurs (As I did even at my wedding) and his Order of St George (the Patron Saint of Cavalry) medallion if he has been awarded that distinction. I have never sported the Stetson, nor have I cared to do so.

In answer to your question though, there is no official distinction for the Stetson.

[CavScoutMom]

Thank you MacTank. Please pardon me if it seemed like an arrogant question; certainly not meant to be. I'm so new to this Army and Cav Stuff (we're a USCG family) that I am learning a whole new sense of tradition. I'm so used to Naval traditions. So is it safe to say that this tradition is not for Privates?

I appreciate your input.

[Scary]

Our two Cav guys at our Battalion wore their stetsons at our Dining in. One was a 20 yr MSG and the other is a branch qualified CPT. Also the cadet who was 19D prior to ROTC (he made SPC) said he would have worn his stetson if he was with the unit long enough to go to an event to wear it.

My point is, yeah, maybe new guys like to or have a need to wear it. But I personally think it would be a way cool gift.


E.S.

[MACTANK]

Originally Posted by Scary

Our two Cav guys at our Battalion wore their stetsons at our Dining in. One was a 20 yr MSG and the other is a branch qualified CPT. Also the cadet who was 19D prior to ROTC (he made SPC) said he would have worn his stetson if he was with the unit long enough to go to an event to wear it.

My point is, yeah, maybe new guys like to or have a need to wear it. But I personally think it would be a way cool gift.


E.S.

If not a Cav function, they were showboats IMHO! There is no such thing as a Cavalry BATTALION! Real Cav Troopers will tell you that.

Call me old fashioned and a hard ass, but the hair on my back rises up when I think of the Tom Dick and Harry's flaunting the traditions of REAL CAV that they haven't earned.

[Scary]

Well I think we're having a small communications problem...

1. I am in ROTC. We have Cavalrymen in our BN as cadre. So, I am not in a Cav unit, but we have Cav guys here.

2. Yes, they may wear their stuff to show off, but remember, it's ROTC. They are here to recruit for their branch just as much as the next guy. I don't know that it's really "showing off" more than recruiting at this point. If they were showing off, I think they'd be wearing it all the time.

3. The two officers that are/were here from Cav units have earned their way IMHO. One of them came from Afghanistan and the other left our unit in February to be I believe the deputy commander of the 3rd ACR, which is now deployed. He was in a command position with the 2nd ACR during the invasion of Iraq 2. Our MSG who left us a while back who was also a Cav guy was hard as nails. I don't know much about his career as he left shortly after my MSI year.

So, to sum it up, I think these guys are just showing what Armor/Cav has done for them in their careers. I know they don't mean any disrespect. They are also the most "pro my branch/anti other branches" that we've had at our school. All I ask is for you to think it over a bit and understand that what I experience of the Army is much different than real Army. Maybe I just don't understand why you wouldn't want to wear your spurs/stetson after you have earned it. My point with the last line in my other post was that once you have earned it, it would be really nice to have a stetson, since what I do know about it is that they are somewhat spendy especially for those new E-4's.


E.S.

[MACTANK]

Wasn't thinking on the ROTC level. I have no issues with the wearing of the spurs. What I am saying is that there is no formal earining, or awarding of the stetson.

I was an AI at Rennessance High School in Detroit for a couple of years after I retired from the Army. I also wore spurs and the St. George at the Military Balls that I attended. No stetson though.

[Scary]

Cool, glad we're on the same page now.


E.S.

[MACTANK]

Originally Posted by Scary

Cool, glad we're on the same page now.


E.S.

Yeah we are, but I still have yet to see an Active Duty Cav NCO sporting a Stetson at a formal ball. The Dining in and out nights were usually declared a no hat night meaning that the dress blue cap need not be worn outside the building while in formal attire. If you wore the stetson, it still came off inside. But like I said, you would see a few of them, but on Officers.