U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Felix Dominguez (middle), the assistant operations sergeant at Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC), configures his team’s radio during the Spur Ride at Camp Humphreys, South Korea, May 8, 2025. The purpose of this training event was to safely induct qualified 5-17 Air Cavalry Squadron (ACS) troopers and qualified sister unit candidates into the Order of the Spur, training and unit tasks to build warfighter proficiencies, teamwork, and unit cohesion. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Caelum Astra)

U.S. service members and Republic of Korea soldiers board a CH-47 Chinook at the end of their trial at Pinnacle 4 (Goyongsan) in Asan, South Korea, May 9, 2025. The purpose of this training event was to safely induct qualified 5-17 Air Cavalry Squadron (ACS) troopers and qualified sister unit candidates into the Order of the Spur, training and unit tasks to build warfighter proficiencies, teamwork, and unit cohesion. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Caelum Astra)

U.S. service members and Republic of Korea soldiers earn their boot spurs after completing the Spur Ride at Camp Humphreys, South Korea, May 9, 2025. The purpose of this training event was to safely induct qualified 5-17 Air Cavalry Squadron (ACS) troopers and qualified sister unit candidates into the Order of the Spur, training and unit tasks to build warfighter proficiencies, teamwork, and unit cohesion. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Caelum Astra)

U.S. service members and Republic of Korea soldiers low-crawl under barbed wire as they take on the obstacle course during the Spur Ride on Camp Humphreys, South Korea, May 8, 2025. The purpose of this training event was to safely induct qualified 5-17 Air Cavalry Squadron (ACS) troopers and qualified sister unit candidates into the Order of the Spur, training and unit tasks to build warfighter proficiencies, teamwork, and unit cohesion. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Caelum Astra)

U.S. service members and Republic of Korea Soldiers conduct the M17 stress shoot as a part of their test toward completing the Spur Ride at Camp Humphreys, May 8, 2025. The purpose of this training event was to safely induct qualified 5-17 Air Cavalry Squadron (ACS) troopers and qualified sister unit candidates into the Order of the Spur, training and unit tasks to build warfighter proficiencies, teamwork, and unit cohesion. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Caelum Astra)

U.S. service members and Republic of Korea Soldiers celebrate their successful completion of the Spur Ride at the top of Pinnacle 4 (Goyongsan) in Asan, South Korea, May 9, 2025. The purpose of this training event was to safely induct qualified 5-17 Air Cavalry Squadron (ACS) troopers and qualified sister unit candidates into the Order of the Spur, training and unit tasks to build warfighter proficiencies, teamwork, and unit cohesion. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Caelum Astra)

CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea – U.S. Army Soldiers of the 5th Air Cavalry Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, hosted a Spur Ride on Camp Humphreys, which saw participation from 144 U.S. Army and Republic of Korea Soldiers and airmen from various units, May 8-9, 2025.

“The primary goal of the spur ride is to train spur candidates, or shave tails, on individual warrior tasks and mission-essential tasks for the 5-17th,” said Lt. Col. Brian Silva, squadron commander, 5-17th ACS. “We’re the only cavalry squadron in Korea, so we think it’s important to uphold the tradition of the spur ride.”

The spur ride is a longstanding U.S. Army Cavalry tradition in which Soldiers conduct rigorous training to join the prestigious Order of the Spur. Dating back to the 19th century, the spur ride began as a way of initiating new cavalry troops into their units.

New recruits were assigned horses with shaved tails to signify their inexperience. Only after demonstrating their competence in horsemanship and combat skills through rigorous training were they awarded their spurs as a symbol of their readiness within their units. Today, the spur ride embodies their legacy, challenging Soldiers to prove their worth and earn their spurs.

“The spur event to me builds camaraderie,” said Staff Sgt. Kimberly Garcia, 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade. “It brings a set of individuals from different units, different battalions, even the ROK army and we came together as one, worked as a team and built that relationship.”

This spur ride began before dawn, with equipment layouts to ensure participants had the necessary equipment to complete the training. After each ruck made weight at about 40 pounds, participants were then split into teams and stepped off to different lanes run by each of 5-17’s troops.

The lanes, which consisted of training exercises tied to each of 5-17’s mission-essential tasks, tested participants physically and mentally. These included:

HHT – Occupy a Tactical Assembly Area, Conduct Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) Reconnaissance, and Perform Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC).

Alpha – Conduct Movement to Contact.

Bravo – Conduct Security Operations, and Conduct Patrol Base Operations.

Charlie – Conduct Reconnaissance Operations.

Delta – Conduct Downed Aircraft Recovery Operations.

Echo – Conduct Logistics Package Operations and Conduct Forward Armying and Refueling (FARP) Operations.

Foxtrot – Conduct Reconnaissance and Security Operations.

After finishing a lane, participants rucked to the next with their teams to complete the next one. The lanes lasted about 16 hours and after a long day of training, participants got a few hours to rest and recharge before the next day.

“After such a long and tiring day of training, I was just so ready to get some rest wherever I could,” said U.S. Army Pvt. Isaias Munoz, Echo Forward Support Company, 4-2 Aviation Battalion.

The second day began with participants rucking approximately nine miles to a nearby trailhead of Goyongsan, locally known as Pinnacle 4. Upon arrival, the participants hiked up the 882-foot mountain with their teams, where they completed the final challenge of the spur ride, the Spur Board. Upon completion of the Spur Board, Chinook helicopters picked up the spur teams and transported them back to the hangar for the award ceremony.

After two days of rigorous training and lots of rucking, 144 participants were awarded their spurs by previous spur holders.

“Through their hard work, grit and determination, these Soldiers were able to uphold the longstanding legacy of the Calvary,” said Capt. Andrew Barnes, squadron S1 officer in charge, 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade. “We are very proud to present them with the spurs that they’ve earned.”

(Editor’s Note: Spc. Caelum Astra contributed reporting.)