FORT HOOD, Texas - The 1st Cavalry Division celebrated its 104th birthday with a week-long event, “Cav Week”. The division hosted a variety of events and competitions to mark the occasion.
Cav Week, held annually, celebrates the division's history and traditions, bringing together Troopers, families, and veterans.
“Every generation of Cav Troopers has lived the legend, but now it’s our turn,” said Maj. Gen. Thomas M. Feltey, commanding general of the 1st Cavalry Division, prior to the division run. “Let’s get this week started. It’s a great team, it’s our team, we are the First Team.”
Preliminary rounds began on Sept. 2, with Troopers competing against one another for the commander’s cup trophy.
It was then presented by Feltey and Command Sgt. Maj. LeVares J. Jackson, command sergeant major of the 1st Cavalry Division, during the Cav Week award ceremony.
Bright and early on Sept. 3, the First Team conducted its division-wide run, followed by a cake-cutting ceremony. Running three miles down Legends Way, every brigade traveled with pride as they waved their unit’s guidons and sang cadences.
Carrying over into a battalion command team competition, Troopers of the First Team had the opportunity to cheer on their leaders as they competed in the Army Fitness Test (AFT) on the historic Cooper Field.
With numerous sporting events filling the week, such as basketball, volleyball, softball, biking, and boxing, First Team Troopers represented their units and were able to build morale and esprit de corps among their teams and competitors.
Additional competitions, such as the Five Stand Skeet Shooting, the Two Gun Challenge, small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS) competitions, and tug-of-war, gave Troopers the opportunity to participate and excel in a variety of activities. The diversity of events encouraged more Troopers to celebrate Cav Week in their own way, supporting the history and spirit of the First Team.
On the evening of Sept. 4, a Cav Social was hosted on Cooper Field, inviting Troopers, families, friends, and veterans of the 1st Cavalry Division to gather for food, music, and games. The event offered an opportunity for members to connect and socialize.
The closing ceremony of Cav Week 104 was supported by the 1st Cavalry Division Band and Honor Guard, and featured members from every unit in the division in a pass and review. The grand finale was a historic horse cav charge, led by the 1st Cavalry Division Horse Cavalry Detachment and supported by multiple aircraft from the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade. The ceremony provided a memorable and rewarding conclusion to the week-long festivities.
"To our Troopers, you are carrying the torch forward into the next chapter of the First Team's history, and I couldn't be prouder standing here with you today," said Feltey. "As we close Cav Week 104, take with you the cohesion, the dominance, and the pride you’ve built here. Take that back with you into your units, because one day, it won't just be about winning trophies on Cooper Field, but about winning where it matters most."
With this being the first time the entire division participated in Cav Week together in four years, the celebration reunited every Trooper in the 1st Cavalry Division, strengthening morale and camaraderie, while celebrating the 104-year legacy of the First Team.
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