Multinational spur ride builds lethality, esprit de corps for 12th Cavalry Troopers

PABRADE, Lithuania — 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, hosted a multinational spur ride at Pabrade Training Area, March 21-22, 2026, testing candidates on cavalry tasks, battle drills, and regimental knowledge during more than 30 hours in the field.

The event brought together soldiers from the United States, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Norway, Germany and Croatia for a series of physically and mentally demanding lanes rooted in cavalry tradition. Candidates moved as teams through events covering weapons proficiency, medical tasks, breach operations, land navigation and unit history before appearing before the senior spur holder board, the final event of the spur ride.

“It gives us a chance to understand how our allies conduct drills and how we fight alongside one another,” said U.S. Army Capt. Mitchell Word, assistant operations officer for 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment. “Bridging cultural and language barriers is an important part of bringing us together.”

Word said teams stepped off at 30-minute intervals and had 90 minutes to complete each lane, carrying 35-pound rucks through swamps and bogs along the way. The training was designed to challenge candidates with tasks they may not regularly perform in their day-to-day jobs while forcing them to solve problems, adapt quickly and work together under stress.

For many participants, the team-building aspect stood out as one of the most valuable parts of the event. “It’s about camaraderie,” said U.S. Army 1st Lt. John McIntyre, assigned to 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment. “You go through physically demanding and stressful situations together, and that helps people who may not know each other become a more cohesive team. That is one of the biggest purposes of the spur ride.”

McIntyre said the event also gave soldiers from different units and partner nations an opportunity to train alongside one another in a way that built familiarity and trust. As candidates moved from lane to lane, relying on teammates they had often just met hours earlier.

A spur holder and lane walker with 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, U.S. Army Spc. Bailey Meyer, said the spur ride was built to put soldiers from different backgrounds into unfamiliar teams and require them to learn from one another.

“A huge focus is putting together soldiers who have never worked together and teaching them how to operate as a team,” Meyer said. “A lot of these soldiers do not come from a scout background, so this gives them a chance to learn and appreciate how others in the formation operate.”

The event also exposed candidates to skills outside their primary military occupational specialties. U.S. Army Pfc. Levi Farmer, assigned to 2nd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, said the spur ride pushed him into unfamiliar tasks and broadened his understanding of the formation.

“I learned a lot in this spur ride that I didn’t expect to learn as an artilleryman,” Farmer said. “It was challenging, but it was worth it.”

Throughout the night, candidates continued moving from lane to lane with little rest and no sleep. Spur holders evaluated the candidates’ endurance, discipline, and ability to perform under pressure. By the end of the event, the soldiers who successfully completed the required tasks earned their silver spurs, a symbol tied to cavalry heritage and professional pride.

For leaders and participants alike, the spur ride served as more than a test of individual toughness but also strengthened teamwork across formations and reinforced interoperability among allied soldiers training together in Lithuania.

“A huge focus is putting together soldiers who have never worked together and teaching them how to operate as a team,” Meyer said. “It’s a grueling process, but all around it’s an amazing time.”