Cav Esprit

by C W3 E. Daniel Kingsle y I am The Cav. I am the DivisionS eyes and the Corps' shield. I am on the cutting edge of the battlefield. Mine are not just soldiers; they are Cavalrymen. great. They are black, brown, white, red, or some other variation of our ethnic heritage. They are well-educated or marginally literate. They are bachelors or married and may have a number of kids, dogs, cats, horses, or other assorted critters. They are crack shots and stealthy hunters or they can't tell the difference between a Holstein and atrophy buck. They drive shiny, new sports cars or old clunkers. The Cavalrymen are either wealthy or broke, depending on the mood they are in and the day you ask. But they are mine, and 1.m proud of them. Ask them where they are from, and their quiet answer will be "the Cav. " The one thing all Cavalrymen have in common is Cavalry Spirit, and that spirit comes from sacrifice. In time of peace. that sacrifice takes the form of time away from family, training long hours in the cold, wet rain or in the hot. dry sand, and the frustration of many requirements but few resources. In time of war, that sacrifice is measured in the lives of my troopers who have paid the ultimate price for the information needed to obtain victory on the battlefield. From that sacrifice and selfless service comes m y spirit and love. 'Love" you must ask. Yes, love. When a young trooper's wife discovers that her husband has invited two or three buddies home for supper at the last minute, and she just smiles and says, *'l*Il throw another bone in the soup...," thatS love. When the squadron's away, and a young, lonely, and very pregnant wife (whos away from her parents for the first time) awakes Christmas morning to find a tiny, toy blimp along with sweet-rolls and coffee on her doorstep (left there by another, but not-so-young, Cavalry wife), thatS love. The love in the Cavalry Spirit is that which drives my troopers and their families to take care of each other. It is a love born on the western prairies and deserts of the 7 800s and the love that is living today in the hearts of Cavalrymen and their loved ones all over the world. Ask one of my troopers what he thinks of the Cav, and he willgive you a dozen reasons to be in any other unit. Ask him where he wants to go, and he will say, "The Cav. " He, and his family, have earned the right to complain and the right to prefer me, - for he and his family have paid the prices and made the sacrifices that have made me great. The Cavalryman and his family are my Spirit... They are The Cav. Christmas especially bonds the hearts of Cavalrymen together with the subtle strings which only mutual sacrifice can weave. For many of my Cavalrymen, Christmas is the keystone of the year. It is a time to take a break, to exercise their faith, to take some time with the CA V Kids and to give thanks for all they are privileged to protect. They are mine..... and they are proud to be CA V! cw3 E. DANIEL KINGSLEY My Cavalrymen are the embodiment of that which has made our nation Merrv Christmas to Cavalrvmen everywhere! graduated from flight school at the U S. Army Aviation Center, Fort Rucker, AL, in 1975 and has served in units in CONUS and Germany. A graduate of the Officer Advanced Course and of the Aviation Safety Course, he Is now as the assistant safety officer of 3d Squadron, 5th U. S. Cavalry, at Fort wA. A past contributor to ARMOR, he has also written for other journals, including selection in 1983 for the Aviation Digest Article of the Year.. ARMOR: The Magazine of Mobile Warfare began as The Journal of the U. S. Cavalry Association in 1888. Not forgetting our roots, the staff of ARMOR is calling for articlesfrom the field on aIl aspects of Cavalry. If the response is strong enough to warrant it, we will dedicate a special issue in the coming year to Cavalry. So send your manuscripts toARMOR Magazine, AlTN: ATSB-MAG, Fort Knox, Kentuckv 401 21 -521 0. A Call for Articles,