Story by: Pfc. David Dumas, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs
FORT HOOD (Now designated Fort Cavazos), Texas – Troopers assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division hosted Troop 1001 from The Boy Scouts of America on Fort Hood (Now designated Fort Cavazos), Texas on Feb. 25.
After several years of not having an opportunity to visit Fort Hood (Now designated Fort Cavazos), primarily due to COVID-19, Troop 1001 was invited to come on base and learn about a day in the life of Troopers serving with the First Team.
The Boy Scouts started their day with meeting several tankers who allowed the visitors to a look inside of a M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank, they also received an opportunity to observe a live fire exercise conducted by 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, and the chance to actually climb inside an Abrams tank to learn more about how it operates.
“This is an excellent opportunity for the Troopers to showcase their skills and show off the equipment,” said Lt. Col. Damasio Davila, commander of 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. “It’s great for the boy scouts to interact with Troopers since we do have Troopers in our formations who were Boy Scouts at one point, and it gives them a positive example to grow into.”
After getting a close-up look at the Abrams tank, the Boy Scouts said they were very excited to be hanging out with 1st Cavalry Troopers.
“I’ve never seen a tank. Being close up and looking at it, along with the firing range, made me love it,” said Triton Rodriguez, a Boy Scout from Troop 1001. “It’s making me want to be in the Army even more.”
The Boy Scouts were welcomed into the lives of 1st Cavalry Troopers as they told their stories and even competed in different physical training competitions.
Following their visit with tankers, Boy Scouts continued their day by learning about a Boeing AH-64 Apache helicopter with Troopers assigned to 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division.
“I just think this is a good experience,” Nick Fooshee, Senior Patrol Leader for Troop 1001 said. “It’s fun to get out here and look around and learn more about what our military does.”
Ending the visit, 1st Cavalry Division Chief of Staff, Lt. Col. Joe Marshall, talked to the Boy Scouts about his time growing up as a scout and answered some of their questions.
“I wanted to show them the similarities in being a Boy Scout and being a Soldier from my perspective, such as both are a service of giving back,” Marshall said. “Allowing everyone to hear what it’s like being in the military, especially for those who’ve never been exposed to it, might help them make a good choice for their future.”
Allowing the Boy Scouts to come to Fort Hood (Now designated Fort Cavazos) and experience a day with Troopers helped to strengthen relationships with the local community while allowing visitors to learn more about what the U.S. Army has to offer.
“This is a great event,” Marshall said. “I hope in the future we have more opportunities to do this with multiple different troops, even of other organizations. It’s very beneficial to interact with people and tell our story, share experiences, and learn from each other.”
