The 1st Brigade Combat Team, or the Ironhorse Brigade, held a family Spur Ride Friday as a way for the Ironhorse Brigade families to see first-hand what their loved one will be doing when they deploy to Europe this summer.
"He doesn't know what I normally do every day and why I come so late," SFC Jason Saad of 2-5 CAV said.
"It's so important on all fronts for us to come out see each other, see what our Soldiers are doing and meet the people that they're doing it with, and that really kind of puts you at ease more so when they're getting ready to deploy because there's not as many questions," Katheryn Light, the wife of CSM James Light, said.
Questions like...
Dad? What will you be doing over there?
"You can go see, touch a tank, but actually getting in a simulator and doing what your Soldier might do whether its loading the ammunition into a tank or shooting the main gun or being in the driver's hatch or driving a Bradley or being in the simulator and shooting the 50 cal on top of it... and it also kind of gives you a better understanding maybe of what they've done downrange or what they might do downrange," Light added.
That's exactly why the Ironhorse Brigade held the Spur Ride.
"He initially wanted to get in the Bradley, and then I talked him into getting in the tank.. and he obviously said the tank's cooler," SFC Saad said in true tanker fashion.
But for some soldiers, like SFC Saad, this was the first time their child had the chance to see what they do day to day and what they will be doing while they're gone for nine months.
"Five years he's been alive and I've never gotten him on a tank, so it's nice," SFC Saad added.
Days like these have even encouraged the next generation of Soldiers.
"Being more aware and having a greater understanding, it's really helped.. and I think its driven his desire to want to join the military like his Dad did," Light said, speaking of her 17-year-old son.
Light's son was able to attend Friday's events thanks to Killeen ISD Superintendent John Craft who excused children from Ironhorse Brigade families from school so they could participate in the family Spur Ride.
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