Interview with a Cavalry soldier

In this post we are going to conduct an interview with a fellow Cavalry member, the questions have been taken from the participants of our Discord channel.

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So far during my time in cavalry, I can say that it is a branch where most of the work is done in vehicles and therefore it is not as physically demanding as any light infantry, although that does not make it less operational.

What is the difference between Mechanized Infantry and cavalry?

Mechanized infantry essentially consists of semi-armored vehicles that support cavalry against infantry units, which are the ones that can really harm the cavalry. Mechanized infantry vehicles have greater mobility, speed, and even greater capacity for personnel deployment and reconnaissance due to their characteristics. In cavalry, the most important thing is the battle tank; except for some vehicles, its function is not to deploy personnel on foot. They have great similarities, but they are not the same.

What is the adaptation phase like?

After the basic training at CEFOT, unit training begins and is usually tougher than basic training. Physically, it becomes much more demanding, as you now have to truly prove your worth to the unit you will serve in. The first contacts with the tanks are also made. After that, when you are in the squadron, it is not difficult to adapt; a few weeks with the "veterans," learning about the tanks you will work with, and you are ready.

What vehicles are used in cavalry?

In cavalry, reconnaissance-type vehicles such as VAMTAC, VERT, or even VEC are used, and their replacement by the VCR dragón 8x8 is expected, as well as anti-tank types like BMR, also armored types like VRCC CENTAURO or LEOPARD, and additionally, in some mortar platoons, the TOA of some units is used. We could say that these are the most commonly used vehicles in cavalry.

What do you like most about cavalry?

What I like most about the cavalry is precisely the pure contact with the vehicles. You and your crew are responsible for making everything work, tinkering with the vehicle day by day, fixing it, perfecting it, and testing it. Using it in maneuvers and enjoying its movement, its firing, and even the sound of its engine. It is a great feeling of a job well done, and militarily speaking, there is nothing that gives me more.

What is day-to-day life like in cavalry?

The day in a cavalry unit begins like in the rest of the units, with a session of IFM (Physical Military Instruction). After that, we go to the lines (where we have all the vehicles) and work on them. We perform everything from the most basic maintenance, such as: checking the vehicle's levels, hours in use, kilometers traveled, etc. To activities such as: cleaning the cannon, checking the running gear, battery power, cleaning the vehicle, etc.

And last but not least, the instruction of the position within the vehicle: pullers, loaders, chiefs, drivers, scouts. What corresponds to each type of vehicle.

Can only cavalry members access Coraceros and how to access?

In general, the cavalry has the majority of armored vehicles. The ease of access depends on the unit; if they only have armored vehicles, everyone will enter. If they have other, less "comfortable" vehicles like a VEC, usually the more modern soldiers go, and when they gain seniority, they have more chances of going to armored vehicles.

Each position in the vehicle can have an exam to determine whether the individual passes or fails in order to acquire the skills of a shooter, loader, driver, etc. There are also other units with armored vehicles, such as mechanized infantry, which is an example.

What motivated you to choose cavalry over others?

Cavalry has always caught my attention. The feeling of being in a combat vehicle is something incredible. The immensity of its size, its weight, and its power combined with speed is something that has impressed me since I was little.

How operational is Cavalry?

Cavalry is a weapon with high operability. We can carry out operations both for attack, with smart deployments since our vehicles have different conditions for different terrains. Likewise, they also have different calibers and ammunition for a wide range of targets, whether enemy personnel on foot or in vehicles.

We also have the ability to continue attacking during the retreat thanks to the versatility of our combat, due to our conditions and cannons. So it could be said that we could be deployed in any environment, against any enemy, whether to attack or to defend.

What makes the difference in cavalry?

What I mainly see different from other weapons is the relationship between different jobs and ranks. In the combat vehicle, there are jobs, but they experience the same loneliness, the same cold, the same heat, the same sleep, and the same tension as you. This causes that while you are inside the vehicle, they are at your same level. All of this helps to make day-to-day interactions more equal between boss and subordinate, as they know that you will end up working practically under the same conditions. The ease of soldiers to relate to officers and non-commissioned officers and even the friendships that arise outside of work is what I find special about the cavalry, the brotherhood.

What is the unit like? Are many shooting exercises conducted?

As we say in my unit, cavalry sometimes means "running to wait and waiting to run." What I mean by this is that sometimes it can be a relatively quiet workday, but another can be much more intense due to external factors. In a cavalry unit, due to the economic situation, it is complicated to always be training, as everything related to tanks is expensive: fuel, large caliber weapons, costly spare parts, etc. There are shooting days, but it is not as common as in other types of units, as far as individual weapons are concerned. As for tank shooting exercises, there are several times a year, but not with much regularity. That's why every shot must be taken advantage of, so that the crews can train in it.

Do you usually go out for maneuvers a lot?

It depends on each unit. As I already explained, it is a weapon that relies heavily on the money allocated and budgeted. It will not be deployed as much as other infantry or sapper units, but when it is deployed, it usually involves important maneuvers in terms of training, with all kinds of exercises, positions, exploration, shooting, assaults, and reconnaissance. So it could be said that it is not deployed as often as one would like, but when it is deployed for maneuvers, it is utilized very well.

To put a figure, we go out about 4 or 5 times a year, some of them for 2 weeks in Zaragoza.

What is the theme of companionship like?

In my personal experience, I can say that I have been very lucky. I have met many colleagues of different tenures and ages, and for the most part, they all have a very appropriate attitude, even from the moment you arrive as a newbie. We all help each other, we support those who need it the most, and we rein in those who go a bit overboard. In short, if you are a good colleague, they will be good to you.

What role do you perform in the maneuvers?

In the maneuvers, there is usually a "theme" to carry out, lasting more than 24 hours, with a specific mission that has already been stipulated, involving attack movements, camouflaged listening posts, ambushes, and shooting. During the first days, we practice those movements separately to then apply them to the mission. Reconnaissance missions and information gathering are carried out, as well as training for reaction to improvised explosives...

There are maneuvers that are carried out together with other weapons such as sappers and artillery that help to complement the situation and provide us with even more training.

To conclude, what advice would you give to those who want to follow in your footsteps and enter cavalry?

I would tell them to come in eager to work and learn, and I would also let them know that the most important value in this weapon is camaraderie. You can be the fastest, the strongest, the best in drill, the best in topography, the best at everything, but if you don't have camaraderie, everything else is useless.

Your crew and companions will be with you locked in a vehicle for hours and they need your help, your initiative, and your respect for everything to go well. It is important to listen to those who have been in this longer than you, and when you have the knowledge and can teach, do it with the respect and enthusiasm you would want them to have for you.

Is it common to go abroad?

Yes, the cavalry usually has several missions abroad, being a force with operational capability. Lebanon, Mali, Latvia. They are often some of the most requested for the cavalry field. Within the unit, they will first select the oldest volunteers and then will take out the rest of the necessary personnel.

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