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The Association needs your help to

"SAVE THE WHITE HORSES"

of the 

U.S. Army Caisson Platoon





The Association recently learned that the United States Army Caisson Platoon has been directed by the Military District of Washington Commanding General to get rid of the unit’s white horses. This means that they will immediately stop procuring any new ones and begin phasing out the white horses currently in service.

The Association is vehemently opposed to this decision. Like most of you, we were in disbelief and caught off guard when we first heard about this seemingly unnecessary decision but we have been able to confirm that it’s true.

While the Association is extremely disappointed to learn of this plan, we believe that there is still time to change the outcome. Surprisingly, this is not the first time that senior military leadership has attempted to disband the Caisson Platoon or ironically, get rid of the white horses. Those attempts were quickly overturned due to public outcry.


OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM THE OLD GUARD



THE ASSOCIATION NEEDS YOUR HELP

We humbly ask our association members, friends of the Platoon, and the public at large to help us save Caisson’s white horse team by reaching out to your Congressional representatives and miitary leadership to let them know of your opposition to this directive. We've added links below to aid you in quickly finding your Representatives contact information as well as "Sample Letters" to make the process as easy as possible. We thank you in advance for your help.



SENATORS

SAMPLE LETTER


REPRESENTATIVES

SAMPLE LETTER



SENIOR MILITARY LEADERSHIP

CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE ARMY




General James C. McConville

Army Chief of Staff

200 Army Pentagon

Washington, DC 20310-0200


SAMPLE LETTER

CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS 




General Mark A. Milley

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

9999 Joint Staff Pentagon

Washington, D.C. 20318-9999


SAMPLE LETTER

SECRETARY OF THE ARMY




Christine E. Wormuth

Secretary of the Army

101 Army Pentagon

Washington, DC 20310-0101


SAMPLE LETTER

SECRETARY OF THE ARMY




Lloyd J. Austin III

Secretary of Defense

1000 Defense Pentagon

Washington, DC 20301-1000


SAMPLE LETTER




Department of Defense Operator

(all offices in the National Capital Region)

1-703-545-6700

Just ask to be directed to the specific office



MILITARY DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON


Major General Allan M. Pepin 

Military District of Washington

103 3rd Avenue

Ft. Lesley J. McNair, DC SW 20319-5058






HISTORY OF THE WHITE HORSE TEAM

The tradition of using white horses on the caisson dates back long before the Old Guard returned to Ft Myer in 1948. In the 1930's, Ft Myer was actually known as a "White Horse Post" when the 3rd Cavalry and 16th Field Artillery conducted funeral mission in Arlington National Cemetery and the National Capital Region. Prior to that, white horses were historicallyused to pull ambulances druing time of war while black horses pulled the artillery. 

While both caisson teams each have a very long and distinguished history, below is just a small list of State and Special funerals that the white horse teams have taken part in.


WHITE HORSE TEAM WITH THE 3rd CAVALRY/16TH FIELD ARTILLERY

1930 - President W. Howard Taft



1945 - President Franklin D. Roosevelt




WHITE HORSE TEAM WITH THE US ARMYCAISSON PLATOON

1948 - John “Black Jack” Pershing



1950 - Henry “Hap” Arnold



1958 - WW2 Unknown Soldier & Korean War Unknown Soldier



1959 - John Foster Dulles



1959 - William “Bull” Halsey



1963 - President John F. Kennedy



1964 - Douglas MacArthur



1973 - President Lyndon B. Johnson



1981 - Omar Bradley



1984 - Vietnam War Unknown Soldier



2003 - Space Shuttle Columbia Crew



2006 - Casper Weinberger



2017 - John Glenn



2021 - Colin Powell



& Thousands more...






Help support "the U.S. Army's Hardest Working Soldiers"


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