Historic Fort Huachuca Horse Cavalry Unit Defunded By U.S. Army

Last edited Thu Jul 31, 2025, 05:14 PM - Edit history (1)

A decision by the U.S. Army to defund the Military Working Equine (MWE) program means the elimination of Fort Huachuca's historical horse cavalry unit, the 4th U.S. Cavalry Regiment (Memorial) B-Troop. Fort Huachuca is located in Cochise County, adjacent to the city of Sierra Vista.

The decision to disband the MWE program saves $2 million nationally, a tiny fraction of the Army's annual budget of more than $185 billion. It is part of an effort to concentrate resources on “operational readiness” and save costs, but its elimination diminishes the ability to teach about the history of Arizona and the military in the west.

B-Troop was a regular guest at events and parades all over the West, including Cheyenne Frontier Days, the Tucson Rodeo, the Rose Parade, and many other demonstrations of the legacy of the U.S. Cavalry in the 19th century.

The unit appeared regularly at Tucson's Fort Lowell Day event, until the Covid pandemic forced cancellation in 2021, and the following brief video substituted for B-Troop's visit: