In February, the U.S. Army announced a number of cutbacks. While Fort Drum won’t be the hardest hit, it is beginning to feel the impact.

As the U.S. military faces not only a recruiting crisis, but also a shift in focus to electronic warfare, the Army has had to restructure to cut back.

“Foundationally, the cavalry exists to serve as the eyes and ears of an army or a formation,” former 3-71 Commander Lt. Col. Matthew Schardt said.

Cavalry units are often the first on the ground. Soldiers report back as to what the rest of the troops can expect. However, as the Army shifts its focus from the ground to its eye in the sky, the need for cavalry units lessened.

“We know we have an obligation to the nation to transform, to meet the threats in the future and defend the country,” Schardt said.

The 10th Mountain Division recently said goodbye to its 1st Brigade Combat Team’s 3rd Squadron, 71st Cavalry Regiment, with the colors representing the heritage, history, unity and loyalty of a unit that spent years in Afghanistan and Iraq.

“Quite emotional when I think about it, the legacy, the history. You know, this formation stood up in 1941,” Schardt added.

The cavalry unit was also home to Sgt. First Class Jared Monti. In a 2006 firefight in Afghanistan, Monti sacrificed his own life attempting to rescue a wounded brother. It was heroism that led to him being posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

“Enormously proud of him. We have others who have won some of the nation's highest military honors, but they're just a representative of leaders across our brigade, our division and the army,” Schardt said.

As the Army closes the book on the 3-71 Cavalry, the 10th Mountain Division will not be replacing it on the shelf in hopes that one day there will be new chapters to write.

“I have no doubt at some point the nation is going to call upon us again,” Schardt added.

Most all of the soldiers in this cavalry unit will be re-trained in other aspects of the Army and reassigned to other active units.