Associated Press
Privileged Pennsylvania Guard Unit Called Up
PHILADELPHIA - An exclusive, upper-crust National Guard unit whose exploits are more likely to be chronicled in the society pages than on the front page has been called to active duty for the first time since the Korean War. The First City Troop, founded in 1774 to help fight the British, heads to Bosnia in September for a six-month peacekeeping deployment.
The troop's 70 members headed to Fort Indiantown Gap in central Pennsylvania on Tuesday for orientation. Later this month, full-time deployment and mission training begins for the nation's oldest mounted military unit." Bosnia is the real deal," said Capt. Eric Guenther Jr., adding the troop will primarily focus on helping Bosnians repatriate and might assist with election security.
Formally called the First Troop, Philadelphia City Cavalry, the unit is known more for its flamboyant, 19th century parade garb, annual horse show and fancy society galas than for its prowess as a military force." We do consider ourselves a social organization," Guenther said. "The troop is always going to have to live with that reputation." The troop enjoys privileges reserved for military units founded before the 1800s. It elects its own officers and awards a rank - cornet - that is no longer used by regular military units.
All troopers must be elected to membership, and they donate their government paychecks to help operate their castle-like private armory. Members have traditionally come from the upper ranks of Philadelphia society and include bankers, professionals and executives of all stripes. "Troopers themselves are the main perpetrators of that tradition," said Lt. David Thayer, 36, a financial executive. "It's funny. When I tell people we are eing deployed, they say, 'What? Deployed?' The ethic we try to instill is to work hard and play hard."