United States 1st Cavalry Division

The United States 1st Cavalry Division is one of the few remaining remnants of the pre-War United States military, and is still combat-effective nearly two centuries after the collapse of the United States government.

History
One of the most decorated combat divisions of the United States Army, the 1st Cavalry was created in 1921 as the first permanent cavalry division in the United States Army. After its creation, the 1st Cavalry served in every major conflict the United States military was involved in, including the Russo-American War that eventually led to the apocalypse.

The unit is unique in that it has served as a Cavalry (horse) Division, an Infantry Division, an Air Assault Division, and an Armored Division throughout its existence. When the bombs fell, the 1st Cavalry was considered a combined arms division featuring both traditional armor and a powered armor regiment.

When the nuclear exchange took place, Fort Hood, the headquarters of the 1st Cavalry, was hit in the initial strike. However, Fort Hood was the largest post in the U.S. Army, and while the base was heavily damaged, not all of the personnel stationed there were killed. In the chaos that followed, the majority of the surviving soldiers wandered away. Most left on journeys across the country in search of homes and loved ones, but a few, those who had no other home but the Army or who recognized the futility of the search, remained behind. Of those who remained, most gathered to one man.

Captain Robert Williams commanded a company of the 1st Cavalry. While shy and quiet, Captain Williams had a steely core and the soul of a hero. Both Ranger and Airborne qualified, Williams had been widely acknowledged as the best captain in the Division, and his men respected him as everything an Army officer was supposed to be. Captain Williams' family had been at Fort Hood's main post when the bombs fell, and with nothing else to live for, he focused on his duty.

The Captain collected all of the rudderless men he could find, eventually around 200, and formed them into a new company which would become the nucleus of a new First Cavalry. Williams salvaged as many tanks, APCs, IFVs, and suits of power armor as he could find, which were kept running with spare parts and fuel scavenged by the men of his command. Slowly, former soldiers and new recruits trickled in, and the 1st Cavalry took shape.

Other men in similar positions might have set themselves up as warlords, and some did, but Captain Williams did not. Instead, he declared martial law and set to rebuilding the surrounding area. In addition to being soldiers, the men of the 1st Cavalry became engineers, farmers, construction workers, and more in the name of reconstruction.

While many of those in charge cried out, seeing Captain Williams and his 1st Cavalry as a threat to their power, the people knew a good thing when they saw it. Of course, there was fighting, as the Division engaged ruthless survivalists, raiders, and the occasional band of renegade soldiers. One of the most notable of these brushfire wars involved a former U.S. Senator who declared himself President of the United States, demanding that the 1st Cavalry support his claim. The Division refused, as they could not stomach the man's pseudo-religious ravings nor his fondness for burning books and "heretics" alike. When the former Senator eventually proclaimed himself God, the 1st Cavalry mobilized and destroyed him.

In spite of their struggles, the 1st Cavalry made significant progress towards rebuilding. Eventually, the Division could claim the university of Texas A&M, the Johnson Space Center, and significant portions of Houston as under their protection. However, Williams adamantly refused to take official control of these areas, believing that a clear delineation between the military and civilian government was a strict requirement to preserve the liberty of the people of the United States.

While Williams never presumed to promote himself, those under his command began to refer to him as "the Colonel". When time finally caught up with him and Williams died, the entire community mourned in earnest. He held off the inevitable for as long as possible and had accomplished more than any other man of his time.

Since Colonel Williams' death, the subsequent commanders of the 1st Cavalry have all held the title of Major, unwilling to usurp the title of Colonel. Against all reasonable expectation, these men have also been ones of integrity and vision, even if none of them could quite fill the shoes of Robert Williams.

When the people of Texas finally managed to organize a government for themselves roughly fifty years ago, the 1st Cavalry was glad to relinquish control. However, it did so under three conditions: the new government was required to accept the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights as its base articles; that the government so formed would not be the government of the United States but would instead be the government of the State of Texas, and that, as the 1st Cavalry was a unit of the United States government, the Division would not fall under the control of the State of Texas. These conditions were agreed to, and after several years of constant arguments and begrudging compromises, the Republic of New Texas was formed.

In the years since the founding of the Republic of New Texas, the 1st Cavalry has traded political blows with it. The Republic almost immediately attempted to annex the 1st Cavalry, which the Division countered with a request that the Republic assume financial responsibility for the unit. It took years to sort out, but in the end the Republic agreed to pay the soldiers' salaries, but all other expenses (provisions, weapons, ammunition, etc.) would be the responsibility of the 1st Cavalry. Since that time, there has been a constant feuding between the two regarding taxes, responsibilities, and the like. In a world without spectator sports, the political tit-for-tat is a source of great entertainment for the people of the Lone Star Wasteland.

Uniform
The 1st Cavalry Division maintains much of the same uniform as it did pre-War. This consists of desert-camo fatigues worn with pre-War combat armor salvaged from Fort Hood and other nearby military bases. Both the fatigues and armor feature 1st Cavalry unit patches, as well as individual regiment patches. Gear is carried in pre-War load-bearing harnesses, or in post-War webbing reminiscent of that in use during World War II when pre-War gear is not available.

Weapons
The 1st Cavalry continues to use pre-War Army weaponry, such as M16 assault rifles and M9 service pistols, when such equipment can be procured. Additionally, the Division issues Minuteman Rifles, a post-war bolt-action rifle, to many of its troops as their standard service rifle. The commanding officer of the 1st Cavalry carries a beautifully crafted M15 General Officer's Pistol said to have belonged to Lt. General Harry Kinnard, a U.S. Army General, not to mention a native Texan, who commanded the 1st Cavalry during the Vietnam War.

Cavalry
For the most part, the 1st Cavalry has returned to its roots as a horse cavalry division. However, the 8th Cavalry Regiment still boasts 16 M1 Abrams tanks and 17 Stryker IAVs, and the 7th Powered Armor Regiment still maintains three dozen suits of T-60 power armor.