VALLEY FORGE, Pa. –
More than 30 Soldiers assigned to the 166th Regiment - Regional Training Institute attended a staff ride June 8, 2024, at Valley Forge National Historical Park.
The tour started and finished at the park’s visitor center and followed the Purple Joseph Plumb Martin Trail, a five-mile loop with paved gravel and rolling terrain.
Aaron Heft, a historian from the U.S. Army Center for Military History, was the tour guide for the staff ride.
“This tour is important because you are learning about the history of how your unit was built and the history behind the operations of the military,” said Heft, a former noncommissioned officer in the 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team. “We walk through how the Army forges to win the war. It gives us a standard military structure that we see a ton and can apply to today’s military.”
During the staff ride, there were historical sights to view, questions to be discussed and asked, and other soldiers to help encourage and motivate. It became a team effort to ensure everyone was learning and understanding how the American Revolutionary War impacted the outcome of what the military is today.
Sgt. 1st Class Michael Weikel shared his thoughts on the Valley Forge Staff Ride.
“The History of Valley Forge and learning more about it was amazing,” Weikel expresses. “What we contribute as Pennsylvania for the beginning of the Army is just incredible.”
This tour was represented as a MWR event, to help educate others about Valley Forge and to get their physical activity. This will continue to strengthen soldiers to build their mental and physical abilities required for their duties and obligations.
The 166th Regiment, is a U.S. Army schoolhouse, located at Fort Indiantown Gap, that is operated by the Pennsylvania National Guard. Their mission is to provide support and training to the active-duty, Reserve, and National Guard Soldiers. They also support several foreign militaries.