Fort Hood Units compete in Copperas Cove for Battle of the Battalions

By BRITTANY FHOLER

Cove Leader-Press

The Copperas Cove Parks and Recreation Department held its first Battle of the Battalions Golf Tournament at the Hills of Cove Golf Course.

Hundreds of soldiers representing the various battalion units on Fort Hood competed in four-man scrambles. A total of 37 teams of four registered to play Saturday morning.

The idea for the tournament came from the Parks and Recreation Department as a way to bring soldiers out to the golf course as well as build the relationship between the city and Fort Hood, according to Parks and Recreation Director Jeff Stoddard.

Fort Hood and its soldiers bring such an impact to both Copperas Cove and the surrounding Central Texas community, “we just figured, it’d be very easy for us to raise the money to offer a completely free day of golf and golf tournament for them,” Stoddard said.

Stoddard said that when staff went out to solicit sponsors and donations for the tournament, people were very generous.

“It didn’t take a lot of convincing,” Stoddard said. “When they knew what the cause was, knew what it was for and what we were trying to do, they were opening up the wallet and the checkbook pretty easily.”

The sponsors and donors made it possible to give away approximately 80 raffle prizes in addition to the gift bags that each player received which contained items such a sleeve of golf balls, golf towels, koozies and more. There was also a free breakfast and lunch provided to the players.

The Hills of Cove Golf Course does offer a discounted rate to veterans, seniors and military. They currently offer a discounted rate for Military servicemembers, for Fridays after 3 p.m., for $22 for 18 holes and a cart rental.

“We want to provide a service to them and let them know we’re here,” Stoddard said. “I would be surprised if half of them even knew we had a golf course out here. I think that we’re getting better at promoting the course, through social media, through advertising and stuff, and we’re always looking for new ways to promote the course, and this is one of those ways.”

Fort Hood’s top enlisted soldier, Command Sgt. Maj. Cliff Burgoyne was excited to be at the golf course and to see the support for Fort Hood and its soldiers.

“It’s called Fort Hood, but it’s also a community of 500,000 people,” Burgoyne said. “It’s Harker Heights, Killeen Copperas Cove, Kempner, so we can’t do this without everybody’s assistance because they’re part of the Army and part of our Army family.”

Saturday’s temperature high was a record breaking 59 degrees, and the chill of the wind was definitely felt on the course, but that didn’t stop the soldiers from having a good time.

“Golf is a great way to really get people together because it teaches you about some of our Army values,” Burgoyne said. “You know, the soldiers have to be disciplined, and then to play golf, you have to be a little bit disciplined, you got to put the right clothes on, but it’s just a great way to socialize.”

Burgoyne added that the relationship between Fort Hood and communities like Copperas Cove is so important.

“Roughly, 70 percent of our folks live out in the communities,” Burgoyne said. “Fort Hood has a small population on post, 24 percent of us, but the rest of us live in Copperas Cove, and we can’t be Fort Hood, we can’t be our Army, without Copperas Cove.”

The team that took home the trophy Saturday afternoon was the team representing the 3^rd Cavalry Regiment.

The Fort Hood units represented included the III Corps Command Group; 1^st Cavalry Division; 1^st Cavalry Division Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion; 1^st Cavalry Division Sustainment Brigade;  1^st Army Division West; 3^rd Cavalry Regiment; the 89^th Military Police Brigade; the Fort Hood Mobilization Brigade; the 69^th Air Defense Artillery Brigade; the 36^th Engineer Brigade; the 504^th Military Intelligence Brigade; the 48^th Chemical Brigade; the 407th Army Field Support Battalion; the 11th Theater Tactical Signal Brigade; 2^nd Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment; HHT 7^th Squadron, 17^th Cavalry Regiment;  the 664^th Ordnance Company; the HHC 553^rd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion; the HHC 3^rd Battalion, 227^th Aviation Regiment; 2^nd Battalion, 7^th Cavalry Regiment; 6^th Squadron, 9^th U.S. Cavalry; 2^nd Battalion, 82^nd Field Artillery Regiment; 215th Composite Support Battalion; 1^st Battalion, 5^th Cavalry; 4^th Squadron, 9^th U.S. Cavalry; 1^st Battalion, 8^th Cavalry Regiment (HHC, Alpha Company, Bravo Company and Charlie Company); 1^st Battalion, 9^th U.S. Cavalry Regiment (Al[ha Company); the 8^th Brigade Engineer Battalion; 1^st Cavalry Division Artillery; the 91^st Engineer Battalion; 1^st Squadron, 7^th Cavalry; and the 2^nd Battalion, 8^th  Cavalry Regiment.

The tournament was free for the players to participate in and was made possible with the help of sponsors such as: Clear Creek Meadows, Copperas Cove City Council; VFW Post 8577; Elements of Architect; Fort Hood First National Bank; VirKim Fertilizer and Chemical; Playground Shades and Servicing; David Barr; First National Bank; John Bowen Construction; Jeff Dewald Construction; Dewald Properties; Whataburger Copperas Cove; Military Affairs Committee; Jimmy Clark Homes; AUSA; Fort Hood Realtors Association; Manning Homes; StyleCraft Homes; Budweiser Brewing Company; Precision Value Homes and McCoy’s Building Supply.