APRIL 21, 2025 — The Army announced earlier this month that it has reinstated the use of caissons during military funerals at Arlington National Cemetery in a limited capacity following a two year absence.
During that time, the Old Guard or 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, rebuilt the caisson program from training to fielding equipment, with a reinforced command structure and command team as well as a direct line of authority to the regimental commander to better service the horses’ health.
In 2023, the service suspended the use of caissons by the Army Caisson Platoon during military funerals following the deaths of two horses.
During funerals the Old Guard places caskets of America’s fallen veterans on a caissons, to be wheeled into Arlington for special ceremonies.
To bring back one of the nation’s most visible and oldest traditions, Maj. Gen. Trevor Bredenkamp said he knew the Army needed a total rebuild of the horse’s system of equine care when he took command of the Military District of Washington which has oversight of the program.
“The caisson represents a powerful symbol of service, sacrifice, and remembrance,” Bredenkamp said. “When I took command in June of 2023, I mentioned that this would be one of my top priorities throughout the command, and it has remained a top priority throughout my command tenure.”
Currently, the Army has fielded and fully trained three, 11-horse caisson squads. One squad at a time will engage in a cycle servicing up to two funerals a day with the Old Guard for no more than 10 services a week. Seven horses typically perform during ceremonies with four serving as backups.
Prior to the suspension of services, Old Guard Soldiers performed up to eight caisson services per day. An old guard spokesperson said that the unit will gradually raise the amount of caisson services per day while renovating the Old Guard’s historic stables.
“What that means is that we cannot meet that historical demand,” said Karen Durham-Aguilera, executive director of the Office of Army Cemeteries and Army National Military Cemeteries. “So, for that reason, we have to make a difficult decision to adjust those who are eligible to receive the caisson as the conveyance.”
In the limited reintroduction phase the caisson service will be reserved to officers in the rank of 0-6 and above, senior warrant officers and senior noncommissioned officers. Additionally, families who have waited for the service for up to two years will receive priority said an Old Guard spokesperson.
Caissons have carried the remains of Soldiers who died in battle, Prisoners of War, Soldiers missing in action, state funerals for presidents and even Medal of Honor recipients.
The newly-trained caisson squads made their debut for President Jimmy Carter’s funeral in December. After retiring the former caisson horses, the Army fielded a new herd of horses from across the country and trained at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Florida.
With the assistance of the Army Corps of the Engineers, the service has explored options to provide better training and care for the horses about 50-60 miles from Arlington. The Army spent $18 million to procure real estate to house the horses, while spending another $900,000 on procurement, training and equipping.
“What we’ve done is we’ve transformed our kind of in-house training program to an equestrian enterprise standard training program that receives a lot of feedback from the American Horse Council,” Bredenkamp said.
Bredenkamp also said current contracted horse training for Soldiers will eventually convert to in-house training developed internally. To vastly improve living conditions for horses, the Army sought the help of the best in the field, bringing in an Olympic gold medal-winning equestrian David O’Connor and qualified equestrian care expert Jim Westbrook.
After retirement from competitive riding, O’Connor spent time training equestrians throughout the country and took a position as the U.S. Equestrian Federation from 2006-2012. Now the U.S. Equestrian Federation Chief of Sport, O’Connor has spent the past 10 months working with the Army on rebuilding its basic horsemanship program. Soldiers in the caisson detachment must first pass the course before taking roles as caretakers.
Westbrook, one of the leaders of equestrian care and training in Florida, will help improve the Army’s procurement of horses at the Old Guard. Westbrook has years of experience in horse hitch training and horse wagons.
By Joe Lacdan
Army News Service