Day 2 of the Sandhurst International Military Skills Competition kicked off as 48 teams continued vying for supremacy testing their endurance, agility, knowledge of weapons and team coordination, among others, May 2 at the U.S. Military Academy. Photo by Jorge Garcia/USMA-PAO.
Day 2 of the Sandhurst International Military Skills Competition kicked off as 48 teams continued vying for supremacy testing their endurance, agility, knowledge of weapons and team coordination, among others, May 2 at the U.S. Military Academy. Photo by Jorge Garcia/USMA-PAO.
Day 2 of the Sandhurst International Military Skills...
Day 2 of the Sandhurst International Military Skills...
Day one of the Sandhurst International Military Skills...
Day 2 of the Sandhurst International Military Skills...
WEST POINT, N.Y. — In a contest testing military knowledge and physical aptitude, 48 teams from around the world competed for the Reginald E. Johnson Memorial Saber during the Sandhurst International Military Skills Competition, May 1-2, at the U.S. Military Academy.
On day one, teams pushed through eight demanding lanes: tactical combat casualty care, grenade handling, a Zodiac boat race, communications, weapons assembly, functional fitness, M17 handgun marksmanship and a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear lane. The nighttime events blended into day two as the M4 marksmanship night fire and the mystery event, augmented reality — urban combat, took place concurrently. Afterward, the night concluded with land navigation.
Day two kicked off with teams meeting at the simulation center in Washington Hall to compete in the call-for-fire event. Next, they conducted an M4 stress shoot, leading to the climactic Crucible event. Later that night, the 48 teams gathered at the mess hall to participate in the awards ceremony.
Day 2 of the Sandhurst International Military Skills...
Day one of the Sandhurst International Military Skills...
Day one of the Sandhurst International Military Skills Competition kicked off as 48 teams contended in 8 lanes meant to test their endurance, agility, knowledge of weapons and team coordination, among others, May 1 at the U.S. Military Academy. Photo by Jorge Garcia/USMA-PAO - BA-007.
Day 2 of the Sandhurst International Military Skills...
Day 2 of the Sandhurst International Military Skills...
Class of 2026 Cadet Joshua Upton led the awards categories as master of ceremonies, beginning with the Most Lethal Squad Award, which USMA Gold earned for having the highest average marksmanship score with an M4 rifle and M17 handgun. Next, Canada (Kingston) secured the Physical Fitness Award for best physical endurance combined over all fitness-based events.
The Tom Surdyke Memorial Award honors the selfless service displayed by Tom Surdyke on June 24, 2016, when he gave his life to save a civilian. A memorial video was presented in his honor, and his parents, Tim and Janice Surdyke, presented the award.
“Today and always, we honor the memory of Tom Surdyke, a young man who embodied the true spirit of service, both in life and in sacrifice,” Upton said. “Tom is the perfect example for all Sandhurst competitors to emulate, and we are proud to permanently memorialize him by presenting our leadership award in his honor.”
The award recognizes the leadership displayed by an individual during the Sandhurst competition, highlighting their position as the best squad leader among the teams. Nathan Kim, from the University of Minnesota, received the award.
Day 2 of the Sandhurst International Military Skills Competition kicked off as 48 teams continued vying for supremacy testing their endurance, agility, knowledge of weapons and team coordination, among others, May 2 at the U.S. Military Academy. Photo by Jorge Garcia/USMA-PAO.
Day one of the Sandhurst International Military Skills...
Day 2 of the Sandhurst International Military Skills...
Day 2 of the Sandhurst International Military Skills...
Day 2 of the Sandhurst International Military Skills...
Next, Company A1 received the 2026 U.S. Corps of Cadets Sandhurst Performance Award. Canada (Kingston) earned the Sandhurst International Cup, which is presented to the top international team.
Maj. Gen. Nick Cowley, the commandant of the United Kingdom's Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, spoke on behalf of the international teams, emphasizing the importance of healthy competition and international partnerships.
He shared the story of purchasing his grandfather’s medals at an auction, which were later delivered in a small shoebox. As he opened the shoebox, he found a diary that accompanied the World War II medals. In it, his grandfather described his experience as a prisoner of war.
“As I read through the diary, it spoke about his time in captivity. And right at the very end, he says, ‘I then saw the best sight of my life, and that was a U.S. tank with a U.S. flag flying as it approached the front gates of the prisoner-of-war camp,’” Cowley said. “So what we’re doing here today, forming bonds between our nations, matters.”
Day 2 of the Sandhurst International Military Skills...
Day 2 of the Sandhurst International Military Skills...
Day 2 of the Sandhurst International Military Skills...
Day 2 of the Sandhurst International Military Skills...
After Texas A&M received the ROTC Cup for the first-place ROTC team in the Sandhurst competition, the top five teams were announced and received their Sandhurst Medallions. USMA Black claimed top honors, earning the Reginald E. Johnson Memorial Saber. USMA Gold placed second, Texas A&M took third, Canada (Kingston) placed fourth and Norway clinched its spot in fifth place.
Class of 2027 Cadet Zev Dewan shared that USMA Black’s victory stood as a testament to “how much work the guys put in and how many hours we spend together just training up and making sure we’re prepared.”
He added the team aimed to leave no stone unturned as it approached each challenge with precision and respect. However, the biggest takeaway from the experience was how Sandhurst motivates a competitor to summon the tenacity not only to help themselves, but to ultimately help shepherd the team toward victory.
“Sandhurst is all about the people you support and help strengthen. There’s no other competition that pushes you in the same way to have such grit and determination for the people around you,” Dewan concluded. “You will not find another competition where the team element is that important and, in this competition, being part of this team and working for the guys to the left and right of you is everything for me.”
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