Teams Brave Obstacles During 2023 Sandhurst Military Skills Competition

It was a rousing display of determination and grit as 48 teams battled through two days of rainy muck and mayhem for a chance to earn the coveted Reginald E. Johnson Memorial Plaque during the 2023 International Sandhurst Military Skills Competition from April 28-29 at the U.S. Military Academy.

This year, the event featured teams from West Point, the U.S. Air Force Academy, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, Reserve Officers' Training Corps units across the U.S. and 14 international teams from across the globe.

Despite the efforts to promote a rivalry between the teams, the competition is meant to foster mutual goodwill and camaraderie amongst all teams as they engage in rigorous but friendly competition.

" ... While there is no way to be 100% certain of what's on the horizon, we can certainly leverage every opportunity to prepare for the future of armed conflicts by enhancing our capabilities and strengthening partnerships," said the Commandant of the Corps of Cadets, Brig. Gen. Mark Quander. "That's exactly what all of you are doing here, choosing to compete in this rigorous and demanding competition."

Day one kicked off with each team campaigning through nine trials of military skills events ranging from Tactical Combat Casualty Care, which is providing first aid under fire, to weapons assembly, with the final course ending with a ruck march.

Day one culminated with USMA Black taking the lead, followed by USMA Gold in second place, Germany in third place, Virginia Military Institute in fourth place, and USAFA in fifth place as the top five teams in the day one standings.

German cadet team leader Paul Westphal from the Bundeswehr Command and Staff College in Munich, Germany, felt it was an honor and a great opportunity to lead his fellow cadets through the demanding events and believes that his experience in the competition will allow him to be more efficient when he commissions as an officer in the German Armed Forces.

"I think for me personally, this experience will definitely help me later on in my military career. One thing the whole team enjoys every day while competing here is meeting the other teams from the other countries like the U.S. teams, but also the other international teams from Eastern Europe, because we will work together in the future," Westphal said.

He added that he and his team enjoyed observing different military customs and seeing what the cultural differences were. However, they also recognized how much they had in common between the competing countries and felt the competition was framed like a sporting event.

"(Sandhurst) is like a sports event. It has military appeal but it feels like a sports contest, but we're in this together. Of course, we compete, but it's a fair competition," Westphal said. "You want to make sure that the others are alright as well after the competition because at the end of it, everyone will shake hands and maybe go have a party together."

Day two began with competitors braving the muddy stomping grounds of the Marne Obstacle Course before taking on the M-4 marksmanship range, pistol range and the call for fire event. The Crucible challenge was the day's final event as all teams moved quickly, providing notional cover fire while transferring heavy gear and simulated combat casualties across Daly Field.

"At the tactical level, you demonstrated grit, tenacity and the will to overcome adversity. You showed a mastery of lethality and mobility systems and you reacted to a nuclear, biological and chemical threat," Quander said during the awards ceremony. "You executed fire missions and marksmanship and you rucked a grueling 20-plus miles. In summary, you demonstrated that you possess the skills and capability to not just survive, but thrive in a complex and challenging circumstance."

During the ceremony, the awards were announced, with USMA Company A-4 earning the title of "Most Lethal Squad" and walking away with the Marksmanship award.

USMA Black took the Physical Endurance award for the fastest ruck march time, while Class of 2024 Cadet David Word from Brigham Young University displayed highly effective leadership qualities, earning himself the Tom Surdyke Leadership Award.

The Thomas Surdyke Leadership Award is in memory of Cadet Thomas Surdyke, who died in 2016 while saving a person from drowning, creating a legacy of cadets who would inherit his passion for service and would embody that defining trait throughout their tenure as commissioned officers.

The top-performing U.S. Corps of Cadets company team was USMA Company C-1, and the United Kingdom Red team secured the highest score as an international team, walking away with the international trophy. Additionally, Texas A&M University proved their mettle by earning the ROTC Cup and USMA Black, after enduring all 14 trials, triumphantly claimed the Reginald E. Johnson Memorial Plaque with USMA Gold earning their Sandhurst Medallions coming in second in the top five overall teams, followed by USAFA in third place, Texas A&M University in fourth place and Virginia Military Institute in fifth place.

USMA Black team leader Class of 2023 Cadet Ben Lockey was thrilled that the Black and Gold teams made history, finishing for the first time in first and second place against national and international competitors.

"Honestly, it's less about USMA Black and more about black and gold. We've gone one or two before, but that was only with ROTC teams, service academies and West Point company teams during COVID. But having the teams go both first and second in an international competition -- that's never happened before," Lockey said. "That's just a true testament to every single member on black and gold. Early morning practices, cold weather, long movements and traveling across the world to compete in other international competitions just improved our capabilities in preparation for these past two days."

Team gold member Class of 2024 Cadet Thomas Ward believes finishing at the very top is the standard and was thrilled that black and gold pulled it off.

"Black and gold works and trains together as a team and the goal is for us to finish at the very top and we did that," Ward said. "We're happy, we're excited for both black and gold. We're competing against each other every single day. We're trying to be the best for ourselves while representing the academy well, representing the nation, and I believe we did that tonight."

The U.S. Air Force Academy, crestfallen with their third-place finish, applauded their rivals and vowed to return with a vengeance next year.

"I think the biggest takeaway was how well we worked as a team. So even though we didn't get the results that we wanted, we still functioned and worked well together as a team and as a family and I'm looking forward to watching my brothers take it next year," USAFA Class of 2023 Cadet Phillip Luba said. "Unfortunately, we didn't get the end result that we wanted and coming in third definitely hurts."

As the event concluded, all teams displayed honor and respect as they embraced each other after a grueling two days.

"Regardless of where you place, you have proven that you're willing to carry the torch and lead from the front, and looking at this competition through a much broader lens at the strategic level, your involvement here at West Point, on these hollow grounds, strengthens the professional relationships that exist between allies and partners," Quander said. "We have a representation of warriors from 12 different nations. I think it's important for us all to reflect on the significance of this gathering and the relationships that are forged here, ultimately enhancing international inoperability."