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Army-Navy Game

Monday, December 4, 2017

Provided by U.S. Military Academy at West Point

What is it?

The Army-Navy Game is a football game played against the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis.

This began when Cadet Dennis Mahan Michie accepted a challenge by a group of midshipmen to a pickup football game between Navy and the newly-formed West Point team. The two teams met for the first time at West Point on November 29, 1890. The game has come to embody the spirit of the interservice sports rivalry of the United States Armed Forces.

This year marks the 118th Army-Navy game. The game scripts the end of the college football regular season and the third and final game of the season’s Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy series.

What is the Army doing?

Competitive sport is an important part of developing leaders at West Point. It prepares cadets for the challenges they face as officers. Experiences on the field help cadet-athletes to go on to perform admirably in austere environments around the globe. These experiences instill tenacity, resilience, discipline, mental and physical toughness, and the desire to excel.

What continued efforts does the Army have planned for the future?

The Army’s greatest asset is its people. USMA graduates will lead the Army’s future formations. The Army will continue to instill strong foundations of value-based leadership skills and professional competence in cadets. This foundation will apply with equal effectiveness across a broad spectrum of complex operations. The event’s goals are to:

  • Attract, retain and sustain quality leaders
  • Broaden understanding and advocacy by gaining and maintaining well-informed publics
  • Build camaraderie within the services in support of the Army team – America’s team

Why is this important to the Army?

The Army-Navy game is recognized as the greatest rivalry in sports, however, both fight as a joint force for the nation.

This game connects the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and the Army with the American people to help bridge the civil-military gap through sports. As a preeminent military institution the academy focuses on the leader and character development objectives:

  • Live honorably internalized the values of Duty, Honor, Country
  • Build a culture of excellence and winning
  • Recognize and leverage the power of diverse teams
  • Inculcating the values of the Army

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