Events
RMC places 2nd in international skills competition at West Point, N.Y.
CMFMAG TeamThe Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) placed 2nd amongst 48 participating teams from 15 countries at the 57th Annual Sandhurst Military Skills Competition.
Held at the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point, N.Y., in April, RMC has had an exemplary record in the prestigious Sandhurst competition, having placed first four times since 2006.
Two-Day Skills Competition
The two-day skills competition typically includes approximately 43 km of navigation across difficult terrain, weapons handling, rifle marksmanship, combat swim (in full gear), trauma care/first aid, problem-solving and leadership challenges.
For the second time, RMC was joined by another Canadian team at the competition, with RMC Saint-Jean joining the roster of teams from across Europe, North and South America and Asia.
Quality of the Military Training
“The performance of the teams from RMC and RMC Saint-Jean at this international competition attests to the quality of the military training provided at the Canadian Military Colleges,” proclaimed Major-General Denis O’Reilly, Commander Canadian Defence Academy. “The lessons learned will help them throughout their careers as future leaders and show them as an inspiration to the rest of the military community.”
Brigadier-General Pascal Godbout, Commandant RMC, commended the team for their extraordinary performance.
RMC’s Military Training
“This highlights RMC’s military training, integrated with the academic education of its naval and officer cadets. To be selected for competitions of this calibre, candidates must demonstrate a balance among the academic, bilingualism, military and fitness pillars, which will be necessary during operations at home and abroad later in their career.”
The renowned military skills competition dates back to 1967 when Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the United Kingdom presented USMA with a British officer’s sword to use as the prize for a competition promoting military excellence.
Inspiration For College
“The commitment of our team in pursuit of excellence is a source of inspiration for the rest of the College,” exclaimed Colonel Guillaume Tremblay, Commandant RMC Saint-Jean. “Their unwavering dedication to skill improvement, coupled with their strong character and humility, has played a vital role in their success, aiding in their development into exceptional future leaders.”
The Sandhurst competition tests officer cadets’ military skills, physical endurance, and teamwork. Each team is comprised of 11 officer cadets (nine per obstacle with two resting) who must work together to overcome the formidable and varied obstacles they encounter during the competition. To become a member of the team, officer cadets must pass a gruelling selection process held at the beginning of the school year, followed by daily training.
Final Result
The team from RMC Kingston also was awarded the Most Lethal Squad Marksmanship Award with the highest combined M4 rifle and M17 pistol marksmanship scores and the International Cup for the highest scoring international team.
The final results and the teams that earned Sandhurst medallions for placing in the Top 5:
- USMA Black (1,715 points),
- RMC Canada – Kingston (1,713),
- U.S. Air Force Academy (1,423),
- Texas A&M University (1,327) and
- USMA Company A-3 Anacondas (1,316)
- RMC Canada – Saint Jean (1316)
Other award winners included:
- RMC Canada – Kingston: taking the Most Lethal Squad Marksmanship Award with the highest combined M4 rifle and M17 pistol marksmanship scores,
- USMA Black: earned the Physical Endurance Award,
- Company A-3 Anacondas: earned the U.S. Corps of Cadets Sandhurst Performance Award for the highest scoring U.S. Cadet Command team,
- RMC Canada – Kingston: taking the International Cup for highest scoring international team, and
- Texas A&M: earned the ROTC Cup as the highest-scoring ROTC team in the competition.
