Pictured from top to bottom, left to right: CDTs Gaston, Bean, Carl, Yamauchi, Vadovsky, Chavez, Lute, Colson, Ganir, Barajas,and Aleong.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Sandhurst Military Skills Competition is an annual event held at the United States Military Academy at West Point that began in 1967. It has evolved over the years from a 4-man team to the present day 9-man team including at least one female and an additional 2 alternates. This year will be the first time the University of Hawaii Army ROTC will take part in the two day competition.

There are 48 teams competing in this year’s Sandhurst Competition; the largest event ever. In addition to the 32 teams from West Point (with 5 collective wins), our team will compete against the United State Naval Academy, the United States Air Force Academy, 7 ROTC teams stateside, and military academies from around the world including Britain’s Royal Military Academy (12 time winner and current champions), Canada’s Royal Military College (champions from ’05-‘07), Afghanistan’s National Military Academy, and the Chilean Military School.

The events for the competition include rifle marksmanship, combat swim, Leadership Reaction Course, wall obstacle, Commandant’s Challenge, obstacle course, boat operations, scenario, rope bridge, weapon site, and first aid. The course stretches over a very challenging mountainous area, a lake and the teams compete to complete the entire course in the shortest time possible. There are time penalties for breaking any of the competition rules, including a 30 minute penalty each time a team exceeds 50 meter spacing.

The UH Sandhurst Team is led by MAJ Howe and SFC Rico. The team members are CDT Stephen Vadovsky (SL), CDT Yamauchi (TL), CDT Barajas (TL), CDT Gaston, CDT Aleong, CDT Carl, CDT Chavez, CDT Colson, CDT Lute, CDT Bean, and CDT Ganir. During our intense training, CDT Brostrom and CDT Freyou have unfortunately withdrawn due to injury. Both were spectacular teammates that will be sorely missed.

The team trains at least five times a week, and periodically on the weekends. Our training includes practicing boat operations at Ala Moana Beach, intense hill training at St. Louis, Diamond Head, and Koko Head, rifle marksmanship on the EST and ranges, first aid training, rope bridge, poncho raft assembly, swimming at Kahanamoku pool and in the ocean, long runs, intervals, lots of MSE, core exercises, and rope climbs. Most of the training is conducted in ACUs, LBEs, boots, and two rucksacks.

The Sandhurst Competition takes place April 17-18, and the team will leave April 10th to train at West Point during the week of the competition. Each member of the team has sacrificed much of their free time, and we are all looking forward to representing the University of Hawaii Army ROTC Warriors!