Academy cadets compete in global contest

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Mareshah Haynes
  • Defense Media Activity
U.S. MILITARY ACADEMY, West Point, N.Y. (AFNS) --  U.S. Air Force Academy cadets competed with more than 500 military academy and Reserve Officers Training Corps cadets from around the world for a contest of strength and skill April 20 - 21 during Sandhurst Competition 2012.

The Sandhurst competition is an annual event held at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., and has evolved into an international cadet competition including cadets from countries like England, China, Australia, Chile and Afghanistan.

Each team is required to have nine members with at least one female and two alternates.

The Air Force team competed against 56 other teams in marksmanship, boat movement, rappelling, weapons and grenades, an obstacle course, constructing and navigating a rope bridge and tactical combat casualty care. During the course of two days, the cadets executed their tasks on an 8-mile course. Of the 56 teams, the Air Force cadets finished 28th.

Tech. Sgt. Joh Hyder, an Academy Military Training NCO, said as a whole the team possesses qualities that will help them pull past their competitors.
"Their team cohesiveness - the ability to talk at any level and communicate is definitely one of their strong points," he said. "The other strong point is definitely their physical fitness level. It's top-notch."

For the Air Force Academy cadets, the Sandhurst Competition is a practical exercise, of sorts, in leadership. The cadets run the team as they see fit with minimal guidance from instructors.

"From a leadership aspect, this is more leadership to me than anything else I've done at the Academy," said Cadet 1st Class Andy Haus, the Sandhurst team leader. "Even how we form the team - we build the structure," Haus said. "We build the chain of command. There's really no guidance; we just have to figure it out."

The Air Force Academy team trains year round in preparation of the event. The team comprises cadets of all classes and they average about 20 hours a week of training, in addition to their academic coursework. Although the balancing act between academics, the Sandhurst Team and other obligations can become a grueling balancing act, the team members have their reasons for accepting the challenge.

"It's important to showcase the Air Force, said Cadet 1st Class Bryan Maynard, an assistant team leader. "A lot of people think we just take care of the air, but a lot of people branch off into career fields that are ground based and we show that we can perform." 

Four of the team's members from the class of 2012 cadets have parlayed their passion for Sandhurst into their careers and have been accepted into special operations officer positions.

"I came on to this team as a sophomore, and I think it's developed me more as a person than anything else that I've experienced at the Academy," said Cadet 1st Class Caitlin Glitz. "I don't know what I'd be doing in the Air Force if I hadn't joined the Sandhurst team.

"Some of the things I've done on this team, I would have never thought I could do," she said. "Sometimes I still don't think I can do it, and I have to remind myself that I've done it before, so I can do it again. It has opened up so many possibilities for me."

Glitz, who originally went to the Academy with ambitions of becoming a C-130 Hercules pilot, earned a slot to be one of a very few female Air Force special operations air liaison officers.
Hyder said the caliber of cadets on the Sandhurt team and the skills they acquire through their training will benefit the Air Force as they become leaders.

"Everybody on this team is going to be an asset to the Air Force," he said. "They have the will and desire to go that extra mile and do the work that needs to be done, and that's exactly what the Air Force needs.

"Most of them are going into career fields that are (special operations) where you need good leaders in the field, and they're already heads and shoulders above other cadets out there going into those career fields, " Hyder said.