MEXICO CITY, Mexico – Braving the intense heat and treacherous mountain trails south of Mexico City, 11 cadets from the U.S. Military Academy competed in the Chimaltlalli International Military Skills Competition, earning third-place overall behind Mexican teams, Heróico Colegio Militar A (first place) and Heróico Colegio Militar B (second place), while securing first place among international teams on March 10-12 at El Heróico Colegio Militar in Tlalpan.
The physically and mentally demanding multi-day event challenged the cadets to develop as junior leaders while fostering cooperation among military academies worldwide.
Since the competition’s inception in 2014, West Point has proudly participated in Chimaltlalli alongside international teams. This year’s 12th edition featured 13 teams from nine nations: Mexico, Canada, the United States, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala.
The 11 cadets selected to represent USMA compete on the Black and Gold Sandhurst team — one of USMA’s premier competitive military skills teams. This team trains year-round to represent the academy at various military skills competition events, including West Point’s internationally recognized Sandhurst Military Skills Competition.
To prepare for Chimaltlalli, the team completed an intensive training cycle focused on functional fitness, endurance, weapons proficiency, casualty care, communications, small-unit tactics and obstacle course rehearsals, all while balancing the demanding academic schedule at the academy.
Chimaltlalli, which translates to “battlefield” in the Nahuatl language, honors the warrior heritage of its host nation while demanding the same resilience, adaptability and teamwork required in modern military operations.
The competition began with an FX-05 marksmanship event that determined each team’s starting position. Over the next two days, cadets navigated a series of physically demanding and tactically complex tasks.
Day one began with a 23-kilometer (approximately 14-mile) foot march through mountainous terrain. Cadets then moved to an obstacle course integrated with a weapons assembly task, followed by a medical casualty evacuation and a pistol event. After completing an additional obstacle course, the team transitioned to a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear environment where they moved multiple casualties and threw grenades to advance down the lane. The day finished with a leader-reaction course and a swim in Army combat uniform.
As night fell, teams transitioned into a demanding sequence of events including land navigation, a 5-kilometer (approximately 3-mile) foot march, an urban assault lane and a reconnaissance patrol, which ended with a 10-meter jump and swim.
The second day tested the team’s physical endurance and mental resilience with a 12-kilometer (approximately 7-mile) run in full gear wearing advanced combat helmets, tactical assault panel systems, and Army Combat Uniforms. Throughout the event, they also completed a rifle range, obstacle course, swim and multiple load-bearing carry events before crossing the finish line on the final day.
“From swimming and rucking through mountainous terrain to obstacle courses, weapons assembly drills, and complex leader-decision scenarios, all at nearly 10,000 feet of elevation, this competition pushed our team to their absolute limits,” said Capt. Aleksandr Kauffman, the team’s officer-in-charge. “The last time a USMA team claimed first place among all international competitors at Chimaltlalli was back in 2018. That’s why this event holds such a special place in our team’s legacy and culture.
“It demands not only extreme physical exertion, both expected and unexpected, but also clear leadership under pressure while receiving every instruction in Spanish," Kauffman said. “We train and plan to win. Our strong performance here is clear proof that the Black and Gold Sandhurst team is on the right path as we prepare for the International Sandhurst Competition … these cadets truly represent the epitome of excellence.”
Throughout the event, cadets operated in a high-stress multinational environment, communicating across language barriers while supporting one another through fatigue and adversity. The shared hardship reinforced a core leadership principle: effective teams succeed through mutual trust, discipline, cooperation and sacrifice.
For the Black and Gold Sandhurst team, Chimaltlalli represents both a test and a tradition.
“The Chimaltlalli competition is the crucible for many Western Hemisphere countries, and we view it as a vital piece of training in preparation for the Sandhurst International Skills Competition in May,” Class of 2026 Cadet Zachery Gallman, the team’s cadet-in-charge, said. “Chimaltlalli combines rigorous race-style ruck marches, stress-based shooting, and a myriad of physical and cognitive challenges into a two-day event on challenging terrain and at elevation. The lane briefs are all in Spanish, providing us with an opportunity to see how best we can translate the language and make timely decisions based upon it.
“We build our young leaders by placing them in unfamiliar situations and testing their ability to make individual decisions while facing fatigue and stress,” he added. “The Sandhurst Black and Gold team appreciates the generosity of El Heróico Colegio Militar, our host academy, for the time and effort they spend putting on this competition.”
The cadets’ performance reflects exceptional commitment and adaptability in an austere, highly competitive international environment. Beyond the physical and tactical demands, Chimaltlalli provided a valuable opportunity to build lasting relationships with partner-nation cadets — strengthening bonds with future allied officers while reinforcing the importance of trust and cooperation across cultures.
As an enduring leader development experience, Chimaltlalli connects West Point cadets with global military excellence while preparing them to lead Soldiers in complex, high-pressure environments. Ultimately, it underscores the academy’s focus on developing leaders capable of making sound decisions in unfamiliar and demanding conditions, both at home and alongside partners around the world.