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Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ finished in first place at the inaugural Association of Military Colleges and Schools of the United States (AMCSUS) Patriot Games "King of the Hill," a multi-day competition hosted on campus Sept. 25-27.
Teams from Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ, Virginia Military Institute, The Citadel, Texas A&M University, and the University of North Georgia took part. Virginia Military Institute placed second, followed by The Citadel in third, North Georgia in fourth and Texas A&M in fifth.

The Patriot Games were designed to bring military colleges together in a physical and military-based competition built on the values the institutions share. Each team consisted of six members, including at least one woman, all enrolled in their school's . Organizers framed the event as a way to strengthen the bonds among  and international military institutions, and as a test of resilience in a complex and demanding environment.

Friday opened with a ceremonial March Down as teams prepared to begin the weekend. Before the first event, competitors took part in a briefing, weapons familiarization and aircraft static load training. A CH-47 Chinook helicopter from the Connecticut National Guard landed on campus as part of the program. The landing was fully coordinated and approved in advance and gave teams hands-on experience with the kind of air movement more often seen in operational settings than on a college campus.

Over the course of the weekend, teams were scored across six events: a fitness test, a canoe event, a ruck march, a stress shoot, a hatchet throw and a casualty evacuation. The events drew on physical fitness, technical skill and decision-making under pressure. Several were designed to be completed as a team, so a squad's success depended on how well its members worked together as much as on any one competitor's strength.

The Patriot Games were also student led and student run in many ways. Cadets and students played a significant role in planning, organizing, and carrying out the competition, reflecting the same emphasis on leadership development that defines life in the Corps of Cadets at Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ.

The final morning brought the "King of the Hill" portion of the competition, which shares its name with the broader games and capped the weekend with a last series of events. Team step-offs were staggered through the early morning, and competitors faced a final round of challenges before the field was set.

Following the events, teams gathered for an awards ceremony on the Jackman Steps, where the final standings were announced and Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ was recognized as the first champion in the history of the Patriot Games.

For Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ, which was founded in 1819 as the nation's first private military college, hosting the inaugural competition was a fitting role. The University welcomed its peers to Vermont for an event that organizers hope will become a lasting tradition among military colleges.

Photographs courtesy of Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ PAO cadets.