Cadets from the General Military Academy are taught at West Point

Coordination before an attack

Spanish and American military search the área

The military carry out fire action

Five second lieutenants cadets (alférez in Spanish) from the LXXVI year of the General Military Academy participate in summer training at the prestigious North American Military Academy in West Point (New York). This summer training has a duel role: to learn of new methods and procedures as well as as training the American cadets who have been recently integrated into the centre.

The Spanish cadets who wanted to spend this summer increasing their training and military experience in West Point had to go through a selection process. The five cadets who presented the best curriculum and grades were able to participate. Once there, they share, side by side, the life of the cadets from the American Academy. Those who were recently integrated, are in the training phase learning the basic skills of individual combat. For their part, the five second lieutenants of the General Military Academy will learn how one manages the training in such a prestigious centre. Given the greatest experience of the Spanish cadets, which is made up of two years of military training, West Point enables them to be integrated as instructors in activities such as police patrol, observation and contact response.

Once finished the training module and in coordination with the University Centre of Defence, the second lieutenants will remain at West Point for an academic semester. They will study various engineering subjects, in which historically the Spanish have been in the top 10% of the best students in West Point. Simultaneously nine American cadets will study subjects in Zaragoza, integrated in the academic life as well as the training.

Both exchanges favour the future relationship and understanding between both Armies on all levels. In recent years, West Point has shown great interest in strengthening the relationship between the General Military Academy and the Spanish Army, to increase the number of cadets which West Point sends to the Academy in Zaragoza as much as generating new ways to collaborate and train in Spain. This good harmony was clear with the interpretation of the Hymn from the General Military Academy at West Point, during the anniversary in the Spanish centre. (20th February).