AFNORTH JROTC Shines with Top Finishes at Annual DART Tournament

C/Captain Philipp Bergmann

Dec 01, 2025

Armed Regulation Commanded by C/Capt Bergmann (Photo credit: Sandra Bergmann)

SHAPE, Belgium — The AFNORTH Air Force Junior ROTC Drill Team delivered a standout performance at the annual Drill, Academics and Raiders Tournament (DART) held Saturday, Nov. 22. The competition, hosted at SHAPE, brought together three rival schools—AFNORTH, SHAPE and Spangdahlem—for a full day of high-intensity events aimed at preparing cadets for February’s European Drill Competition.

AFNORTH’s cadets excelled across all categories, earning multiple first-place finishes and demonstrating strong teamwork, discipline and endurance.

Drill events included Unarmed Regulation, Armed Regulation, Color Guard and the 30-Command Drill.

The team secured first place in Unarmed Regulation, led by C/1st Lt. Maranon, who also captured first place in Knockout Drill. C/Capt. Bergmann commanded the first-place Color Guard and led the team to a second-place finish in Armed Regulation. AFNORTH also claimed first place in the Raiders event, a physically demanding challenge that tests strength, speed and coordination.

This year’s DART tournament featured three major components:

Drill events included Unarmed Regulation, Armed Regulation, Color Guard and the 30-Command Drill.
Academic events tested cadets on Air Force general knowledge and current events.
Raiders competitions challenged teams in sprint relays, team planks, tug of war, wheelbarrow races and basketball free throws.

With strong placements across the board, AFNORTH’s JROTC cadets now look ahead to the European Drill Competition, where they aim to build on their momentum and continue their tradition of excellence.