Monterey Sailors, Marines strengthen bond through joint Captain’s Cup

MONTEREY, Calif. – Information Warfare Training Command Monterey and Marine Corps Detachment Monterey joined forces to present an exhilarating Captain’s Cup competition.
 
The event was designed to cultivate and showcase warrior toughness, problem-solving skills and leadership abilities among participants.
 
The joint-service Captain’s Cup took place Aug. 16 during the latest Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center Resiliency Day. This quarterly event allows service members a break from their classroom studies to engage with leadership and conduct unit-led training focused on student wellness.
 
Master Chief Petty Officer Laura Stout, IWTC Monterey senior enlisted leader, discussed the motivation behind the competition.
 
“We looked at this year’s Captain’s Cup through a warfighting lens, deciding to ask the Marine Corps Detachment Monterey to join us to strengthen the Navy and Marine Corps relationships for staff and students prior to entering the fleet,” she said.
 
Stout elaborated on the competition’s format, noting it featured mixed teams of Sailors and Marines, each named after a Navy ship.
 
“The events incorporated aspects of warrior toughness, resilience, history and heritage,” she added. “Teams were required to lead each other, think critically, utilize problem-solving skills and provide details to triad leadership personnel specific to their team’s namesake.”
 
Nearly 700 Sailors and Marines participated in the spirited Captain’s Cup competition, which featured a series of challenges meant to test their warfighting capabilities.
 
In addition to physical challenges, each team was required to create a representative flag. These flags were carried throughout the day and also judged in a separate contest for creativity, design and heritage.
 
The USS Bonhomme Richard team won the flag design contest with a banner featuring a squid wielding a cutlass and trident, accompanied by a quote from John Paul Jones: “For I intend to go in harm’s way.”
 
Seaman Kyle Burleson, who helped design the winning flag, explained that he and his team drew inspiration from real fleet logos.
 
“The quote also goes well with IWTC Monterey’s motto from Senior Chief Kent: ‘Send me,’” Burleson said, referring to Senior Chief Petty Officer Shannon Kent, who was killed in the 2019 Manbij bombing during a deployment to Syria. “Both phrases share the same spirit and meaning, creating a connection between our team here and our ship’s namesake.”
 
The winning flag will be prominently displayed at the joint IWTC Monterey and MCD Monterey headquarters building, symbolizing the unity and achievement of both services.
 
“Being here in Monterey and going to class every day, I really was not expecting all of this,” said Seaman Matthew Robinson, a student in the Basic Arabic Course and leader of the USS Arizona team. “My biggest takeaway is that you just have to go into things with a positive attitude. I didn’t know what I was doing for some of the events, but I learned what it was like to have other people behind you that are also going to help you out and get through it together.”
 
There were 15 event stations, including semaphore, tug-of-war, tire flipping, casualty evacuation and room clearing. These events, which occurred throughout Presidio of Monterey, were interspersed with rest and recovery stations to ensure proper safety and pacing for participants.
 
Organizers said coordination with the cutter USCGC Hawksbill from Coast Guard Station Monterey and Monterey Fire Department also ensured the event’s success by providing specialized equipment for the line-handling and firefighting events, further enhancing the training’s authenticity.
 
“This has genuinely been a lot of fun, everyone is so motivated, and I really like the collaboration between the Marines and the Sailors,” said Lance Cpl. Conner Adcock, a Basic Korean Course student and leader of the USS Belleau Wood team. “The camaraderie, communication and small unit leadership have been the highlights for me. It really shows what we’re here for.”
 
The variety of events allowed everyone to embrace opportunities for Sailors and Marines to coach each other through different stations, inspiring cross-service esprit de corps while allowing junior Sailors a chance to step up and lead a group of their peers in a challenging and high-tempo environment.
 
Petty Officer 2nd Class Leighton Galvan, a Basic Russian Course student, gave his unique perspective of the events as a fleet returnee.
 
“I tried to take a step back for our squad leaders, all junior Sailors and Marines, to lead,” he said. “I could see that it was important to give them a chance to try to take a leadership role and get that early development in a place that’s risk averse and only support them when needed.”
 
The day was about more than just competition. Leaders said it reflects IWTC Monterey’s commitment to warfighting readiness and operational excellence. The event serves as a prime example of the continuous development of Sailor and Marine skills in alignment with the IWTC Monterey and MCD Monterey mission.
 
“The day’s activities left participants not only stronger and more resilient, but better prepared for the challenges they will face in the fleet and beyond,” Stout said. “Through the Captain’s Cup, IWTC Monterey and MCD Monterey demonstrate their dedication to building warfighters who are both tough and adaptable, ensuring they’re ready for any mission or challenge that comes their way.”
 
As part of the Center for Information Warfare Training, IWTC Monterey provides a continuum of foreign language training to Navy personnel, which prepares them to conduct information warfare across the full spectrum of military operations.