Albuquerque Public Schools
West Mesa NJROTC Sweeps Drill Events
West Mesa High School Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps cadets capture top honors at the 2026 Capital City Skills Meet.
West Mesa High School Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (NJROTC) cadets delivered an outstanding performance at the 2026 Capital City Skills Meet this month, capturing top honors in multiple events and earning the overall meet championship.
Held at Santa Fe High School, the competition brought together 13 schools for a full day of events designed to test cadets' precision, discipline, teamwork, leadership, and military drill skills.
The West Mesa Mustangs rose to the challenge, earning eight first-place finishes and dominating the drill portion of the competition.
West Mesa's team results included:
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Unit Personnel Inspection — 1st Place
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Unarmed Drill Regulation — 3rd Place
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Unarmed Drill Exhibition — 1st Place
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Unarmed Drill Overall — 1st Place
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Armed Drill Regulation — 1st Place
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Armed Drill Exhibition — 1st Place
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Armed Drill Overall — 1st Place
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Male Color Guard — 1st Place
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Female Color Guard — 1st Place
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Precision Air Rifle — 4th Place
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Sweepstakes Overall Championship — 1st Place
The results showcased the preparation, discipline, and teamwork of West Mesa's cadets as they competed against NJROTC and JROTC programs from throughout the region.
The Mustangs were especially dominant in drill competition. Unlike the previous skills meet, which did not include exhibition drill, the Capital City Skills Meet gave West Mesa's cadets the opportunity to demonstrate their skills in both regulation and exhibition events. The Mustangs responded by taking first place in both Armed and Unarmed Exhibition Drill, while also capturing first place in both Male and Female Color Guard.
West Mesa also earned the overall championships in both Armed and Unarmed Drill, highlighting the depth and consistency of the Mustang drill program.
Skills meets provide cadets with an opportunity to put months of training into action while strengthening leadership, confidence, attention to detail, discipline, and teamwork. West Mesa's performance at the Capital City Skills Meet gives the Mustangs an impressive start to the 2026 competition season and provides strong momentum as they prepare for upcoming competitions.
Congratulations to the West Mesa High School NJROTC Mustangs on an exceptional performance and the 2026 Capital City Skills Meet Sweepstakes Championship!