STANAG 6001 Level 3 – Writing Task (Report): Participation in the Italian Raid Commando
Examination task
Write a minimum of 200 words on the topic below.
A group of cadets from a military university in your country participated in the international military competition Italian Raid Commando, in which teams conducted a full tactical endurance run. The cadets achieved first place in the cadet category.
In your report, include the following points:
- give details of the event (date, location, number of participants per team, distance covered, type of terrain, etc.)
- describe the types of tasks performed during the competition
- assess the performance of your cadets
- recommend participation in future editions of the competition
Sample Answer
Subject: Report on participation in the Italian Raid Commando
Introduction
The purpose of this report is to provide an assessment of the participation of a cadet team from the Military University of Land Forces in the 37th edition of the international military competition Italian Raid Commando, held in the province of Monza and Brianza, Italy, from 23 to 25 May 2025. The team achieved first place in the cadet category.
Description of the Competition
The Italian Raid Commando is an annual high-mountain endurance and tactical competition designed for professional and reserve soldiers, as well as cadets and military students from NATO and partner nations. The 2025 edition involved 41 patrols composed of four participants each, representing countries such as Belgium, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, and Switzerland.
The competition covered a distance of approximately 35 kilometres across mountainous and forested terrain, with around 780 metres of elevation gain. It lasted nearly 32 hours, from 23 May until the late afternoon of 24 May. The award ceremony took place on 25 May in Monza.
Throughout the course, teams were required to complete 15 tactical stations simulating real combat conditions. These included live-fire shooting with short and long weapons, land navigation under night conditions, climbing and alpine tasks, engineering challenges such as obstacle breaching and simulated bridge demolition, minefield crossing, mortar operation, reconnaissance tasks, and infiltration exercises.
Performance of the Cadet Team
The cadets from the Military University of Land Forces demonstrated outstanding physical endurance, high-level tactical proficiency, and exceptional teamwork. The first-place result confirms a high level of preparedness of the cadet team and highlights the effectiveness of current training programmes. Their performance was characterized by strong cohesion, efficient decision-making under stress, and effective application of advanced mountain warfare skills.
Recommendations
Cadet participation in future editions of the Italian Raid Commando should be continued, as it provides significant operational and training value. In addition, greater emphasis should be placed on mortar operation training, with a rapid deployment under time pressure.
Conclusion
The participation in the Italian Raid Commando proved to be a highly valuable training experience, contributing significantly to the cadets’ operational readiness. Continued involvement in similar international competitions is strongly recommended.
Photo: Italian Raid Commando 2026 © Unione Nazionale Ufficiali in congedo d’Italia (National Association of Italian Retired Officers)