United States Military Academy

The United States Military Academy (USMA) (West Point or Army) is a United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a fort, since it sits on strategic high ground overlooking the Hudson River 50 miles (80 km) north of New York City. It is the oldest of the five American service academies and educates cadets for commissioning into the United States Army.

United States Military Academy
MottoDuty • Honor • Country
TypeU.S. Service Academy
Established16 March 1802 (1802-03-16)
Endowment$422 million (2022)
SuperintendentLieutenant general Steven W. Gilland
DeanBrigadier general Shane R. Reeves
Commandant of CadetsMajor general Lori L. Robinson
Academic staff
580
Students4,294 cadets
Location,
United States
CampusRural – 16,080 acres (6,507.3 ha)
Fight songOn, Brave Old Army Team
ColorsBlack, gold, and gray
     
NicknameBlack Knights
Sporting affiliations
NCAA Division IPL
AHA CSFL EIGL EIWA NCA
MascotMule
Websitewestpoint.edu
United States Military Academy
Coordinates41°23′35″N 73°57′29″W
NRHP reference No.66000562
NYSRHP No.07103.000261
Significant dates
Added to NRHP15 October 1966
Designated NHL19 December 1960
Designated NYSRHPJune 23, 1980

Candidates for admission must apply directly to the academy and receive a nomination, usually from a member of Congress. Other nomination sources include the president and vice president. Students are officers-in-training and are referred to as "cadets" or collectively as the "United States Corps of Cadets" (USCC). The Army fully funds tuition for cadets in exchange for an active duty service obligation upon graduation. About 1,300 cadets enter the academy each July, with about 1,000 cadets graduating. The academic program grants a Bachelor of Science degree with a curriculum that grades cadets' performance upon a broad academic program, military leadership performance, and mandatory participation in competitive athletics.

The academy's traditions have influenced other institutions because of its age and unique mission. It was the first American college to have an accredited civil engineering program and the first to have class rings, and its technical curriculum became a model for engineering schools. West Point's student body has a unique rank structure and lexicon. The academy fields 15 men's and nine women's National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) sports teams. Cadets compete in one sport every fall, winter, and spring season at the intramural, club, or intercollegiate level. Its football team was a national power in the early and mid-20th century, winning three national championships. Among the country's public institutions, the academy is the top producer of Marshall and Rhodes scholars. Its alumni are collectively referred to as "The Long Gray Line," which include U.S. Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and Ulysses S. Grant; Confederate President Jefferson Davis; Confederate general Robert E. Lee; American poet Edgar Allan Poe; U.S. generals Douglas MacArthur and George Patton; presidents of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and the Philippines; and 76 Medal of Honor recipients.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.