West Point

In total, there are 5 service academies throughout the U.S.  Over my next few blog posts I will detail each academy, the history, what they stand for, and what service their students join after completion.

United States Military Academy in West Point: USMA is commonly known as West Point

"Renowned as the world's premier leader development institution, West Point accomplishes its mission by developing cadets intellectually, physically, militarily, ethically, spiritually, and socially.  The student body or Corps of Cadets, numbers 4,400 and each year approximately 1000 cadets join the Long Gray Line as they graduate and are commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army."

• 4 year co-educational academy
• located in West Point, NY
• campus is a national landmark
• overlooks Hudson River

             The Continental Army first occupied West Point in 1778, making it the longest continually occupied post in the U.S.  The academy itself was founded by Congress on March 16, 1802.  The school motto is: duty, honor, country.  Originally a place for men, the first females were accepted in 1976 with 119 cadets.  Lieutenant General David H. Huntoon is the current superintendent of West Point.  As the 58th superintendent, Huntoon and his predecessors are all West Point alumni.  Some of America's greatest leaders such as Grant, Lee, Pershing, and MacArthur are among the West Point graduates.

       Candidates for West Point must submit directly to the academy as well as receive a congressional nomination.   As officers-in-training, students are referred to as cadets and must serve in the United States Army for at least four years after graduation.  Graduating as second lieutenants with bachelor of science degrees and serving in the Army is the trade off for attending the academy tuition free.  Cadets must adhere to the Cadet Honor Code which states, "a cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do."  There are three programs which the cadets take part in: academic, physical, and military.  Like other colleges and universities, West Point has 40 majors for the cadets to choose from and they have a rigorous academic work load.  Physically, all cadets must be able to pass physical fitness tests, play one varsity sport, and meet all health and wellness requirements.  Lastly, military training rounds out the West Point cadet.  Basic training begins the summer before freshman "plebe" year and continues through to the summer of their second year.  Their third and forth summers as a cadet are spent serving in active Army units around the nation.  

       Think West Point is all work no play? Well, think again! Princeton Review ranked the academy number 3 in "More to Do on campus."  Some activities the cadets have on site are an indoor ski slope, skating rink, and golf course.  They also get the chance to be involved in once in a lifetime opportunities like singing backup for celebrities like Billy Joel as 12 cadets did at his last concert in Shea Stadium.  

Fun Fact: the West Point Military Reservation owns 1 of 3 U.S. Treasury's gold mints!