U.S. Military Academy (West Point)

Military academy established to educate and train commissioned officers for the United States Army. The mission of the academy is “to educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character committed to the values of Duty, Honor, Country; professional growth throughout a career as an officer in the United States Army; and a lifetime of selfless service to the nation.” Located on the Hudson River in West Point, New York, the U.S. Military Academy has been an integral part of the American military since the Revolutionary War. At that time, West Point was the site of a key American fortress that the revolutionaries, including General George Washington, considered the most strategically important location in America. Legislation signed by President Thomas Jefferson in 1802 transformed West Point from a fortress to an educational establishment: the United States Military Academy. In its more than 200 years of existence, the United States Military Academy has produced many notable graduates, including Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, William Tecumseh Sherman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, Douglas MacArthur, Omar Bradley, and George Patton.

Initially, the academy provided only engineering training to students. Throughout the ensuing two centuries, the curriculum was expanded to include a broader range of sciences and humanities. However, academics are only one part of the broader educational experience required by the academy. In addition to the academic program, cadets participate in a physical program, a military program, and moral-ethical development to produce a well-rounded graduate prepared to carry out the duties of a U.S. Army officer. There are approximately 4,000 graduates enrolled at the academy under the current legislative provisions.

The academy graduates approximately 900 cadets a year. Each graduate is awarded a bachelor of science and is commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Army. Following their commission, the graduates are obligated to provide at least five years of military service. These newly commissioned graduates account for approximately 25% of the army's annual need for new lieutenants. Despite their relatively small numbers in the overall force, academy graduates are considered an indispensable part of the modern U.S. Army.