The United States Military Academy (or West Point) is a United States Army post and service academy for the training of men and women to become officers in the United States Army. It is located at West Point, New York and is often referred to simply as "West Point."
West Point's motto 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 and prepared for a career of professional excellence and service to the Nation as an officer in the United States Army. | ” |
Aside from training cadets, graduates of the U.S. Military Academy receive a fine education, graduating with a bachelor of science degree, paired nicely with a commission as Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army.
The Academy has changed greatly over the years: although originally an all-male school, women may now attend, and recently, a USMA graduate became the first female brigadier general.[1]
The United States Military Academy is located on a federal military base located near Highland Falls, New York. A military presence in this part of the U.S. has a long history; the fortifications were designed in 1778, shortly after American independence, and the academy was chartered by legislation in 1802.
The graduate rolls of West Point read as a veritable "who's who" of famous Americans: Ulysses S. Grant, Stonewall Jackson, Robert E. Lee, Douglas MacArthur, Dwight Eisenhower, George Patton,and Buzz Aldrin were all West Point students at some point.