US Military Academy

Definition/Scope: A military academy or service academy (American English) is an educational institution which prepares candidates for service in the officer corps of the Army, the Navy, Air Force or Coast Guard or provides education in a service environment, the exact definition depending on the country concerned. Three types of academy exists: High school-level institutions awarding academic qualifications, university-level institutions awarding Bachelor’s degree level qualification, and those preparing officer cadets for commissioning into the armed services of the state. The United States is almost unique in that the term "military academy" does not necessarily mean an institution run by the armed forces to train its own military officers; it may also mean a middle school, high school or tertiary-level college, whether public or private, which instructs its students in military-style education, discipline and tradition. Many public high schools offer Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps programs sponsored by the United States Armed Forces. The term military school primarily refers to pre-collegiate (middle and high school) institutions. Military schools were once far more common than they are today; see the extensive list of defunct military academies. The term military academy commonly refers to all pre-collegiate, collegiate, and post-collegiate institutions, yet graduate institutions, catering for officers already in service, are often considered separately and termed staff colleges and Graduate Schools. Military academies can be either private or have government sponsorship from regional (state) or national government.

Used For:

Military Colleges

Acronym:

USMA

Broader Terms:

Basic Officer Leader Course
Basic Officer Leader Course II
Basic Officer Leader Course III
Direct Reporting Units (Army)
federal service academies
initial entry training

Narrower Terms:

Advanced Individual Training
Basic Combat Training
Coast Guard Academy
Merchant Marine Academy
Military Colleges
Military Junior Colleges
One Station Unit Training
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
US Military Academy Band
US Naval Academy
US Officer Candidate School
West Point Academy

Related Terms:

Air Force Academy
Army Commands
Army Service Component Command
Coast Guard Academy
major Army commands
Merchant Marine Academy
Military Colleges
Military Junior Colleges
New York
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
US Naval Academy
USMA permanent faculty
West Point, NY