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Tuesday 24 May 2016

Military academy

The Royal Danish Naval Academy was set up on February 26, 1701. It's purpose was to train  young men in seamanship, military tactics, and navigation for the purpose of becoming naval officers. It is the oldest still-existing officers' academy in the world.
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Danish naval academy. By heb@Wikimedia Commons (mail) - 

Inspiration for the Royal Danish Naval Academy was found in the Netherlands and France, where systematic training of naval officers had begun as early as the 16th century.

The Royal Military Academy was founded at Woolwich, London on April 13, 1741. Its purpose was to train gentlemen cadets who were entering the Royal Artillery and Royal Engineers. Over time, the academy expanded to include other military disciplines, and it played a key role in shaping the British Army's officer corps. The academy was eventually merged with the Royal Military College at Sandhurst in 1947, and the combined institution became known as the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Today, Sandhurst remains one of the world's premier military academies, training officers for the British Army and other armed forces around the world.

Photograph of the former Royal Military Academy, Woolwich

Congress authorized the establishment and funding of the United States Military Academy at West Point  with the Military Peace Establishment Act of 1802, which Jefferson signed on March 16, 1802.

Norwich University – The Military College of Vermont was founded in 1819 in Northfield, Vermont. It is the oldest private military college in the United States.

The Eggnog Riot occurred at the United States Military Academy between December 24-25 1826. Whiskey was smuggled into the barracks to make eggnog for a Christmas Day party. The incident resulted in the court-martialing of twenty cadets and one enlisted soldier.

A painting  of the 1826 Eggnog Riot

The Virginia Military Institute founded in 1839 in Lexington, Virginia is the oldest state military college in the United States.

Engraving of VMI ca. 1863

Poet/writer Edgar Allan Poe was expelled from West Point, the United States Military Academy, because he showed up for a parade in his birthday suit.

The Naval School (later renamed the United States Naval Academy) opened on October 10, 1845 in Annapolis, Maryland. It was the second of the five U.S. service academies to be founded, and it continues to educate and train midshipmen for service in the officer corps of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps.

Major General Charles George Gordon was educated at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. Charles and his fellow cadets there, took pride in bathing outdoors in the winter. He passed out with high marks for mapmaking and surveying but little else.

General Custer was ranked 35th out of 35 in his West Point United States military Academy graduating class.

Henry Ossian Flipper, born a slave, became the first African American cadet to graduate from an US Military academy on June 15, 1877.

Giovanni Agnelli studied at a military academy, and became a cavalry officer before founding Fiat in 1899.

Tarzan author Edgar Rice Burroughs (1875-1950) attended the Michigan Military Academy. He was a mediocre student and flunked his examination for West Point.

Dwight D. Eisenhower took the entrance examination for the Military Academy at West Point in 1911. He ranked second in the tests but obtained the appointment when the top candidate failed to pass the physical examination.

The West Point Class of 1915 became known as "the class the stars fell on". Of the 164 members of the class, 59 attained the rank of general, including Dwight Eisenhower and Omar Bradley.

Members of the UK Royal Family who entered the Royal Naval College in Greenwich,  London were given nicknames — often disparaging ones. For instance, cadets nicknamed the future George V The Sprat, while Edward VIII was The Sardine. The more serious, studious nature of Prince Albert (later George VI) earned him the nickname of Dr Johnson, which soon became Mr Johnson.

Marlon Brando tried to join the Army during World War II but was rejected due to a knee injury he had sustained while playing football at Shattuck Military Academy.

Rebecca Marier became the first woman to graduate 'top of the class' at West Point, the US Military Academy in 1995. The rankings are based on academic, military and physical accomplishments.

Prince Harry entered the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst on May 8, 2005, where he was known as Officer Cadet Wales.

Only three Presidents graduated from the military academies: Ulysses S. Grant, Dwight Eisenhower (West Point) and Jimmy Carter (Annapolis).

West Point has a tradition of celebrating the student who came in last in class rank but still graduated, called the Goat. Including having each cadet give the Goat money.

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