The United States Military Academy (also known as USMA, West Point or, for collegiate athletic purposes, Army) is a United States Army post and service academy. West Point was the first United States military post built after the Declaration of Independence. In its inception, it was under the command of Benedict Arnold blank">Spies of the American Revolution - University of Michigan . Established in 1802, it is the oldest military academy in the United States. Students are referred to as cadets. Collectively, graduates are known as "The Long Gray Line" because of the color of cadet uniforms and the unbroken line of West Point graduates. West Point trains more United States Army officers than any other single institution and a high proportion of distinguished American generals have been West Point graduates. Currently, over 900 graduates are commissioned as U.S. Army lieutenants every year, representing 25% of new lieutenants commissioned About the Academy .

The Academy is located at _West Point, New York, on a scenic overlook of the Hudson River, about 50 miles (80 km) north of New York City. ( ). Occupying over 16,000 acres (65 km²), it is one of the largest school campuses in the world. By comparison, the United States Naval Academy is 338 acres (1.37 km²) and United States Air Force Academy is 18,000 acres (73 km²). Its unique combination of facilities includes a ski slope and artillery range, in addition to the academic buildings and sports facilities found on a typical university campus. The post itself was first occupied in 1778; it is thus the oldest continuously occupied military post in the United States.