The Armed Forces has several divisions; The U.S. Army works as its ground force. The United States Military Academy, West Point, is the premier military college for the Army, and is renowned not only nationwide but all over the world. It was founded in 1802, and among its graduates are historical military leaders, such as Ulysses Grant, Robert Lee, Douglas MacArthur, John Pershing, Dwight Eisenhower and George Patton. It is located on a military reservation near New York City. West Point receives an average of 1,200 new cadets every year, with the total number of cadets in the whole school reaching about 4,400. Graduates from West Point join the Army with the rank of second lieutenant.
The Air Force is responsible for peace and order in air and space. The top Air Force college in the country is the United States Air Force Academy, which is also a federal academy like West Point. The Air Force Academy began in 1954 using temporary facilities in Denver, Colorado, before moving to Colorado Springs in 1958. Among its notable graduates are Chelsey Sullenberger, Douglas M. Fraser, Jack D. Fisher, and Kjell Lindgren. In 1976, women were allowed to attend the academy.
The military branch assigned for naval protection and combat is the Navy. The Marine Corps falls under the Navy. The United States Naval Academy, located in Annapolis, Maryland, is the top Navy school in the country. Since its founding in 1845, it has continued to help mold students into members of the Navy and Marine Corps. Among its prominent graduates include former President Jimmy Carter, Chester Nimitz, Wendy Lawrence, John McCain, Ross Perot and David Robinson. Women were first accepted at the academy in 1976, and now they comprise about 13 percent of first year cadets.
The Coast Guard works alongside the Navy during combat operations. During standard operation at peace time, the Coast Guard works under the Department of Homeland Security and is responsible for ensuring safety and security of the nation's waterways. The United States Coast Guard Academy is where future officers and leaders of the Coast Guard study and train. Like the three above-mentioned federal academies, the Coast Guard Academy has no tuition and is highly selective with only about 1,000 cadets approved to enroll. The Coast Guard Academy began in 1876 in a schooner named Dobbin, and until today continues its seagoing education aboard several training ships. The land-based academy is located in New London, Connecticut.