The U.S. Army

The U.S. Army was born on 14 June 1775, when the Second Continental Congress raised the Continental Army and, the next day, named George Washington its commander-in-chief — more than a year before the Declaration of Independence. It is the nation's oldest and largest armed force, organized around the soldier and the combined-arms team.

From Yorktown through the Civil War, both World Wars, and the conflicts of the modern era, the Army has been the country's principal instrument of sustained land power. Its motto, adopted in 1778, is "This We'll Defend." It is also one of only two services with a National Guard.

Established by an act signed by President Thomas Jefferson in 1802, the U.S. Military Academy stands on the Hudson River at West Point, New York — the oldest continuously occupied military post in the country. Superintendent Sylvanus Thayer (1817–33), the "Father of the Military Academy," built its rigorous, engineering-centered curriculum.

Admission requires a congressional nomination (most often from a U.S. Senator or Representative) plus academic, medical, and physical qualification. Cadets attend tuition-free and commission as Army second lieutenants at graduation. See the full academy application & nomination process →