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The world's most prestigious military colleges and academies have trained and educated some of history's most celebrated and decorated figures from the armed forces. Many of these schools were established well over a hundred years ago as institutions focused on discipline, leadership, and character development. Their graduates, tested to the limit of physical and mental ability, went on to serve their countries with distinction. Today, entry into a top military establishment is equally as competitive and demanding, with many acceptance rates less than 10%. So, where do only the toughest and brightest end up?
Click on and take a march through the world's most prestigious military academies.
Established in 1802, the United States Military Academy at West Point in Virginia is the oldest and most prestigious military academy in North America, if not the world.
West Point's alumni includes some of America's most distinguished military leaders, among them Ulysses S. Grant, Dwight D. Eisenhower, George Patton and Douglas MacArthur.
West Point's selection process is notoriously tough. Those admitted are straight A students expected to have stellar academic qualities, strong leadership skills, and be in peak physical condition.
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst is the British Army's initial officer training center. The college was founded in 1947 on the site of the Royal Military College, itself established in 1801.
British statesman Winston Churchill (pictured) numbers among those who passed through Sandhurst. Several members of the British royal family have also excelled at Sandhurst, including William, Prince of Wales and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex.
Sandhurst has trained the leaders of the British army—and armies further afield—for 200 years. The first five weeks of training focus on basic military skills, fitness, and decision making. Prince Charles (now King Charles III) is pictured inspecting the officer cadets during the Sovereign's Parade in 2015.
Based at Annapolis in Maryland, the United States Naval Academy was established in 1845. The entire campus, known colloquially as the Yard, is a National Historic Landmark and home to many historic sites, buildings, and monuments.
The Naval Academy has been educating officers from the US Navy and Marine Corps for over 170 years. Notable graduates include former US president Jimmy Carter, and over 50 astronauts, six of whom flew to the Moon. Pictured is a 1917 graduation exercise.
Admission standards at the United States Naval Academy are very rigorous. Its prestigious program is both challenging and selective, with an acceptance rate of just 8%.
Originally established as a naval aviation training center during World War I, RAF College Cranwell near Sleaford in Lincolnshire, England, became the world's first air academy in 1919.
During World War II, the college was closed and its facilities used as a flying training school. The wartime flying ace Sir Douglas Bader trained at RAF Cranwell. King Charles III underwent training as a jet pilot at Cranwell, but did his officer training at Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth.
Training at Cranwell involves a challenging 24-week course designed to develop leadership and management skills and to select the next generation of RAF officers.
Established in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte and originally based in Fontainebleau, France, the Saint-Cyr Military Academy moved to its present home at Morbihan in Brittany in 1945.
Charles de Gaulle graduated from the academy as a commissioned officer in 1912, and would have been put through the same rigorous training program as today's cadets, including running Saint-Cyr's infamous assault course in full kit.
The prestigious history and reputation of this military academy is such that out of the 3,000 or so that apply each year for Saint-Cyr, only 180 are selected.
The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) is located in Colorado Springs, and was established in 1954. It's another one of the country's leading military schools.
The USAFA counts among its alumni individuals from the worlds of academia, politics, business, and sport. A graduate familiar to many is Sully Sullenberger, the civilian airline pilot best known for his actions as captain of US Airways Flight 1549 that he ditched in the Hudson River in 2009. Image: US Air Force.
As expected, admission to the United States Air Force Academy is competitive: only around 10% of applicants are successful. In fact, the USAFA is one of the most competitive schools in the nation.
Set on a hill overlooking the port of Dartmouth in Devon, Britannia Royal Naval College started the training of naval officers in 1863. Commonly referred to as Dartmouth, the college is one of the United Kingdom's most prestigious military seats of learning.
Prince Philip, Duke Edinburgh and Prince Andrew rank among British royalty who have graduated from Dartmouth. A far more notorious graduate was Guy Burgess, a member of the Cambridge Five spy ring that operated from the mid-1930s to the early years of the Cold War era.
Cadets accepted for officer training at Dartmouth can expect a grueling two-part course that will challenge both mental and physical resolve. The British Royal Navy is one of the most celebrated military services in the world and training for a life at sea will test the limits of even the best-prepared cadets.
Located in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, the National Defense Academy of Japan opened in 1952 as the National Safety Academy and was renamed the National Defense Academy the following year.
Its aim is to educate and train students who will be serving as officers in the three services of the Japan Self-Defense Forces. Interestingly, former American secretary of state Condoleezza Rice had a three-week visiting professorship at the academy in 1984, an experience she recalled in her 2010 memoir 'Extraordinary, Ordinary People.'
An entrance exam is not required to join the National Defense Academy of Japan, but all applicants must be Japanese citizens. Pictured are graduates throwing their caps in the air after their graduation ceremony.
Established in 1876, the Royal Military College of Canada commands a position on the Point Frederick peninsula in Kingston, Ontario.
The Royal Military College of Canada is the oldest degree-granting military college in the Commonwealth. But obtaining this qualification is anything but easy. It's a highly selective institution, with an acceptance rate of just over 10%.
Since its founding, most of Canada's high-ranking military officers have passed through the college. An individual of note is Kate Armstrong, who graduated as a captain and who later authored 'The Stone Frigate: The Royal Military College's First Female Cadet Speaks,' published in 2019.
Founded in 1946, the Korea Military Academy based in Seoul, South Korea, is the country's premier military academy.
During the Korean War, General James Van Fleet, drafted in from West Point, proposed an academy with a four-year course modeled after the highly prestigious Virginia-based military academy. It's this program that cadets follow today.
South Korea's conscripted soldiers are well-trained and well-disciplined. Officers therefore serve as important role models, and the academy produces the largest number of senior officers in the South Korean army.
Based at Canberra, the nation's capital, the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) provides military and academic education for junior officers.
Founded in 1986, the ADFA is essentially a tri-service military academy offering entry into either the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Australian Army, or the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).
ADFA's academic education is run by the University of New South Wales. Military training begins with a rigorous five-week introduction course. Pass this and cadets move on to Year One Familiarization Training.
Sources: (National Park Service) (France 24)
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The world's most prestigious military academies
Where do only the toughest and brightest cadets graduate from?
LIFESTYLE Armed forces
The world's most prestigious military colleges and academies have trained and educated some of history's most celebrated and decorated figures from the armed forces. Many of these schools were established well over a hundred years ago as institutions focused on discipline, leadership, and character development. Their graduates, tested to the limit of physical and mental ability, went on to serve their countries with distinction. Today, entry into a top military establishment is equally as competitive and demanding, with many acceptance rates less than 10%. So, where do only the toughest and brightest end up?
Click on and take a march through the world's most prestigious military academies.