History Main / MilitaryAcademy

* In ''Literature/StarshipTroopers'' the protagonist attends an officer commissioning school. This is not a four-year program, because the character is an excellent enlisted soldier attempting to move up in his career.

* ''Series/{{JAG}}'': Several of the main characters are graduates of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD.

** United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado. Famous for being the newest major academy, its beautiful chapel, and [[BlingOfWar fantastic cadets' uniforms]] designed by Creator/CecilBDeMille. It is also responsible for training officers of the US Space Force, which is part of the Department of the Air Force and does not have its own academy.

** United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland: Trains Navy officers, as well as [[SemperFi Marine]] officers, since as a part of the Department of the Navy they do not have their own academy (though they do have their own Officer Candidate School).

*** Staff colleges train high ranking officers seeking to become commanding cadre of the military. The US Army Command and General Staff college, for example, trains Army majors expected to take on command positions. The War College trains colonels expected to become generals.

** There are 6 Senior Military Colleges ([=SMCs=]) across the US, approved by Congress. Among them are Texas A&M, Virginia Tech, Virginia Military Institute, Norwich, The Citadel, and North Georgia. Some are strictly military schools, while others allow civilians.

*** Virginia Military Institute is the last SMC that does not accept any civilians in any form, and also is the only one that awards only bachelor's degrees. VMI was the last to admit no women until [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._Virginia ordered to take female cadets by the Supreme Court]].

* ''WebOriginal/AscensionAcademy'': Ascension Academy is an Officer Training School that aims to produce the finest Officers for the Cross-Allied Forces' Specialist Units. The Cadets of this Academy are trained in combat, survival skills, diplomacy and negotiation, and in the use of various magics. By the end of their four years of education and training the Cadets should be capable of moving into the Specialist Units of the CAF, or to take on other roles within the Forces or within their home nations. Many nobles send their children to the Academy for advanced education to make them better leaders. The Academy's true purpose however, forgotten by most of the world, is to protect the Door to the Darkness' prison. The last time the Darkness was free during the Dark War, over 80% of the world's population was lost. The price of failure is high.

[[quoteright:350:[[VideoGame/ValkyriaChroniclesII https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/military_academy.jpg]]]]

Essentially, the school where a military officer learns his or her trade, that of leading enlisted servicemembers into combat. A college-level military academy trains future officers in military tactics and strategy. They also do non-military coursework and get practical military experience in areas such as marksmanship. In fiction, these academies are popular for their ability to combine various SchoolTropes with MilitaryAndWarfareTropes and allow for use of the various plots and characters that come with both settings.

* Officer Training/Candidate School (OCS/OTS): A shorter course intended for officer candidates who already have a Bachelor's Degree and merely need the military training necessary to function as an officer. Often used for [[GentlemenRankers educated enlisted servicemembers]] [[UpThroughTheRanks to advance to the Officer's ranks]]. This style of academy is the closest to a [[BootCampEpisode Basic Training or Boot Camp]] for officers. Very popular during large wars where the existing officer corps is too small, and/or the traditional academy too slow, to effectively command all parts of a military that is rapidly expanding or having to replace heavy combat losses. Occasionally, a military may have an OCS or OTS as the ''only'' method by which one can become an officer, essentially forcing all officers to come up through the ranks.
* Staff College: Effectively, military graduate school. Where officers are trained in the administrative and policy areas of their profession, for high-level command, perhaps even General or Flag rank. Also attracts the more academically minded officers, who may do research and write articles on military history or theories. These may also be open to civilians (typically career diplomats and defense officials approaching the highest echelons of their fields) and foreign military officers. It is not at all uncommon for serious academic research into military strategy, tactics, national security studies and international relations to come out of a military staff college.

* ''Anime/VoltesV'': Prince Heinel attended the Boazanian Institute of Military Sciences and Warfare, knowing that he had little chance across the ruling noblity (despite being the Prince). He ended up being their best student and graduated as their top cadet, and as a result, was chosen to lead the Earthern Invasion Force, much to the chagrin of [[spoiler: Zaki, Zuhl and Belgan]].

* A large number of these show up in ''TabletopGame/{{BattleTech}}'', including Sandhurst. Any major power has three or four, each of which train elite officers, though usually the one on the Capital world is the most prestigious.

** The Terran Confederacy - and later the Dominion - has the Ghost Academy, which is used to train psychic candidates into SuperSoldiers known as Ghosts. ''StarCraft Ghost: Nova'' and ''StarCraft: Ghost Academy'' depicted the Academy during Nova's training days.

Essentially, the school where a military officer learns his or her trade, that of leading enlisted servicemembers into combat. A college-level military academy trains future officers in military tactics and strategy. They also do non-military coursework and get practical military experience in areas such marksmanship. In fiction, these academies are popular for their ability to combine various SchoolTropes with MilitaryAndWarfareTropes and allow for use of the various plots and characters that come with both settings.

* Several mentioned in the VideoGame/WingCommander series, one of which is the core of a mission generator package (''VideoGame/WingCommander Academy'', [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin naturally enough]]). In the cartoon (also called ''WesternAnimation/WingCommanderAcademy''), Blair, Maniac, and some others are finishing up their time at the TCSF Academy, with their cadet cruise being aboard the ''Tiger's Claw''.

* The Lanseal Military Academy serves as the main hub for ''VideoGame/ValkyriaChroniclesII''.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Xenogears}}'', Jugend was the Solaris-based military academy attended by Elly and the Elements (Dominia, Kelvena, Seraphita, and Tolone), in addition to [[spoiler:Citan, Sigurd, Jessie, and Ramsus]] in their youth before becoming the Elements squad preceding the current one.

* ''{{VideoGame/Starcraft}}'': The Terran Academy is required to use specialist infantry and also researches infantry abilities.

Essentially, the school where a military officer learns his or her trade, that of leading enlisted servicemembers into combat. In fiction, these academies are popular for their ability to combine various SchoolTropes with MilitaryAndWarfareTropes and allow for use of the various plots and characters that come with both settings.

* Traditional Military Academy: Where students are taught to be officers, typically while simultaneously achieving a Bachelor's Degree. Students at traditional military academies are subject to military disciplinary and uniform standards "full time", unless on leave away from the academy, and are called [[UsefulNotes/CommonMilitaryRanks Cadets or Midshipmen]].

* Staff College: Effectively, military graduate school. Where officers are trained in the administrative and policy areas of their profession, for high-level command, perhaps even General or Flag rank. Also attracts the more academically minded officers, who may write articles there. These may also be open to civilians (typically career diplomats and defense officials approaching the highest echelons of their fields) and foreign military officers. It is not at all uncommon for serious academic research into military strategy, tactics, national security studies and international relations to come out of a military staff college.

This should not be confused with Basic Training or Boot Camp, which is a crash course for turning civilians into enlisted soldiers. Basic Training is aimed at the lowest common denominator and is intended to teach the most basic military skills; typically they take a few months to complete at most, whereas a military academy typically takes several months or years to create a new officer. [[EnsignNewbie (Not that it always helps them succeed right away!)]] Compare with MilitarySchool, which is a military institutional environment for junior high and high school students that typically does not graduate its students directly into the military. Also compare SpaceCadetAcademy, which is a Military Academy InSpace.

* Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC): A form of "part-time" military academy, where a student attends a normal civilian college or university, but additionally participates in frequent military training and additional military-related classes throughout the school year. They are then commissioned as Second Lieutenant officers shortly after graduation. In fiction, this is often fertile ground for plots that contrast the experiences of the ROTC cadets/midshipmen with their civilian classmates, for good or ill.

* Traditional Military Academy: Where students are taught to be officers, typically while simultaneously achieving a Bachelor's Degree. In real life this is known as the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC), and students are awarded the rank of Second Lieutenant upon graduating. Students at traditional military academies are subject to military disciplinary and uniform standards "full time", unless on leave away from the academy, and are called [[UsefulNotes/CommonMilitaryRanks Cadets or Midshipmen]].
* Reserve Officer Training Corps: A form of "part time" military academy, where a student attends a normal civilian college or university, but additionally participates in frequent military training and additional military-related classes throughout the school year. They are then commissioned as officers shortly after graduation. In fiction, this is often fertile grounds for plots that contrast the experiences of the ROTC cadets/midshipmen with their civilian classmates, for good or ill.

** The Army, Navy, and Air Force run Reserve Officer Training Corps programs at civilian universities around the country. The majority of the Cadets/Midshipmen at these units have scholarships granted by the armed services, allowing them to both attend prestigious universities at no/low cost and have a guaranteed job as an officer upon graduation.

* Traditional Military Academy: Where students are taught to be officers, typically while simultaneously achieving a Bachelor's Degree. In this real life this is known as the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC), and students are awarded the rank of Second Lieutenant upon graduating. Students at traditional military academies are subject to military disciplinary and uniform standards "full time", unless on leave away from the academy, and are called [[UsefulNotes/CommonMilitaryRanks Cadets or Midshipmen]].

* Traditional Military Academy: Where students are taught to be officers, typically while simultaneously achieving a Bachelor's Degree. Students at traditional military academies are subject to military disciplinary and uniform standards "full time", unless on leave away from the academy, and are called [[UsefulNotes/CommonMilitaryRanks Cadets or Midshipmen]].

* Will/Ed in ''VideoGame/AdvanceWars: Dark Conflict''/Days Of Ruin (damn inconsistent dubs) was attending a military school before [[AfterTheEnd the meteor shower]] and was the only survivor.

** The Ecole Polytechnique in Paris, while it is an university specializing in science and engineering, retains a heavy military character. The students are technically officers, undergo military training, and wear a very sweet 19th century officer uniform (with a [[NiceHat bicorn]] and a sword). The school banner is also entitled to be emblazoned with the battle honour "Paris 1814", as the students participated in the (ultimately futile) defence of Paris from the armies of the [[UsefulNotes/TheNapoleonicWars Sixth Coalition]] in March 1814.

* In ''Anime/LegendOfGalacticHeroes'', the Free Planets Alliance Officer Academy is one such institution, with prospective students enrolled as officer cadets and receive free undergraduate education, provided that they stay in the military upon graduation. That's how Wen-Li ended in the military — his greatest dream was to study history, but he didn't have money for college, so he enlisted to do it on a Nation's dime. And [[FourStarBadass damn did he excel at it]]!

* The main setting of ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses'' is the Officers Academy at Garreg Mach Monastery, located at the centre of the continent of Fódlan. It’s operated by one of the most powerful institutions on the continent, the Church of Seiros, and the students of the academy are tasked with putting down threats to the peace, from bandit attacks to rebellions against the church. Early on the player chooses from one of three classes of students to instruct in the ways of combat and leadership, and it is where the player spends most of their downtime.

* In the WesternAnimation/{{Daria}} ExpandedUniverse (specifically, the FanFic series 'Legion of Lawndale Heroes'), there is the United States Academy for Extranormal Studies. The academy (or 'the Axe' as it's also known) also incorporates elements of AcademyOfAdventure, EducationThroughPyrotechnics (read up on ''Zero Area'', where the REALLY powerful students train), MeasuringDay (the word for this is 'Ow'), SuperheroSchool and WakeUpGoToSchoolSaveTheWorld (where '' 'The Alliance' '' comes in).

[[folder:Web Original]]
* ''WebOriginal/AscensionAcademy'': Ascension Academy is an Officer Training School that aims to produce the finest Officers for the Cross-Allied Forces' Specialist Units. The Cadets of this Academy are trained in combat, survival skills, diplomacy and negotiation, and in the use of various magics. By the end of their four years of education and training the Cadets should be capable of moving into the Specialist Units of the CAF, or to take on other roles within the Forces or within their home nations. Many nobles send their children to the Academy for advanced education to make them better leaders. The Academy's true purpose however, forgotten by most of the world, is to protect the Door to the Darkness' prison. The last time the Darkness was free during the Dark War, over 80% of the world's population was lost. The price of failure is high.
[[/folder]]

* In ''Manga/GunkaNoBaltzer'', Baselland's Royal Military Academy takes in teenagers as cadets for three years and graduates them as regular or reserve officers. [[spoiler:When an uprising happens the students (rather than the regular army or police) are mustered to quell the insurgents.]]

* In ''Manga/GunkaNoBalzer'', Baselland's Royal Military Academy takes in teenagers as cadets for three years and graduates them as regular or reserve officers. [[spoiler:When an uprising happens the students (rather than the regular army or police) are mustered to quell the insurgents.]]

* In P.C. Hodgell's ''Literature/ChroniclesOfTheKencyrath'' series, book 4, ''To Ride a Rathorn'', has heroine Jame enrolled at Tentir, the Kencyr military academy, training to be a randon (the Kencyr word for officer). The two following books follows her further adventures at Tentir.

*** Vermont Military Institute is the last SMC that does not accept any civilians in any form, and also is the only one that awards only bachelor's degrees. VMI was the last to admit no women until [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._Virginia ordered to take female cadets by the Supreme Court]].

* You start out in one of these during the 'Chronicles of the Sword' custom player mode in ''VideoGame/SoulCalibur 3'.

This should not be confused with Basic Training or Boot Camp, which is a crash course for turning civilians into enlisted soldiers. Basic Training is aimed at the lowest common denominator and is intended to teach the most basic military skills; typically they take a few months to complete at most, whereas a military academy typically takes several months or years to create a new officer [[EnsignNewbie (not that it always helps them succeed right away!)]]. Compare with MilitarySchool, which is a military institutional environment for junior high and high school students that typically does not graduate its students directly into the military. Also compare SpaceCadetAcademy, which is a Military Academy InSpace.

* The Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse sometimes features military academies, usually those belonging to the Empire. Just how Rebels get trained isn't often shown; most characters we get to know tend to have gone through the Imperial system or sometimes a neutral third-party state's equivalent before lighting out and signing on with the Rebellion, and being LaResistance and therefore somewhat MildlyMilitary in character -not to mention being [[NoBudget chronically short of funds]] most of the time- the Rebels might not actually ''have'' an equivalent.