food for thought...

[LineInTheSand]

Hahaha, good call Luigi.

Truth is, cadets and midshipmen do use "Annapolis" and once you attend an academy "The Academy" is "your academy". When we say "the Academy" we're talking about our academy, never Air Force....I do understand much of the country might refer to AFA as "The Academy" though, but you won't hear non-AFA cadet/midshipmen using "the academy" to describe AFA.

 

[Bombtrack]

Don't look into that too much. It's a good truth. What was the statistic done a couple years ago where some insane number of Americans couldn't even find USA on a world map?!

Unfortunately.......you're right. sigh.


By the way, the Capitol is in Washington D.C., not Maryland....:

I bet most people from MD think Baltimore is the capitol! and not Annapolis.

 

[Christcorp]

One thing that I have also learned after decades in the military; whichever military community the populous is familiar with, is the one they associate with "The Academy". If you speak with people in a town with an air force base; or you're speaking college football and are in the "Mountain West Conference" (Which includes Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, San Diego Ca, and Dallas area of Texas - TCU); then when you mention "The Academy", they automatically associate it with AIR FORCE. And I'm sure that if you were around army bases, or major army communities, the phrase "The Academy" might automatically associate itself with West Point. However; the term West Point seems much more recognized. However; when I worked/visited at Key West Naval Air Station; Rosie Roads PR; Earle Navel Depot N.J. etc...; the pilots (oops, aviators); simply said "The Academy". And if you mentioned "The Academy"; they automatically assumed Annapolis.

 

[raimius]

Yeah, for cadets it is "the academy," "the zoo," "the hill," or "usafa" (as a word). To non-cadets, I usually say, "Air Force Academy."

 

[JustCallMeDan7]

Yeah, for cadets it is "the academy," "the zoo," "the hill," or "usafa" (as a word). To non-cadets, I usually say, "Air Force Academy."

same

 

[Mixmaestro]

I call it "usafa" as a word, too. It's quick and the people I speak with about it immediately understand me.

 

[sprog]

I grew up in Annapolis and live there currently; most of the locals refer to it as the Naval Academy or, as has been stated, the Academy. Interesting that USAFA is called "The Hill." I'm a VMI grad, and that is one of the terms we use for it (also "The I," "The Institute," my personal favorite "The Very Merry," and of course-VMI). I was active duty USAF for 4 years, and most of the guys from AFA called it either "The Academy," "The Zoo," or "USAFA" as one word. I always thought using USAFA as a word was a thing we did as missileers, because we made every acronym into a word (was just our thing). Anyway, I know this probably adds nothing new; just confirming what others have siad.

Generally, too, a lot of folks in Annapolis call the city "Naptown," and we all know that it is the capital of the state. I think Annapolis was pushing 200 (or, at least 150) years old by the time USNA was founded there-so it has a history long before the Navy came. Also, it is not a typical "base town" and although it is very supportive of USNA, it is not dependent on it (unlike, for example, Minot, ND-where I spent 3.5 wonderful years). Also, there is plenty to do in Naptown besides visit USNA-it is one of the prettiest small cities in the US in my opinion, with a vibrant local community. Heck I work in DC and put up with the longer commute because the city is so nice.

 

[America's Finest]

ds



JAM, BTW Bullets cousin who was commissioned from the USNA calls it Annapolis, our friends son attends, class of 12, calls it Annapolis, everyone in Md and VA calls it Annapolis.

I bet most people from MD think Baltimore is the capitol! and not Annapolis.

Our of curiosity do the USMA cadets say they went to the USMA or West Point. Same for graduating do they say USMA or West Point. Most of the Army guys we know would say I went to West Point, not the USMA. Most AFA grads, will say I went to the Academy...or the Zoo, or to a little engineering school in the rockies!

Every single graduate I have spoken to has called it West Point. Most cadets too although some call it USMA pronouncing it "yousma" not saying the letters. Everyone else that doesn't fit those 2 categories has also called it West Point.