United States Coast Guard Academy
United States Coast Guard Academy, situated on the banks of the Thames River in New London, Connecticut, a four-year, degree-granting institution of higher learning that trains young men and women to be officers in the U.S. Coast Guard. It is supported and controlled by the federal government. Cadets (students) must be unmarried and 17 to 22 years of age when admitted. They are selected through competitive examinations.
The academy teaches both academic and naval subjects. They also choose one of several fields for in-depth study. During summers, cadets participate in Coast Guard operations aboard modern ships and the academy's training ship, the Eagle. Graduates are commissioned ensigns in the U.S. Coast Guard and must agree to serve five years. Tuition is free and cadets receive monthly pay for meals, books, and other expenses.
The academy was authorized by Congress in 1876. The Coast Guard cadet training system began in 1876 with the assignment of the Dobbin as a combination training ship, classroom, and sleeping quarters. In 1890, the academy established its first land-based campus in Curtis Bay, Maryland. The campus moved to New London in 1910.