# West Point: campus or base? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 9, 2001, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-point-campus-or-base/53819 "2001-02-09T18:12:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jdl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@jdl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jdl)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-point-campus-or-base/53819/1 "2001-02-09T18:12:15Z")
I had the chance to see the Military Academy at West Point last year and was very impressed. It’s a great campus… urr, I mean base. Hmm… I spoke with a cadet at the time who corrected me when I called it a **campus**. I’m not certain what she said the correct word was. It might have been **base** , but I’m pretty sure was something else. (e.g., “We have to be back on base by 11 p.m.”) Can anyone confirm what is the proper name is? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-point-campus-or-base/53819/2 "2001-02-09T19:13:03Z")
Numerous West Point websites seem to refer to it exclusively as The Academy. (See [http://www.usma.edu/](http://www.usma.edu/) ) However, given the military culture of the place, I would not be surprised if it is referred to informally as a base. There is a West Point Base in Alaska, but it does not seem to be military. (See [http://www.airnav.com/airport/KWP](http://www.airnav.com/airport/KWP) ) ---
**Author:** ![Facts\_R\_Us](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c4cdca/32.png) [@Facts\_R\_Us](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Facts_R_Us)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-point-campus-or-base/53819/3 "2001-02-09T19:29:06Z")
Probably, the word was post, not base. The Army has posts. The Navy & Air Force (and probably Marines) have bases. West Point is an Army post, with a post exchange (think Target). Since the USMA is the predominant, if not only, activity there, it has the look and feel of a campus, but make no mistake, the cadets understand the difference. ---
**Author:** ![Yeah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/dbc845/32.png) [@Yeah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeah)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-point-campus-or-base/53819/4 "2001-02-09T19:34:35Z")
Here is the definition of base from the DoD dictionary of military terms at [http://www.dtic.mil/doctrine/jel/doddict/](http://www.dtic.mil/doctrine/jel/doddict/) base (DOD, NATO) 1. A locality from which operations are projected or supported. 2. An area or locality containing installations which provide logistic or other support. See also emergency fleet operating base; establishment. (DOD) 3. Home airfield or home carrier. See also base of operations; facility. IMO, “base” is not a very appropriate term for the USMAWP. I think the cadets just use “base” a convenient term for “military installation” which is what the USMAWP unquestionably is. here is the definition of military installation: military installation (DOD) A base, camp, post, station, yard, center, or other activity under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of a Military Department or,in the case of an activity in a foreign country, under the operational control of the Secretary of a Military Department or the Secretary of Defense. See also base; camp; station. Semi-relevant trivia: not all USAF bases have airplanes or airfields. ---
**Author:** ![JeffB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeffb/32/188_2.png) [@JeffB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JeffB)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-point-campus-or-base/53819/5 "2001-02-09T19:34:43Z")
According the [West Point](http://www.usma.edu/PublicAffairs/history/) web site: > [@](#): > > West Point is the oldest continuously occupied military post in America. At another spot, it says: > [@](#): > > The campus and central post area comprise only a small portion of the nearly 16,000 acre reservation. All of which leads me to believe that it is an official Army post.