CADET LIFE
Although students at Army and Navy Academy are called cadets in keeping with our campus’s proud military traditions, residential life at the Academy has a great deal in common with programs at other elite private boarding schools. Many of the strongest bonds between young men at the Academy are forged outside of the classroom. What makes us different, beyond our beachfront location, is our focus on mentorship and virtue development outside of the classroom, a cornerstone of our efforts to forge virtue in young men for life.
RESIDENTIAL LIFE MENTORSHIP
Our residential life program at Army and Navy Academy is boldly different and offers unique benefits for our students, called cadets. Cadets are organized into companies. There are special companies for interests, like Band and Flight Companies, which honor the efforts of our marching band and aviation students.
Each company is advised by a residential life officer referred to as a TAC (trainer, advisor, coach) Officer. TACs are trained in child development, and many have prior military service. They are responsible for providing supportive mentorship and guidance to cadets, and also help ensure accountability and discipline.
Put simply, TACs are responsible for educating and supporting our young men in behaviors meant to set them up for success in life, like managing time effectively and engaging in healthy relationships with peers.
LIVING ON CAMPUS
The Academy has seven dormitories, each with its own unique charm, such as Crean Hall’s beach views. Some cadets also reside in classic cottages across campus.
Factoring in student interests and requests, room assignments are based on a student’s company. Most dormitories have rooms that house two students each, but Anderson Hall has larger rooms built to be shared by three students. As cadets make friends and develop relationships across the Corps, we endeavor to place them with roommates of their choice whenever possible.
We empower cadets to manage the dorms under the guidance of their TACs. They are responsible for keeping their rooms and common areas clean, and can personalize their rooms within the guidelines of our Cadet Guidebook. Dormitories are an important home away from home for all of our boarding students.
DEVELOPING LEADERS
Students at Army and Navy Academy are called cadets in line with the military tradition of our organization. They are members of the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps. This national program for youth leadership development teaches essential life skills with an eye toward cultivating character in young people. The cornerstone of this program is Leadership Education and Training (LET), a required class woven into the academic day. The Academy is nationally recognized as an Honor Unit with Distinction, marking our school as one of the best in the nation for this life-defining curriculum.
THE CORPS OF CADETS
The Academy’s student body is organized into a Corps of Cadets, a structured, Cadet-led organization designed to promote brotherhood, teamwork, and success. Our unique environment is different from most other schools students have experienced. Cadets begin as members of the Corps, but during their time at the Academy, they progress through leadership milestones to develop the skills necessary to take on the challenges of the next sequential leadership position. Seniors, or First Classmen, are responsible for running the Corps and training new Cadets.
LIFE BY THE BEACH
Located in Carlsbad Village, the Academy is the only military boarding school in the United States with a surf team and a private beachfront. Our recreation hall, the primary hub for cadets outside of classes, sports, and their dorm rooms, has panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean and our beachside barbecque area. We open the beach daily during recreational time and keep students safe with the aid of our highly trained staff of lifeguards.
Students who prefer freshwater adventures enjoy our full-size swimming pool, which hosts our successful water polo and swim teams. We also open the pool for free swim when those teams are out of season, and it is often used for weekend and afternoon activities.
ATHLETIC FACILITIES
Keeping mentally and physically fit is one of the key pillars to success as a cadet. The Academy encourages every student to participate in our growing slate of junior varsity and varsity athletic programs, but we also recognize the value of extracurricular physical activities for young men.
Our state-of-the-art athletic facilities include two weight rooms, tennius courts, a wrestling studio, indoor and outdoor basketball courts, indoor and beach volleyball courts, our pool, an archery range, a baseball field and batting cages, and beautiful turf fields used for football, soccer, and lacrosse. Students also have access to an off-site indoor ice-skating rink for open skate and ice hockey. Students can access all on-campus fitness facilities during recreational time.