Thunder1

TurboDog,

You are correct that DCA can be defined as meeting the definition of an "Academy", ie:
1.a secondary or high school, esp. a private one.
2.a school or college for special instruction or training in a subject: a military academy.
3.an association or institution for the advancement of art, literature, or science:the National Academy of Sciences
4.a group of authorities and leaders in a field of scholarship, art, etc., who are often permitted to dictate standards, prescribe methods, and criticize new ideas.

However, many professional pilots, both military and civilian, will assume that you went to a U.S. Military Academy if you say that you went to "The Academy." Many military personnel commonly refer to the US Military Academy as "West Point", the US Naval Academy as "Annapolis" and The US Air Force Academy simply as "The Academy".

Also, to compare DCA to one of the military academies is truly comparing apples to oranges. The purpose of the US Military Academies, as USMCFLYR has pointed out, is to develop and train military officers -- some of whom are fortunate enough to end up in military aviation. The military academies are 4 years long and lead to an accredited college bachelors degree with most graduates earning 160+ college credit hours in 4 grueling years; as compared to most civilian colleges where a bachelors degree only requires approx. 120 credit hours. It is only after that 4 year life altering experience that the lucky ones get the opportunity to go through a formal military flight training program leading to the award of US military pilot wings.

In a nutshell, to compare DCA flight training to any US military academy graduate who has then gone on to military flight school is a joke. You will have to learn to deal with the reality that the term "Academy" to a lot of people implies a graduate of one of the U.S. Military Academies.

Cheers!

Thunder1