Imperial Academy

This article is about the Imperial Academy. You may be looking for other academies.

Imperial training academy — Biggs Darklighter trained at an Imperial Academy.

"...So don't just dream about applying for the Academy, make it come true! You can find a career in space: Exploration, Starfleet, or Merchant Service. If you have the right stuff to take on the universe, dispatch your application and join the ranks of the proud!"

―Advertisement from an Imperial Space Academy Recruitment tape^[src]

The Imperial Academy was a military training program managed by the Galactic Empire which evolved from the Galactic Republic's own Academy system.

History

During the time of the Republic the Academy had been an elite educational institution that trained youths to become members of the Exploration, Military, and Merchant Services.^[1]

Under Palpatine's direction the Empire reformed the Academy and incorporated other institutions used by planetary defense forces and the Judicial Department. It established campuses on many planets throughout the galaxy, producing stormtroopers for the Stormtrooper Corps and officers for both the Imperial Navy and the Imperial Army.

In 19 BBY, General Gentis was headmaster of the combined Imperial Academies, and was succeeded by Grand Moff Trachta after the former was executed for his failed coup.^[2]

Following the Battle of Endor and the Declaration of a New Republic, many planets associated with the Academy fell under New Republic control. The loss of the prestigious Core World of Anaxes and the Navy War College in 9 ABY badly-damaged Imperial hopes of reconquest.^[3] Thereafter the quality of Imperial recruits declined, and the Imperial Navy was forced to make increasing use of recruits trained on the job, and were even forced to order conscription raids to press men into service.^[4]

The Academy of Carida, a major stormtrooper training facility, ceased to exist in 11 ABY when Carida was destroyed by the renegade Jedi Kyp Durron with the Sun Crusher. The Imperial Naval Academy on Prefsbelt IV, however, remained under the control of the Imperial Remnant after the Pellaeon–Gavrisom Treaty.

Organization

Intake

Prospective cadets for the Navy or Army began their applications at the sector level, attending regional military schools, pilot institutes, or training academies that varied in quality across the galaxy. A number of these schools were accredited by the Empire, and the facilities for the two arms of the military were known respectively as Sector Naval Academies and Imperial Army Officer Training Academies. Here they completed tasks such as an AT-ST pilot testing procedure. After passing out, cadets were required to dispatch their application to the Screening Office of the Imperial Academy in their sector.^[5] Here, intake officers would assign cadets to a specific academy and would recommend the duration and nature of their initial training programme.^[6] According to Admiral Wullf Yularen of the Imperial Security Bureau, the academy system was responsible for creating superior officers in the Imperial Military (although Han Solo, himself a former graduate of the academy system, disputed that claim), and some of the academies were so classified that only members of Imperial Command knew of their existence, while others are renowned names dating back centuries.^[7]

Officer training

Cadets with top scores were invited to take entrance exams for the main service academies, where the Empire trained its most promising Officer Candidates. Each service had its own main academy, supported by a number of schools for specialists, cross-commission training, research and development, and investigations into strategic analysis and theory.^[8]

The Raithal Academy was the Imperial Army's most prestigious Army training institution, located on Raithal in the Colonies. It taught a one-year training programme that included both simulations and live-fire drills on drop camps across a variety of planets. After completing training, most graduates of Raithal would be assigned to the Corulag Academy, though the most promising might or those seeking specialized Army careers be assigned to the Academy of Carida.^[9]

The Imperial Naval Academy was the premier center for training for the fleet. Based on Prefsbelt IV, its location was officially classified, and taught Midshipmen tactical simulations and leadership before assigning them to active service rotations as Ensigns. Most cadets entered Naval service after a three-year course at Prefsbelt, but some did shorter courses before shifting to flight school or continuing their studies at one of the three advanced academies.^[10]

Specialist training

The three specialized military schools were the Corulag Academy, the Academy of Carida, and the Anaxes War College. Corulag was ranked second behind Raithal in prestige by some, and provided additional training to Navy Midshipmen, Army Cadets, flight school pilots. and specialists from all Imperial services, with an emphasis on active training. The War College, based at Anaxes Citadel, had been considered the embodiment of naval tradition for centuries, and offered active training and combat simulations. It also served as a think tank for promising cadets and active-duty Imperial officers, and tested new warships and equipment for the Imperial Navy in training cruises. Finally, the Academy of Carida was a major stormtrooper training facility, which used the planet's high gravity to build tougher, more resilient troopers. Numerous Army, Navy and flight school cadets also spent semesters there. Carida also housed the Officer's Candidate School and the Imperial Engineers Academy.^[11]

Training for TIE pilots occurred separately, and subsequent to the Academy, at a flight school, typically located aboard a Star Destroyer. Flight training was reserved for the top graduates of the Sector Naval Academies and Prefsbelt, and was rarely done in a fixed location. The most prestigious was the Flight Academy housed aboard the Venator-class Star Destroyer Vensenor.^[12]

Two other Imperial Military academies attracted cadets, though they were far less prestigious than Raithal and Prefsbelt. The Imperial Exploration Academy was located on the Inner Rim world of Vanik and trained scouts for the Imperial Survey Corps. The Imperial Merchant Galactic Academy on Rhinnal trained personnel for the Merchant Galactic and the Imperial Supply Fleet.^[13]

Branches

Behind the scenes

In The Imperial Sourcebook, the Raithal Academy and the Imperial Naval Academy were established as the most prestigious branch of the Imperial Academy for Imperial Army and Imperial Navy cadets. The appearance of the Academy of Carida in the Jedi Academy Trilogy does not contradict this: Carida is described as the premier training facility for the Stormtrooper Corps, although Navy and probably Army cadets could also be assigned there.

The location of the Imperial Naval Academy has never been defined in canon, but Coruscant and the Core Worlds hints that it is located on Anaxes. Similarly, The Essential Guide to Warfare implies that it was located on Prefsbelt IV.