Methods of passing down the tactics and arts of war from generation to generation vary based on culture and era. The United States solution, which up to that point relied on foreign instructors, lay in creating the United States Military Academy, located at West Point, New York. Established on the site of a 18th century fortress in 1802, West Point went on to craft most of the nation's military leaders. Cadets are selected for training via a diverse number of methods, including competitive and non-competitive methods. Graduates earn the commission as Second Lieutenants and receive a Bachelor of Science degree. One paramount function of this institution is to stay current in the practice of warfare, typically by having officers from previous conflicts become instructors.