WASHINGTON – The chairman of the House Republican Anti-Woke Caucus sent a letter Monday to Lt. Gen. Stephen Gilland, Superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy, to remove the motto “Duty, Honor, Country” from its mission statement. He questioned West Point’s recent moves. .
“The decision to remove ‘nation’ from USMA’s mission statement is incomprehensible,” Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) said in a letter obtained exclusively by the Post.
Banks acknowledged that “in the updated mission statement, that language has been replaced with ‘Army Values,’ which include loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage.” However, he pointed out that “notably missing from this list are countries.” ”
The sudden exchange drew criticism from some conservatives who saw the new mission statement as an example of military academies pursuing “woke” policies.
Former Vice President Mike Pence also capitalized on the controversy. In a fundraising email on Monday, he asked recipients to vote on a survey about the change before urging them to donate to his political advocacy group, Advancing American Freedom.
Although West Point has said that “country ‘reflects’ loyalty,” Banks said in the letter that he remains concerned about the school’s decision to explicitly remove the word from its mission statement. He said he was holding her.
“In his famous 1962 address to USMA cadets, General Douglas MacArthur warned that ‘unbelievers will say they are but words.'[e]So pedantic that every demagogue, every cynic, every hypocrite, every troublemaker will try to undermine them,” Banks wrote. “I think this decision reflects exactly that prediction.”
West Point spokesman Col. Terrence Kelly said in a statement to the Post last week that changing the school’s mission statement is not unusual, “as we have done nine times over the past century.” Ta.
“Duty Honor Country is West Point’s motto and has been a cornerstone of our culture since 1898,” Kelly said. “We updated our mission statement to include the Army values of loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and personal courage.”
The school also added that the old phrase will still be present at West Point, as it is inscribed on the entrance and displayed on cadets’ uniforms.
Still, Banks asked for further explanation in the letter, explaining why this decision was made because Gilland believes “pride and dedication to America’s national identity is important to West Point cadets.” They asked a series of questions, including whether they were there.
“This is more important than just a few words in a mission statement,” he told the Post on Monday. “This time last year, I wrote “West Point Superintendent” because cadets were being forced to role-play skits about using “preferred pronouns.” Our military academies are the best in the world, and we cannot afford to fall victim to a woke virus that will infect every level of government under the Biden administration. ”
“At any time, you, your West Point colleagues, or any external stakeholders may
mission statement, discussing the possibility that earlier language was perceived as facilitative
“Nationalism?” Banks asked Gilland in the letter.
The Indian, who is also a Naval Reserve officer, also questioned whether the school “inculcates patriotism” in its students and that they are taught that “America is the greatest country in the history of the world.” I asked if it was.
