WEST POINT, NY - The Biden administration's continuing mission to destroy the country continued this week when it was announced that West Point, the prestigious military academy that has graduated many of the country’s top leaders, is removing the words “Duty, Honor, Country” motto from the academy’s mission statement.
Presidents Ulysses S. Grant and Dwight D. Eisenhower graduated from West Point. Two of the Apollo 11 astronauts–Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins–are among graduates, as is former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
The move to remove the motto caught the attention of Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.), chairman of the House Republican “anti-woke” caucus, the New York Post reports. Banks wrote a letter to US Military Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. Steven Gilliland to question the decision.
In a letter obtained exclusively by the Post, Banks said, “I do not understand the decision to remove “Country” from USMA’s mission statement.”
Banks acknowledged that “the updated mission statement replaced the phrase with ‘Army Values,’ which include loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage,” while highlighting the fact that “notably missing from this list is Country.”
This shouldn’t come as a surprise since the Biden administration has set out to destroy the country with every ridiculous policy it enacts, every unhinged lunatic it takes into its administration, and its refusal to stop the unmitigated disaster at the southern border.
Banks wasn’t the only one to express concern about the new mission statement; former Vice President Mike Pence also weighed in, addressing the controversy in a Monday email in which he published a poll asking recipients to vote about the change and then asked for a donation to his political advocacy group, Advancing American Freedom.
West Point blew off the concerns, saying that “County is ‘reflected’ in loyalty,” however Banks remained unsatisfied about dropping the word from its mission statement.
“In his famed 1962 speech to the USMA cadets, General Douglas MacArthur warned that ‘unbelievers will say they are but words,’ and that ‘[e]very pendant, every demagogue, every cynic, every hypocrite, every troublemaker…will try to downgrade them,' Banks continued. I’m afraid this decision reflects that prediction.”
A spokesperson for West Point, Col. Terrence Kelly, told The Post last week that the school has changed the mission statement “nine times in the past century.”
‘Duty Honor Country is West Point’s motto and the foundation of our culture as it has been since 1892,” Kelly said. “We have updated our mission statement to now include the Army Values, loyalty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage.”
The academy also noted that since the old motto is engraved over entrances and displayed on cadets’ uniforms, it would still have a presence at West Point.
Banks was still not satisfied and asked for a further explanation from the academy. He also questioned whether Gilland truly believes “that pride in and devotion to America’s national identity are important for West Point cadets.”
“This is bigger than just a few words in a mission statement,” Banks told The Post earlier this week. This time last year, I wrote to the West Point Superintendent because cadets were being forced to role-play skits about using ‘preferred pronouns.’ Our military academies are the finest in the world and cannot fall victim to the woke virus infecting every level of government under the Biden administration.”
In his letter, Banks asked Gilland, “At any point did you, your colleagues at West Point, or external stakeholders involved in updating the mission statement discuss the possibility that the former language was perceived as promoting nationalism?”
Banks, a member of the Navy Reserve, also asked if West Point “instills patriotism” in its students and whether they are taught that “America is the greatest country in the history of the world.” That would be a stark contrast to what kids are being taught in public schools and colleges, where students are taught that America is a racist country founded on systemic racism.
Such an attitude doesn’t belong anywhere near our military academies.
Comments
2024-03-24T01:24-0500 | Comment by: Deana
Thank you Mr.Banks for deeply caring about our country when those in the whitehouse and in charge could care less...The only thing this administration is doing is causing chaos and more hate and division, so most won't notice what they're actually working on...We will become a 3rd world country soon ...Those of us who have paid attention for years are preparing...This is all by their design...The woke agenda..
2024-03-24T12:35-0500 | Comment by: Laurence
The administrators who are responsible for this should be fired! Duty, Honor and Country are what the armed forces are all about! What do they want to substitute? Dishonor, Disloyalty, and Global?
2024-03-24T15:27-0500 | Comment by: Kevin
The title is misleading. “Duty, Honor, Country” remains the motto. The motto IS NOT changing. The mission statement changes frequently (often when West Point gets a new superintendent), and doesn’t get much attention. The Seven Army Values have been around longer than the mission statement. Every US Army Soldier knows these values.(We have the words and their meanings memorized!) As mentioned in the article, “Country” is included under loyalty. What was omitted, unfortunately, is that “Country” is included under the Army Value of “Selfless Service” (to Country).
2024-03-24T16:26-0500 | Comment by: Robert
Which ignominious liberal(s) is/are responsible for this deletion. Do they not respect this Country? They have no patriotism, none! It appears that Wormuth and George needs to be promptly removed, meaning NLT 3/26/24! Id I were a young man or woman considering West Point, this cowardly act would dissuade my consideration! We sure need President Trump back in office!
2024-03-25T01:00-0500 | Comment by: Kenneth
Duty, Honor, and New World Order that's what this is about and they are dead serious about it; but wait that was just a conspiracy theory....right!? Previous commenters were right, time to hold trials and executions! Before it's too late.
2024-03-25T01:00-0500 | Comment by: Kenneth
Duty, Honor, and New World Order that's what this is about and they are dead serious about it; but wait that was just a conspiracy theory....right!? Previous commenters were right, time to hold trials and executions! Before it's too late.
2024-03-25T01:01-0500 | Comment by: Kenneth
Duty, Honor, and New World Order that's what this is about and they are dead serious about it; but wait that was just a conspiracy theory....right!? Previous commenters were right, time to hold trials and executions! Before it's too late.
2024-03-25T01:02-0500 | Comment by: Kenneth
Posted my comment three times sorry.
2024-03-25T05:35-0500 | Comment by: Jim
Every head involved in this decision should roll.
2024-03-25T07:03-0500 | Comment by: EDWARD
The deletion of the word 'country', from ANY portion of the traditional statements, as well as the 'claim' that it is included under some other 'interpretable' terminology is a subtle but predictable shift away from the specificity of service to/loyalty to/fealty to/self-sacrifice to, your national identity. Erasing countries and separate identities has always been the goal of conquerors and globalists.
2024-03-26T00:05-0500 | Comment by: Garth
"Next will be mission complete." The ghosts of the long grey line are crying balling in volleys according to late General MacArthur and his General Papa from Philipines missions.
2024-03-26T00:05-0500 | Comment by: Garth
"Next will be mission complete." The ghosts of the long grey line are crying balling in volleys according to late General MacArthur and his General Papa from Philipines missions.
2024-03-27T12:57-0500 | Comment by: Robert
As long as the Title 10, US Code continues to be enforced, along with the oath of enlistment... I, _____, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.