(UnitedVoice.com) – The US Military Academy at West Point is more than 220 years old. It has educated and trained some of the most important military members in history. The school is now being accused of going woke.
Since 1898, the motto of West Point has been “Duty, Honor, Country.” The phrase is drilled into the heads of cadets. Every once in a while, the academy updates its mission statement. In 1998, it added the academy’s motto, “Duty, Honor, Country,” to it, and it has remained for almost 30 years.
On March 11, West Point Superintendent Lt. Gen. Steven Gilland announced the new mission statement would say, “To build, educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets […] ready for a lifetime of service to the Army and Nation.” The superintendent stated that “Duty, Honor, Country is foundational” and will remain the motto of the academy forever. The academy stated the new cadets will be grounded in “Army values.”
Gilland explained that the motto “Duty, Honor, Country” isn’t just a catchphrase, it “defines” the graduates and institution. He pointed out that the words bind them all together over the history of the academy.
The change to the mission statement sparked outrage. Commentators accused West Point of “going woke.” One social media user claimed the new mission statement was going to “alienate the normal citizenry from the armed forces.”
I cant imagine a more convincing way to alienate the normal citizenry from the armed forces than to hire a PR firm to cook up a replacement for "Duty Honor Country" with "army values." pic.twitter.com/GcrnLb22Hp
— Miles Smith IV (@IVMiles) March 13, 2024
Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA) accused President Joe Biden of pulling the words from the mission statement. The president does not play any role in the development of the academy’s mission statements.
Our southern border is controlled by cartels, criminals are ravaging our cities, we cannot afford groceries, the world is at war, we’ve abandoned our 6th American Embassy in 3 years, 300K Americans are dead from cartel drugs, and now Biden is pulling “Duty, Honor, Country”… pic.twitter.com/GZgHFWDwMA
— Rep. Clay Higgins (@RepClayHiggins) March 13, 2024
Other social media users confused the more than 200-year-old motto with the often-updated mission statement.
The hollowing of our military is progressing at breakneck speed. West Point is removing “Duty, Honor, Country” from its motto. Would you send your sons and daughters to West Point now? pic.twitter.com/je3OqNJ5ao
— @amuse (@amuse) March 13, 2024
The Associated Press reported West Point spokesperson Terence Kelley dismissed the accusations, saying the academy has updated its mission statement “nine times in the past century.” He said “Army values” include personal courage, duty, selfless service, honor, loyalty, and integrity.
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