West Point accused of DEI-driven cover up in mission statement change
A conservative judicial and government watchdog group is raising concerns about the United States Military Academy’s decision to swap its mission statement from “duty, honor, country” to “Army Values” in 2024. The group, Judicial Watch, claims that the school engaged in a “cover up” scheme to advance a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) agenda.
On March 11, 2024, West Point Superintendent Lt. Gen. Steven Gilland announced the change, stating that while “duty, honor, country” would remain the school’s motto, the mission statement would now include “Army Values.” Judicial Watch obtained documents through a Freedom of Information Act request that revealed a memo from Gilland instructing speakers to avoid using terms like “removed” or “replaced” when discussing the mission statement change.
The watchdog group argues that the talking points document implies that DEI initiatives played a role in the mission statement change, despite the memo not explicitly connecting the two. Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton criticized the leadership under the Biden administration for allegedly trying to cover up the DEI agenda behind the change.
However, the memo also urged speakers to push back against the narrative that the change was politically motivated. It emphasized that “Army Values” includes “duty” and “honor,” along with loyalty, respect, selfless service, integrity, and personal courage. Gilland clarified that the term “country” is reflected in the value of loyalty, which includes allegiance to the U.S. Constitution and the Army.
West Point’s new mission statement reads: “To build, educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets to be commissioned leaders of character committed to the Army Values and ready for a lifetime of service to the Army and Nation.” This marks the ninth change to the school’s mission statement in the past century, with “duty, honor, country” being added in 1998.
Republicans, like Sen. Ted Cruz, have advocated for incorporating “duty, honor, country” back into the mission statement. Cruz expressed concerns that removing these core values risked eroding the foundation of American military leadership. Despite the controversy, West Point maintains that its focus on developing leaders of character remains unchanged.
The U.S. Military Academy at West Point is a prestigious institution that trains students to become military officers in the U.S. Army. The school’s mission statement is a reflection of its values and commitment to producing leaders of character dedicated to serving their country.
