West Point military academy drops 'Duty, Honor, Country' motto from its mission statement - as furious veterans' slam 'progressive ideology' for eroding tradition

The U.S. Military Academy at West Point has dropped the motto 'Duty, Honor, Country' from its mission statement, as veterans' slam 'progressive ideology' for eroding tradition. 

The phrase, which was added in 1998, will be replaced with the words 'Army Values,' according to Superintendent Lt. Gen. Steve Gilland.  

The lieutenant general claimed the new mission statement 'binds the Academy to the Army,' while 'Duty, Honor, Country' is foundational to the United States Military Academy's culture and 'will always remain our motto.'

In a statement addressed to West Point cadets on Monday Gilland wrote, 'Our responsibility to produce leaders to fight and win our nation's wars requires us to assess ourselves regularly.' 

'Thus, over the past year and a half, working with leaders from across West Point and external stakeholders, we reviewed our vision, mission, and strategy to serve this purpose,' the letter continued. 

The U.S. Military Academy at West Point has dropped the motto 'Duty, Honor, Country' from its mission statement, as veterans' slam 'progressive ideology' for eroding tradition

The phrase, which was introduced in 1998, will be replaced with the words 'Army Values,' according to Superintendent Lt. Gen. Steve Gilland

'As a result of this assessment, we recommended the following mission statement to our senior Army leadership: '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.' 

While the motto was officially introduced in 1998, the phrase was initially featured in a famous speech by Gen. Douglas MacArthur in 1962. 

In the 1962 speech at West Point, Gen. Douglas MacArthur said, 'The long gray line has never failed us. Were you to do so, a million ghosts in olive drab, in brown khaki, in blue and gray, would rise from their white crosses, thundering those magic words: Duty, Honor, Country.'

The lieutenant general claimed the new mission statement 'binds the Academy to the Army,' while 'Duty, Honor, Country' is foundational to the United States Military Academy's culture and 'will always remain our motto'

Gilland also pointed out that West Point's mission statement has changed nine times in the past. Pictured: New cadets march in a courtyard on campus during Reception Day at the United States Military Academy at West Point

Gilland also pointed out that West Point's mission statement has changed nine times in the past.

The academy's previous mission statement read: 'To educate, train and inspire the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character committed to the values of Duty, Honor, Country and prepared for a career of professional excellence and service to the nation as an officer in the United States Army.' 

The MacArthur Society of West Point Graduates slammed the change and called out the decision as 'progressive ideology' for eroding tradition.

'Like in many great institutions in the United States of America, progressive ideology is eroding away at West Point and doing so in a slow but methodical march, co-opting our good intentions through the specter of cultural Marxism,' the group said. 'Our adversaries are unscrupulous but sophisticated and very patient.'

West Point graduate Meaghan Mobbs called the new mission statement 'a warning sign that should make everyone sit up and take notice,' as reported by the Washington Times. 

The MacArthur Society of West Point Graduates slammed the change and called out the decision as 'progressive ideology' for eroding tradition (Pictured: - Photos of Cadets at West Point Academy and Bartlett Science Hall)

Last year the Army fell 15,000 soldiers short of its 60,000 enlistment goal, and has only reached 40 percent of this year’s target with three months to go

She said the new phrase is 'watering down of the West Point experience. 

'They are saying the quiet part out loud. West Point is losing its comparative advantage,' she said. '

The federal service academies must distinguish themselves from the senior military colleges and broader ROTC. I believe this is also indicative of the broader challenges facing recruitment and retention within our military.'

This comes as Republicans continuously insist that the Biden administration is 'hellbent' on politicizing the military. 

The Army is in the middle of a five-year plan to become a 'model example of diversity, equality and inclusion', with the blessing of the White House.

Last year, the Army fell 15,000 soldiers short of its 60,000 enlistment goal, and has only reached 40 percent of this year's target with three months to go.

A leaked internal Defense Department survey in June reported that only 9 percent of young Americans who would qualify for the US military have any inclination to apply.

The drop in figure has led many in the GOP to blame liberal policies pushed by the Biden administration for the dropping numbers. That includes drag shows for troops and DEI training classes.

Republicans succeeded in limiting abortion access for troops, the funding of transgender medical care and DEI initiatives as their price for passing the $886 billion National Defense Authorization Act last summer.

In January 2023, the Army announced plans to expand three 'fat camps' to allow hundreds of overweight or underqualified potential recruits to make the grade before they start basic training.

Lt. Gen Xavier Brunson, the commander of Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state blamed the crisis on young Americans being too fat or criminal to defend their country.