West Point gets rid of “Duty, Honor, Country”
The Long Grey Line removed “Duty, Honor, Country” from their mission statement this week. It was replaced with “Army Values.” The three words were made the official motto for the US Military Academy at West Point more than 100 years ago. It was adopted as part of the school’s official coat of arms in 1898. They were selected as they “represent the national character of the Academy, it’s military function, its educational function and its spirit and objectives.”
The line was also famously used as a talking point in a speech that General of the Army Douglas MacArthur (USMA Class of 1903) gave to the Corps of Cadets at West Point in 1962. MacArthur understood a thing or two about the USMA, having graduated at the top of his class in 1903 from the institution and then serving as superintendent just 16 years later.
The 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.
Lieutenant General Steve Gilland, USMA Superintendent says,
Both the Secretary of the Army and Army Chief of Staff approved this recommendation.
Our updated mission statement focuses on the mission essential tasks of Build, Educate, Train, and Inspire the Corps of Cadets to be commissioned leaders of character, with the explicit purpose of being committed to the Army Values and Ready for a lifetime of service. The Army Values include Duty and Honor, and Country is reflected in Loyalty, bearing truth faith and allegiance to the U.S. Constitution, the Army, your unit, and other Soldiers. In the past century, West Point’s mission has changed nine times. Many graduates will recall the mission statement they learned as new cadets did not include the motto, as Duty, Honor, Country was first added to the mission statement in 1998.
Sounds like he wanted to change it just for change’s sake.
Source; Breitbart
Category: Army, Dumbass Bullshit, West Point
That rumbling sound you hear is Douglas MacArthur spinning in his grave.
As a Navy guy, I CANNOT FUCKING believe it…
However, remember this asshole graduated from West Point, so what the hell going on on the banks of the Hudson?
The Commissars’ illegitimate son?
IIRC, the Marxist mollusk was a big fan of this butterbar.
This is outrageous! How did this twerp merit an appointment?
am disgusted.
May I adopt him?
Can this guy be the first ashore in Gaza to secure the “temporary” port to Terra firma?
He got booted out shortly after being commissioned.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/west-point-grad-who-posed-with-communism-will-win-in-cap-discharged
All the more reason to send him. Student loan forgiveness and all that.
Just stumbled upon the same gem on twitter
Pinko faggot commie asshole (and that;s my liberal father talking).
Like literally what the fucking fuck. I haven’t the words but I know somebody who did.
But the most important part, the nitty-gritty if you will:
Let’s just take a big old dump all over that.
West Pointers for the most part are dicks. I get it. But at least with the ones that got it they were straight shooters… a little too straight for my tastes but I wouldn’t cut sling load on a good one. But this… out of all the stupid shit I have seen the Army do in the last 40 years is by far the dumbest.
Anyone who hasn’t read the whole speech please do. If you have never read it and you have served, especially in combat, it is quite a gut punch. MacArthur went to his reward not long after and left us all a little poorer.
https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/America/United_States/Army/USMA/MacArthur/1962_speech_to_the_Corps.html
MacArthur had his failings like all of us, but he got it.
5JC,
The ninja family would like to thank you for pointing out that not all West Pointers are dicks…😉😎😆
CPT Humbert Roque “Rocky” Versace.
USMA Class of 1959.
CPT Versace was a United States Army officer of Puerto Rican–Italian descent who was posthumously awarded the United States’ highest military decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his heroic actions while a Prisoner Of War during the Vietnam War. He was the first member of the U.S. Army to be awarded the Medal of Honor for actions performed in Southeast Asia while in captivity.
https://homeofheroes.com/heroes-stories/vietnam-war/humbert-rocky-versace/
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7531924/humbert-roque-versace
Rest In Peace, Sir.
Salute.
Never Forget.
Lieutenant Alexander Ramsey Nininger, Jr.
USMA Class of 1941.
“Lieutenant Alexander R. Nininger received the first Medal of Honor of World War II.”
https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/nininger-medal-of-honor
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/30320955/alexander_ramsey-nininger
Rest In Peace, Sir.
Salute.
Never Forget.
“West Point Graduates Who Were Lost As A Result Of The War On Terror Since 9-11”
https://www.west-point.org/in-memoriam-9-11/
Major Arthur George Bonifas.
USMA Class of 1966.
Murdered by the North Koreans in August 1976 on the DMZ (Ax Murder).
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/55219816/arthur_george-bonifas
Rest In Peace, Sir.
Salute.
Never Forget.
I served under several West Pointers, only one stood out as being a dick. I’m very sure he was a dick before West Point, they just sharpened his dickishness.
I served with one that took penis enlargement meds in order to become a bigger dick.
CPT Dickus? I forgot his first name 😉
Does he have a very good friend in Rome?
Excuse me, but you are OFF TOPIC! Please refrain from distracting the rest of us from having an intellekshual discussion of whatever it is this thread is about.
My apologies! My inner 12 year old got loose. He’s a silly little fucker!
If you hold back the terrorists win, or something.
Colonel E. Normous Johnson at your service, Good Sir.
What in the actual fuck…
Honor? (Looks at Army values)
(shakes head)
WTF the fuck is that? Spell it out, or it’s just “What’s in for me?”
The lackeys of our current NCA consider it an honor to do the duty of continuing to destroy our Country.
It is the Duty of Loyal Patriots to restore Honor to our Country.
I gots a Mission Statement for you Mon’ General’…”Do your Duty in all things…you can never do more…you should never strive to do less.”
I guess that the West Point Code of Honor will be the next thing to go. Oh…wait…
Personally, I think this change was done because “Army values” is a vague phrase that can be defined to mean anything at some point in the future. “When I say a word, it means what I say it means–nothing more and nothing less.” Humpty Dumpty, “Alice in Wonderland.”
Yep. Thinking the same.
And as for being endorsed and approved by the Army CoS & Sec Army…..nope, not feeling all warm and fuzzy right now.
Right now…..I weep.
No it is an actual thing. *sigh* it never really caught on despite leadership’s best attempts. It doesn’t quite have the same ring and it doesn’t include honor or country.
Duty, Honor, Country people can remember; more than that needs a checklist.
“Army Values” is a very fungible term which of course means it means nothing. They are not even good words.
“My honor is loyalty,” progressives will want next.
Meine Ehre heißt Treue
Genau.
Bravo Blue had this story earlier this morning…
https://johnalucas6.substack.com/p/west-point-deletes-duty-honor-country
Wow! A fantastic read.
I’m not MacArthur fan, but the last three paragraphs of the speech posted in the article are just…too damn true. I retired three years ago and…dang it, it got dusty where I’m sitting.
What an ass.
“Commissioned Leaders of Character” sounds like something you’d hear in a Bud Light commercial.
“Here’s to you, Commissioned Leader of Character…”
I understand Dylan Mulvaney is available. Might as well complete this travesty.
Yes, Dylan could do one of those “Army Strong” commercials, with the modified slogan “Be all the queer you can be.” (I understand “queer” now encompasses all the various deviances of the Alphabet People.)
That phrase should be doubly redundant.
Hmmm…
The title to the Article “West Point Gets Rid of Duty, Honor, Country” is misleading.
Here is THE REST OF THE STORY…with clarification…
West Point’s MOTTO and West Point’s MISSION STATEMENT are two complete DIFFERENT Subjects/Topics.
“Duty, Honor, Country” has been, still is and will ALWAYS BE the MOTTO of West Point.
That will never change.
West Point’s MISSION STATEMENT HAS CHANGED NINE (9) TIMES since 1925:
https://www.usma.edu/news/press-releases/west-point-mission-statement-timeline
“Duty, Honor, Country” was not added to West Point’s MISSION STATEMENT UNTIL 1998. It was not in West Point’s mission statement when a member of the ninja family attended and graduated from West Point (before 1998).
This interesting paper about changing West Point’s MISSION STATEMENT was written in 1992:
“Evolution Of West Point’s Mission Statement : A Necessary Condition For Survival”
“Description: How has the mission evolved to this point, and what have been the factors behind this evolution? In over 190 years since the Academy’s establishment, its mission has changed numerous times, primarily influenced by four factors: “wars, national military policy, changing national environment~ and the personality of West Point’s leaders.”
https://usmalibrary.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16919coll1/id/60/
Yours Truly,
A Ring Knocker/USMA Graduate/ninja family member 😉😎
DUTY/HONOR/COUNTRY!
Taking it out sends a message.
West Point’s Mission Statement has changed 9 times since 1925.
“Duty, Honor, Country” was included in West Point Mission Statement in 1998, i.e. 26 years ago.
“Duty, Honor, Country” has always been West Point’s Motto. It will never change.
To be fair to Mason, Mason did point out that West Point’s Mission Statement was changing. Just wish the title of his post was not “West Point Gets Rid Of Duty, Honor, Country”, because that statement is NOT TRUE.
Are we, members of the ninja family, happy how our beloved Army and West Point have changed to appease the Liberal Left? HECK NO…Just as we are not happy our beloved Fort Bragg, Benning, Hood, Lee, etc etc names were changed.
To be honest with you all, it does not bother the ninja family that the words “Army Values” replaced “Duty, Honor, Country”. However, we get it/respect what others are thinking reference the term “Army Values”.
Duty, Honor, Country. The West Point Motto.
I get it, I don’t agree it is a good idea, but I do get it.
5JC,
We always enjoy reading your thoughts and insights on this blog.
Thank You for being honest and fortright.
👍👌
Any idea on when the Term Army Values was coined and how many times they have changed since 1925?
Obey, peons; the Führer (though progressive) knows best!
Went thru West Point in 1960.
In the back of a 59 Chevy wagon.
I recall seeing lots of cadets marching around in groups.
Apparently you can’t go anywhere unless in an organized group.
So when I got older I went Signal Corps.
Much ado about nothing, in my opinion. The article accurately differentiates between motto (with no change) and mission statement (which is changing, as they sometimes do). Full disclosure: not a West Pointer and don’t really care about this. Definitely not getting spun up. Will have forgotten by the time I get home from work.
Prior Service:
Agree (Please see our comments).
We still respect other TAH member’s comments/viewpoints on the term “Army Values”.
That is the beauty of this blog. We all bring to the table a different perspective on a topic (Except on the topic of Military Phonies/Liars/Embellishers…)
Besides, it is STILL GO ARMY! BEAT NAVY!
THAT will NEVER change…🫡😉😎😆
Yeah,I’ve been ambivalent on values since I was first given that dog tag… I’ve never looked at my neck to see what to do or believe.
I have to admit, as a son, grandson, and brother of navy (and almost navy, myself); ROTC grad; and a witness to some of USMA’s more unfortunate 1980s products (and their “leadership”) I’m okay when navy wins! However I have slowly become more enlightened over the last couple decades and dropped my judgment. As a Co CDR I did have four of ‘em in my company and it made for some fun conversations!
When I served as an LT in the 509th in Germany, I served with quite a few West Pointers. Plus, we had a couple of cadets in my company one summer. Competence wise, they were much better officers than those from OCS. By this was back in 1969-70.
Considering the qualifications for entry into OCS back then, that is not saying much.
18.5 years of age, HS diploma or GED, GT score of 110 or above, “good moral character”.
Duty, Honor, Country is now Diversity, Equity, Inclusion.
Jawohl, comrade!
Is it getting warmer, again?
Uh, “Army Values” doesn’t mean sh*t the public that the Mission Statement is supposed to inspire and gain their trust.
Use concrete English words that have clear definitions, not buzzword crap. People don’t “just know” what that means.
They should name all seven (7) Army Values and add Country. (Or is that too “racist” for unpatriotic “woke”-sters today?)
When my nephew graduated ROTC I gave him George Washington’s Address to the Virginia Regiment in 1756, (I know the context is not perfect but the words work). “Remember that it is the actions, and not the commission, that make the officer, and that there is more expected from him, than the title.” The second thing I told him was remember, your only “borrowing” the platoon from the NCOs.
My first rifle platoon sgt. told me, “when we are in garrison, I run this platoon. You can run it when go to the field.” He was a great NCO, I learned a great deal from him.
No worries.
They got rid of integrity several years past.
But so did the Army.
“Having integrity is a career-killer,” folk said 35 years ago.
Keep it Army! Keep lowering your standards! Keep playing games with the things that Soldiers have taken pride in since the organization started!
What could go wrong?
An army of undisciplined, self important, feelings above all else (including battle buddies), that run away from a fight rather than mix it up with the enemy.
Just my opinion. Glad I’m short on time with them.
Run!
I’m proud of this place. Not only for calling out fuckface over yonder but for all the awesomeness here.
We’ve done a good. And will continue to do the good, just like Platoon Daddy asked of us!
So, me and my sore back (one wall: framed, window boxed, sheathed. all damn plumb!) are going to drink til the pain is at a 2-out-of-10
…even if the only way we know what that is, if’n we’re told by the centralized authority.
Old mottos never die…..
they….. just…..fade….away.
Started ROTC with one service (who shall remain nameless) and their cadre dude asked me why (beside wastin’ bad guys, of course) I wanted to serve and I said “Duty, Honor, Country.”
He replied “Oh, all that Country, Duty, Honor stuff is obsolete– today we compare ourselves with civilian industry.”
I said (to quote Robin William’s Good Morning Vietnam character, Ernest Lee Sincere) “F*ck it, I’ll join the Army and be with people in green!” and changed services. Thank God I did.
A twenty says it was the ChairForce. I balked on AFROTC because their drill team didn’t have rifles; they apparently did various hand salutes. Looked ridiculous. In Army ROTC, we drilled with M-1’s and chrome bayonets.
You, sir, are correct!
Their commandant of cadets (not that first dude) felt “Jane Fonda’s trip to Hanoi was legitmate expression of dissent,” too.
That is pathetic. He should have joined Code Pink instead.
Right before I left, he said his greatest fear was that he’d “have to strap on [his] .38 and be put on a position where [he] might have to use it.”
I said my greatest fear was that I’d go to war and he’d be my commander.
(Sent him a pic from A’stan with jump wings, 101st combat patch and packing heat years later just to be that way, too.)
Nice.
Now let’m do Tucker in Moscow, see if the results match.
(hint: I bet they won’t)
Bad decision.
I felt a disturbance in the Force. I come here and see that you have 2- thumbs up!
Don’t make me give him another and make it 3 just to be weird. 😀
They’re gonna replace it with “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion” because that seems to be the theme these days.
“Country is reflected in Loyalty, bearing true faith and allegiance to the U.S. Constitution, the Army, your unit, and other Soldiers.” YOU CAN ONLY HAVE ALLEGIANCE TO ONE THING. If the Army comes into conflict with the Constitution, which takes precedent? What if “Other Soldiers” say “Fuck It” and start firing on civilians? I understand this is an extremely unlikely scenario but it demonstrates the craziness of today’s Army. What. The. Hell.
While the optics suck, is it really a big deal as apparently Duty, Honor, Country didn’t get added until 1998? That was 36 years after MacAs speech.
GOD HELP the USA.
I like “Duty, Honor, Country”. Simple, direct, easy to understand and remember, and traditional. If “Army values” differs in any significant way, it’s crap.
No they want Army values like the tranies in dog masks, and Biden’s posse in dresses, and now wymen in infantry squads. And they wonder why the military is smaller than it was than Dec 7 1941?