Concerned Graduates of West Point Challenge Leadership of Military Academy: Letter

U.S. Military Academy cadets attend the 2020 graduation ceremony at West Point, New York, on June 13, 2020. Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images

Three retired U.S. military officers—LTG Thomas McInerney, USAF; MG Paul Vallely, U.S. Army; and Colonel Andrew O’Meara Jr., U.S. Army—signed a letter authored by “Concerned Graduates of West Point and The Long Gray Line,” protesting against mandatory vaccinations, CRT classes, sanitary conditions, progressive political activism, and other “woke actions,” in the military academy.

“The Long Gray Line” refers to the continuum of graduates United States Military Academy at West Point, New York.

“We wanted to challenge the leadership of the Academy and the Defense Dept on their WOKE actions, CRT, Diversity training and the other discrepancies in the Academy. We found it pervasive at the Naval and Air Force Academies so we knew it was directed from the highest levels of our Military Leadership,” Vallely told The Epoch Times.

Paul E Vallely MG US Army (Ret) Courtesy of Paul E Vallely

“We all want the Military to get back on track to training and leading our Armed Forces to secure America and its Citizens,” Vallely, who has been sounding the alarm against a socialist takeover of the United States, added.

The letter, titled “Declaration of Betrayal of West Point And the Long Gray Line,” asks for the following information:

1. An explanation for the irregularities in the enforcement of the Honor Code.
2. A justification for the mandatory vaccinations of cadets with the COVID Virus despite widespread adverse reactions to the inoculation, as well as provisions for exceptions for cadets with religious objections.
3. An explanation for teaching Critical Race Theory at the Academy that constitutes an attack upon the Constitution and our constitutional Republic. This is behavior that constitutes unconstitutional conduct, if not sedition.
4. An explanation of reported mismanagement of the cadet dining facility resulting in unsanitary conditions, inadequate food prepared for the meal, and food served that was reportedly unfit for consumption.
5. Political activism on the part of civilian faculty members constituting political activity violating the long-standing policy of the Academy and Army Regulations.
6. The practice of exclusive reliance upon radical progressive guest speakers to address the Corps of Cadets. This practice results in prejudiced political activism on the part of the Staff and Faculty in violation of Army Regulations.
7. An explanation for the failure of the Superintendent to respond to correspondence inquiring about problems identified at the Academy.

Endangering the Mission

They believe that there is a rejection of the principles of the military academy which could endanger its original mission “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.”

They sent the letter in the hopes that authorities take heed of their advice regarding the problems that they have spotted.

The letter was sent to the Superintendent of the Academy as well as the President and Directors of the Association of Graduates (AOG), alleging that the West Point Academy is “conducting business in a manner that ignores time-honored principles of the Academy, Constitutional Law, and our sworn oath of office.”

“When you take away to teach a critical race theory and communist ideology, you’re taking away from the time that could be used for learning how to shoot better, how to operate airplanes better, take care of airplanes through maintenance; and even within the medical corps of the armed forces, it has affected many the doctors and nurses. So it’s a terrible thing. They need to stop it right now. They need to stop enforcing the mandates,” Vallely recently told The Epoch Times.

Vaccine Mandate Deadline

As the June 30 deadline nears for compliance with the U.S. military’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate, U.S. Army officials publicly claim a very small percentage of its members are unvaccinated, reporting 96 percent or more of its members are fully vaccinated.

However, the Army’s vaccination rate could be far lower than 96 percent, an anonymous active-duty senior Army official told The Defender.

The Epoch Times reached out to West Point Public Affairs for comment.