The controversy surrounding the governance of the fabled Virginia Military Institute (VMI) ratcheted up a notch on February 3.
On that day, Assistant to the Secretary of War for Public Affairs and Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell posted to his official Twitter/X page this “Department of War Statement on Proposed Legislation Affecting the Virginia Military Institute.”
The Department of War retweeted the statement, which you can read here.
This is in response to the Democrat-controlled Virginia General Assembly considering House Bill 1374, which would aim to end independent governance for VMI and instead place it under the oversight of Virginia State University (VSU) near Petersburg, which is on the list of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
VMI was founded in 1839, while VSU traces its founding to 1882, although it did not get its current name until 1979.
Lexington, the home of VMI as well as W&L, is 160 miles and a two-and-a-half-hour, nonstop drive away from Petersburg based on the fastest route using Interstates 81, 64, and 95.
The full statement from the War Department reads as follows:
“The Department of War is monitoring Virginia House Bill 1374, focused on the governance of the Virginia Military Institute (VMI), with significant concern. For generations, the unique military environment at VMI has made the Institute a vital source of commissioned officers for the Armed Forces.
“The stability of this proven leadership pipeline is a matter of direct national security interest, and any action that could disrupt the ecosystem requires our full attention. DoW reserves the right to take extraordinary measures to protect the integrity of VMI, and our commitment to the cadets and midshipmen currently training there remains steadfast.
“We urge the Virginia General Assembly to consider the broader implications of this bill on military readiness, as well as the federal government’s long-standing investment in this critical institution.”
By voice vote on Feb. 2, the House Education Committee’s higher education subcommittee voted to postpone further action on the issue until Feb. 9.
Of the approximately 40 speakers at the public hearing, all but two were opposed to placing VMI under VSU’s supervision.
Partly due to the Star City’sclose proximity to Lexington, the Roanoke area is home to many VMI graduates and ardent supporters. Del. Salam “Sam” Rasoul (D-Roanoke City), a member of that Education Committee, suggested the bill “go by for the day,” which meant to delay action.
The term “Department of War” may be unfamiliar to many, but that was the name of one of the first three departments, beginning in 1789, during the administration of President George Washington.
It was called “Department of War” until the Harry Truman administration in the late 1940s, when many believed the name“War Department” sounded anachronistic and Truman, seeking to differentiate the US from the hostile communist Soviet Union, had it renamed the “Defense Department.”
It held that name until President Trump returned its original title to it last year.
The Roanoke Star reached out to Del. Rasoul and Sen. Chris Head (R-Botetourt) shortly before the end of the workday for their statement on this controversy. No responses have been received yet.
Go further: How the Department of Defense got its name.
– Scott Dreyer
