West Point’s abandonment of ‘duty, honor, country’ is disgraceful and disappointing.

General Douglas MacArthur famously stated in May 1962 at West Point that “Duty, honor, country: Those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be.”

However, these words are no longer considered sacred at West Point. Recently, the academy removed them from its mission statement and replaced them with a generic reference to “the Army Values.”

West Point’s superintendent, Lt. Gen. Steve Gilland, defended this decision, claiming that it was the result of extensive discussions and consultations with various stakeholders. The change was also supported by Army Secretary Christine Wormuth and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George.

The removal of “duty, honor, country,” which has been a part of West Point’s mission since 1898, is a significant shift in language and values. These words are fundamental to the officer corps and reflect timeless imperatives crucial to the defense of our nation.

On the other hand, the promotion of “Army Values” can be interpreted in various ways, serving the agendas of politicians and their diversity, equity, and inclusion advocates. This change reflects a broader trend of rejecting traditional values such as honor, merit, and duty in favor of ideologies like critical race theory.

It is imperative that a new administration reinstate the noble words of “duty, honor, country” in West Point’s mission statement, eliminate the influence of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, and remove those responsible for prioritizing these over the core values of duty, honor, and country.

Paul du Quenoy is president of the Palm Beach Freedom Institute.