Col. (Ret.) Bill Prince here, USMA ’70 and President of the MacArthur Society of West Point Graduates.

Below you will see a letter written to West Point Superintendent LTG Steve Gilland from Richard Kline, USMA ’67. I have known Dick since cadet days. He had an outstanding cadet career (a true scholar-athlete) and went on to increasingly important positions within the U.S. Government, reaching the Senior Executive Service (SES) – equivalent to the rank of general officer.

Dick’s letter is a thoughtful review of many issues of concern to graduates. In the letter, he is clearly trying to build a bridge between concerned graduates and the West Point leadership. I urge a careful reading of this heartfelt letter and applaud Dick for taking the time to write it.

What I do not applaud is LTG Gilland’s apparent dismissive attitude toward such a distinguished graduate, given the fact that after a month, the Superintendent has not even shown the professional courtesy of providing an acknowledgement of having received this letter, much less responding to issues raised. Now, I am sure that LTG Gilland is a very busy man, but how much time would it have taken him to, at the very least, dictate a short, even a perfunctory, thank note, or have someone on his staff do so. Thus, the MacArthur Society is publishing it as an open letter.

Unfortunately, this abject lack of courtesy and responsiveness leads many USMA graduates to believe that the leadership at West Point is arrogantly dismissive of graduates, and views those expressing concerns as a threat, unless of course those of us comprising the Long Gray Line open our check books and keep our mouths shut.

September 22, 2024

LTG Steven W. Gilland
Superintendent, U,S. Military Academy
606 Thayer Road
United States Military Academy
West Point, N.Y. 10996

General Gilland,

Richard Kline here, West Point Class of 1967. I write to you to try and set the record straight on the MacArthur Society.

Like you, and thousands of other grads, I cherish the fact that I am a graduate of West Point. I admire the young men and women in attendance at the academy and I thank God knowing that they will render honorable service to our country. When people see my class ring, they ask me if I attended West Point. I proudly answer with a resounding, “Yes sir (or mam), I did !”.

I come from a long line of Americans who have answered the call to arms, all the way back to the Revolutionary War. My grandfather and great uncle served in WWI. My father-in-law, my father (Class of 1941), and four of my uncles fought in WWII. My grandmother was a “Gold Star Mother”. I have other family members who also went to West Point, Annapolis, and USAFA. In our family, we take the role of the military and the academies very seriously.

Recently, I became aware of the MacArthur Society. This is a group of dedicated graduates who revere West Point. Just like me, they value the role West Point plays in defending the principles of Duty, Honor, Country. The MacArthur Society is a true and vocal advocate for West Point.

And yet, it seems to me that some, perhaps even some in leadership positions at West Point, view the MacArthur Society with distrust rather than as an ally.

WE ARE, ABSOLUTELY, A FRIEND TO WEST POINT!

The MacArthur Society only seeks to learn the truth about a few critical issues that we believe threaten West Point’s capability to function as a premier and steadfast force in the fabric of America’s defense structure.

Specifically:

…we are concerned about the role and effect that the teaching of CRT/DEI has upon the cadets. When stripped of all facades, this is true indoctrination in Marxist philosophy ;

…we seek to preserve the integrity of the Honor Code and the Honor System by returning their administration to the Cadet Honor Committee; and,

…we seek to restore the West Point admissions process to a “color blind, ethnic neutral” standard where merit is the only measure of evaluation for admission.

Sir, the teaching of CRT/DEI is tantamount to an introduction to Marxist philosophy. I think you know that. Such teachings strongly advocate separating society, including members of the military, into groups according to race, sex, and ethnicity. Far from a sense of unity, CRT/DEI fractures a fighting force and sows doubt as to the validity of those selected to leadership positions. In essence, is the commander a true and competent leader or is the commander a product of racial or ethnic balancing?

The troops and the country deserve to be led only by those having demonstrated excellence in the military craft.

One of the cornerstones of West Point is the Honor Code. It is a straightforward and simple standard. I was an Honor Representative during my time at West Point. It was a proud trust that my fellow cadets placed in me.

The Honor Committee fully trained the Corps of Cadets and administered all investigations and adjudications of suspected violations of the Honor Code. The Superintendent only reviewed the Honor Committee’s adjudicated findings. During my time at West Point, the Superintendent never overruled any of the Honor Committee’s determinations. It was a Cadet administered process from beginning to end.

Today, the Honor System is burdened with administrative overhead operated by the Superintendent. Final adjudications do not solely reflect retention or expulsion. Rather counseling, probation, “turnback” to following classes are part and parcel of the system. Expulsion is rare, even for some instances of blatant criminal conduct.

The cadets, understandably, now consider the Honor System just another chapter in the book of West Point regulations. It is not theirs to keep. This is a tragedy, sir.

Finally, West Point denies admission every year to extremely well qualified candidates in favor of some less qualified candidates in order to meet specified entrance quotas. A recent Supreme Court decision (regarding Harvard University and the University of North Carolina) found this practice unconstitutional. Yes, I am aware that the military academies were granted a “special circumstances” exemption from this ruling. But what does it say about West Point that it accepts some candidates in violation of specific equal protection guarantees of the Constitution? This is a black mark on West Point’s admission policies and procedures. It speaks of “ethnic favoritism over merit”.

In summary, the MacArthur Society is not your enemy. We are a voice that speaks to wrongs brought on by social peculiarities that, at best, will wither with the passage of time.

The MacArthur Society sings praises of West Point’s mission, its traditions, and the Corps of Cadets, all the while pointing out that West Point can do better. It is the very choice between “the harder right instead of the easier wrong.”

Thank you for accommodating me as I try to convince you that we, in the MacArthur Society, mean well….and always will.

Respectfully,

Richard Kline, USMA 1967
Payson, AZ