Borman Commission 2.0
1 February 2021 2024-01-24 22:35Borman Commission 2.0
Borman Commission 2.0
Restore, Reform, Improve West Point to do “the harder right instead of the easier wrong.”
In 1976 President Carter appointed a Special Commission on the United States Military Academy following the Class of 1977 cheating scandal. The Borman Commission reported on the cadets as a remarkable group, but “The Academy must recognize that it is not treating a disease that can be cured simply by isolating those who have been infected. The Academy must now acknowledge the causes of the breakdown and devote its full energies to rebuilding an improved and strengthened institution."
In 2023 cadets remain a remarkable group, but the Academy is broken. The Borman Report was necessitated by a sole cheating scandal. Today, the United States Military Academy (USMA) engages in racial discrimination in admissions, teaches Cultural Marxism with Critical Race Theory (CRT), offers a minor study in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) as well as annual DEI conferences, obfuscates drug use, sexual assaults, and degradation of the Honor System, offers preferential treatment for athletes, and is unaccountable to inquiries. The retention rate of USMA graduates to serve a full career in the U.S. Army is abysmal. The Borman Commission’s insistence that “West Point must retain its unique nature” is lost.
West Point is no longer “a unique institution where young men and women, in a spartan military environment, learn the academic and military skills necessary to be a professional soldier.”
West Point is a uniformed liberal arts college that produces officers like the ROTC programs across the nation. Yet, the Army retains a higher percentage of ROTC officers than Academy graduates.
A second Special Commission on USMA is needed – A Borman Commission 2.0. A restoration of values, reform, rebuilding, and accountability for academic and military excellence at West Point is required. Long-lasting improvements for West Point to serve the U.S. Army and the Nation throughout this century are necessary.
At an absolute minimum, a Borman Commission 2.0 should restore the Honor System to the Corps of Cadets with an absolute standard of integrity.
Restore academic excellence in every degree-granting program. Restore the highest standards of meritocracy, excellence, and integrity.
Likewise, reform is required to end race-based admissions of candidates and selection of faculty and administration. End teaching, training, and favorable discussion of the Cultural Marxism of Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity at USMA.
Reform the composition of the faculty and their terms of service to increase the role of active duty and retired Army officers in classroom instruction.
Reform the core curriculum, majors, and minors to serve the U.S. Army for the next century.
Reform Corps-Squad athletics recruitment, privileges, and exemptions to more fully inculcate athletes into the Corps of Cadets.
Finally, the reforms MacArthur instituted as Superintendent helped USMA serve the Nation through WW II and the Cold War.
West Point must ensure that graduates add a quantitative and qualitative difference – from every other officer accession program – to the Army.
Improve USMA to motivate more graduates to serve successful, full careers as Army officers. Improve the process for the periodic review and accountability for USMA.
