Robert Wittman

Virginia Congressman Rob Wittman and other Republican members of Congress are blasting Virginia state lawmakers for passing a bill they say unfairly targets the Virginia Military Institute (VMI).

VMI is America’s first state-supported military college and is the oldest public senior military college.

“What VMI was founded on, if you go back to the founding documents, it was based on meritocracy,” said Bob Morris. “Doesn't matter who you are, where you come from. Everyone is essentially broken down to be equals, and you pass or fail based on your merits.”

VMI graduate Bob Morris said that is how you build future military leaders.

Morris --- along with other alumni and military officers – is unhappy with what they call the Virginia Democrats' push to infuse Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts and race and sex-based quotas at the college.

This year, Virginia Democrats introduced bills to cut VMI’s state funding and place VMI under Virginia State University control.

Those efforts did not pass.

PREVIOUS | Democrats back down on bills targeting Virginia Military Institute after Pentagon warning

But Delegate Dan Helmer’s bill did. If it becomes law, it will establish a task force to recommend changes at the VMI, which will include policies regarding diversity and inclusiveness, among other things.

Here’s some of what Helmer told 7News in a statement Monday, explaining he wants to bring the college into the 21st century:

"VMI has forged some of our country's greatest military leaders - but Virginians across the Commonwealth agree that its students should be able to learn in a school free from the fear of sexual assault, racist attacks, and tributes to traitors and the Lost Cause,” said Helmer. “I'm glad to have led this effort to bring badly needed reform to VMI.”

“He talks about racism,” said Morris. “Where is the proof? The 2021 study concluded there was no racism and there was no need to change the honor code.”

Morris said military colleges like VMI must focus on one thing - excellence, not misguided quotas or initiatives that are not 100% merit-based.

“Having been in the military for 31 years and retired as a colonel with most of my time in special operations, you just let anybody in, and you lower the standards and people die, not only soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines, but civilians, and that's a serious problem,” said Morris.

Morris said the Cadet Foundation is calling on the VMI board to allow people on the task force who share that perspective---a viewpoint he says is shared by several VMI alumni.

That call is echoed by the Alumni Free Speech Alliance and STARRS, an independent group of retired military officers focused on eliminating DEI in the military.

On March 26, the Alumni Free Speech Alliance sent a letter to the VMI Board, telling the board they expect the newly formed task force and VMI to exercise an open and transparent analysis that includes all viewpoints. Morris is asking people to reach out to their state and federal representatives about this issue.