Duty, Honor, Country
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The Army Values are meant well and are important to the US Army at large but are a lower standard than the West Point Values and tradition of Duty, Honor, Country.
What are the Army values and why are they considered a lower standard? West Point is part of the Army, right?
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https://www.npr.org/2024/03/14/1238617877/west-point-usma-duty-honor-country-mission-statement
The three words "duty, honor, country" have only been in West Point's mission statement for 26 years. Don't recall much of a protest for their absence in West Point's mission statement 27+ years ago.
As for the Army Values, see https://www.goarmy.com/explore-the-army/purpose-legacy.html
- LOYALTY
- DUTY
- RESPECT
- SELFLESS SERVICE
- HONOR
- INTEGRITY
- PERSONAL COURAGE
"Duty" is still there, "honor" is still there, "loyalty" as a synonym for "country." It seems reasonable to argue that the "Army Values" are a superset of "duty, honor, country."
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https://www.npr.org/2024/03/14/1238617877/west-point-usma-duty-honor-country-mission-statement
The three words "duty, honor, country" have only been in West Point's mission statement for 26 years. Don't recall much of a protest for their absence in West Point's mission statement 27+ years ago.
As for the Army Values, see https://www.goarmy.com/explore-the-army/purpose-legacy.html
- LOYALTY
- DUTY
- RESPECT
- SELFLESS SERVICE
- HONOR
- INTEGRITY
- PERSONAL COURAGE
"Duty" is still there, "honor" is still there, "loyalty" as a synonym for "country." It seems reasonable to argue that the "Army Values" are a superset of "duty, honor, country."
@Axtremus said in Duty, Honor, Country:
only been in West Point's mission statement for 26 years.
Check your date
According to archival records, the coat of arms and motto were adopted in 1898.
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@Axtremus said in Duty, Honor, Country:
only been in West Point's mission statement for 26 years.
Check your date
According to archival records, the coat of arms and motto were adopted in 1898.
@Copper said in Duty, Honor, Country:
@Axtremus said in Duty, Honor, Country:
only been in West Point's mission statement for 26 years.
Check your date
According to archival records, the coat of arms and motto were adopted in 1898.
Mission statement ≠ coat of arms
Mission statement ≠ motto -
Seems like a whole lot of controversy over nothing. (But, I was never in the US Army or West Point)
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Seems like a whole lot of controversy over nothing. (But, I was never in the US Army or West Point)
@taiwan_girl said in Duty, Honor, Country:
(But, I was never in the US Army or West Point)
I don't think we have ever had a West Point graduate (or even just a West Point dropout) on our midst. Kenny and OperaTenor and Frank W. served in the armed forces but not sure they served in the Army. (Definitely not OperaTenor, he was in the Navy.)
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Seems like a whole lot of controversy over nothing. (But, I was never in the US Army or West Point)
@taiwan_girl said in Duty, Honor, Country:
over nothing
Tradition has some standing at the Military Academies.
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In the last century, West Points mission statement has changed nine times.
Many graduates will recall the mission statement they learned as new cadets did not include the motto, as Duty, Honor, Country was first added to the mission statement in 1998.
As I said before, seems a whole lot of controversy over nothing.
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In the last century, West Points mission statement has changed nine times.
Many graduates will recall the mission statement they learned as new cadets did not include the motto, as Duty, Honor, Country was first added to the mission statement in 1998.
As I said before, seems a whole lot of controversy over nothing.
@taiwan_girl said in Duty, Honor, Country:
As I said before, seems a whole lot of controversy over nothing.
Apparently it is enough to repeat it.
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@taiwan_girl said in Duty, Honor, Country:
(But, I was never in the US Army or West Point)
I don't think we have ever had a West Point graduate (or even just a West Point dropout) on our midst. Kenny and OperaTenor and Frank W. served in the armed forces but not sure they served in the Army. (Definitely not OperaTenor, he was in the Navy.)
@Axtremus said in Duty, Honor, Country:
@taiwan_girl said in Duty, Honor, Country:
(But, I was never in the US Army or West Point)
I don't think we have ever had a West Point graduate (or even just a West Point dropout) on our midst. Kenny and OperaTenor and Frank W. served in the armed forces but not sure they served in the Army. (Definitely not OperaTenor, he was in the Navy.)
Kenny was navy too - carrier duty I think.
Pretty sure Frank was Army - medic in the first Gulf War if I recall correctly
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@Axtremus said in Duty, Honor, Country:
@taiwan_girl said in Duty, Honor, Country:
(But, I was never in the US Army or West Point)
I don't think we have ever had a West Point graduate (or even just a West Point dropout) on our midst. Kenny and OperaTenor and Frank W. served in the armed forces but not sure they served in the Army. (Definitely not OperaTenor, he was in the Navy.)
Kenny was navy too - carrier duty I think.
Pretty sure Frank was Army - medic in the first Gulf War if I recall correctly
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My "shrug" remains. A whole lot of nothing. LOL
@copper You mention that your West Point friends are upset with the change. Did they graduate pre 1998?
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My "shrug" remains. A whole lot of nothing. LOL
@copper You mention that your West Point friends are upset with the change. Did they graduate pre 1998?
@taiwan_girl said in Duty, Honor, Country:
My "shrug" remains. A whole lot of nothing. LOL
@copper You mention that your West Point friends are upset with the change. Did they graduate pre 1998?
These people are willing to die for what the believe. 80% of male graduates will be in a combat designated position, sometimes in their career. Since 9/11, West Point grads have died at a higher percentage rate than any other defined sector of the officer corps.
I may not always agree with them, but I respect the values that create such men and women.
Duty, Honor, Country.
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@taiwan_girl said in Duty, Honor, Country:
My "shrug" remains. A whole lot of nothing. LOL
@copper You mention that your West Point friends are upset with the change. Did they graduate pre 1998?
These people are willing to die for what the believe. 80% of male graduates will be in a combat designated position, sometimes in their career. Since 9/11, West Point grads have died at a higher percentage rate than any other defined sector of the officer corps.
I may not always agree with them, but I respect the values that create such men and women.
Duty, Honor, Country.
@Jolly I agree 100%+ with your first two paragraphs. There is no doubt that graduates of the military schools are very good people.
My point is that there seems to be this "controversy" about the West Point mission statement, It has changed greatly over time, so why the fuss now?
For example, during #2 World War and for years after, the mission statement was:
To Instruct and train the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate will have the qualities and attributes essential to his progressive and continued development throughout a lifetime career as an officer of the Regular Army
The above seemed to work during the biggest war of all time.
So, what is the big deal that they are changing it now? Would you be okay if they went back to the one I reference above?