Richmond, Virginia – Stand Together Against Racism and Radicalism in the Services (STARRS) has formally called upon the President of the United States, the Secretary of War, and members of Congress to review Virginia House Bills 1377 and 1374, warning that the measures raise significant federal statutory and military readiness concerns.
In a letter transmitted to the President this week, STARRS asserts that the Virginia General Assembly is advancing legislation that materially affects the governance and military framework of the Virginia Military Institute (VMI), one of only six federally recognized Senior Military Colleges operating under Title 10 authority.
HB1377 establishes a state task force to examine VMI’s culture, governance, military training model, admissions practices, and — critically — whether the Institute’s officer-producing role for the United States Armed Forces should continue or be replaced. HB1374 restructures VMI’s Board of Visitors by:
- Capping alumni representation at no more than eight members,
- Eliminating any requirement that alumni serve as a majority of the board, and
- Altering long-standing governance balance at an officer-producing institution relied upon by the Armed Forces.
STARRS argues that these measures go beyond routine state oversight. VMI is not merely a public university. It is a federally recognized Senior Military College whose cadets participate in ROTC programs authorized under federal law and whose graduates commission into the Armed Forces at rates exceeding most civilian institutions.
A Study of Military Governance without Federal Coordination
According to STARRS, HB1377 directs a review of whether VMI’s role in producing commissioned officers could be transferred or replaced by other institutions. This question directly implicates federal military readiness and commissioning pipelines established under Title 10 of the United States Code.
The letter notes that matters involving officer commissioning, ROTC agreements, and military readiness fall within the jurisdiction of:
- The Department of Defense (Title 10 authority and officer development),
- The Department of Education (Title VI and Title IX enforcement), and
- The Department of Justice (federal civil rights enforcement).
Yet HB1377 establishes a partisan, politically appointed state task force to investigate precisely those issues — without requiring coordination with federal authorities responsible for the statutory framework governing Senior Military Colleges.
Governance Restructuring and Institutional Stability
While HB1374 no longer dissolves VMI’s Board outright, STARRS contends that its restructuring materially alters the Institute’s historic governance model.
The letter further states that the Virginia legislators present no evidence demonstrating commissioning failure, ROTC noncompliance, academic collapse, or readiness deficiencies at VMI that would justify structural intervention.
Why This Extends Beyond Virginia
At issue, STARRS argues, is whether a state legislature may subject a federally recognized Senior Military College to recurring political restructuring without federal consultation. The organization’s letter calls upon federal authorities to assess whether the pending legislation:
- Impairs federal military prerogatives under Title 10,
- Disrupts established commissioning pipelines relied upon by the Armed Forces,
- Raises Supremacy Clause concerns, or
- Interferes with federally governed civil rights enforcement mechanisms.
STARRS warns that, if left unreviewed, the precedent could invite similar state-level restructuring efforts affecting other federally significant military institutions nationwide.
The organization has requested a formal Department of War review and congressional consideration of whether additional statutory safeguards are warranted to protect Senior Military Colleges from political restructuring that may impair national readiness.
On Feb. 2, the Pentagon spokesman posted on social media that “the stability of this proven leadership pipeline is a matter of direct national security interest” and the Department of War “reserves the right to take extraordinary measures to protect the integrity of VMI.”
None-the-less VMI’s Superintendent expressed his full support of the Bills after some changes and despite significant criticism from alumni and others.
Next the Executive Committee of the bipartisan Alumni Free Speech Alliance issues a formal resolution calling for Federal oversight of the General Assembly’s and VMI’s plans.
As VMI continues to support and lobby for the legislation, the STARRS open letter to the President is a further escalation by bipartisan watch-dog groups while an increasing number of counties in Virginia are passing Resolutions opposing the legislation.
The actions may be having some positive effect. There are reports that VMI graduate and current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan “Razin” Caine ’90 will now visit VMI on Feb. 20th, although the school has not announced it and the visit, it is not on any published schedule, and VMI has not disclosed the nature of or confirmed the visit.
STARRS POTUS LETTER – VMI 2.18.2026 Final (pdf)
Media Contact:
STARRS
Michael Perini, 719-651-5943
newsmedia@periniassociates.com
Alumni Free Speech Alliance Affiliate for VMI
Email: info@thecadetfoundation.org
Website: Https://www.thecadetfoundation.org
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