(The Center Square) – Democrats in Virginia pushing three proposals impacting governance, oversight and disciplinary policy at VMI may just shove the state-supported military college founded in 1839 into North Carolina.
Citing strategic priorities of the state, Columbus County state Rep. Brenden Jones tells Lt. Gen. David Furness in the Lexington, Va., Superintendent’s Office that North Carolina will gladly welcome the institution into the UNC System and give Virginia Military Institute a new home if shut down. Jones also confirmed to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth in his Thursday letters the state “stands ready to provide a permanent home” inclusive of “land, facilities and a long-term permanent campus.”
The action in Virginia’s House of Delegates is part of a broad sweep of policy change led by first-term Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger, sworn in Jan. 17, and backed by Democratic majorities in both chambers. Taxation, lack of cooperation with federal immigration law, and parental rights of students have all drawn criticisms – and all run in contrast to the policies implemented for better than 15 years Republicans have enjoyed majorities in the North Carolina General Assembly.
VMI is another box on the checklist for the commonwealth’s trifecta party.
North Carolina is home to five major military bases plus a Coast Guard station and Army military ocean terminal on the coast, with an estimated 91,000 active service members.
VMI operates under a military-style academic system. Governance is by the Board of Visitors as appointed by the governor.
The Virginia House proposals would transfer governance authority to the Board of Visitors at Virginia State University (House Bill 1374); create a task force evaluating if VMI should continue as a state-supported institution (House Bill 1377); and remove a VMI-specific exception in state law governing disciplinary immunity for students who report sexual assault (House Bill 22).
Sean Parnell, speaking for the Pentagon, said the War Department has “significant concern.”
“For generations, the unique military environment at VMI has made the Institute a vital source of commissioned officers for the Armed Forces,” Parnell said. “The stability of this proven leadership pipeline is a matter of direct national security interest, and any action that could disrupt the ecosystem requires our full attention.
“DoW reserves the right to take extraordinary measures to protect the integrity of VMI, and our commitment to the cadets and midshipmen currently training there remains steadfast. We urge the Virginia General Assembly to consider the broader implications of this bill on military readiness, as well as the federal government’s longstanding investment in this critical institution.”
Jones said the House of Delegates’ proposals “signal a major shift in how Virginia state leadership views military institutions and their critical need to exist.”
He wrote to Furness and Hegseth, in part, “North Carolina’s state leadership stands ready to act, not threaten. If your institution needs a stable home where mission comes first, we are prepared to step forward and assist.”
Jones said state policy “reinforces command authority, institutional discipline, and leadership development, and that commitment is reflected in our budgets, statutes and long-term planning.”
Jones is the majority leader for Republicans in the North Carolina. He has a seat on the Appropriations Committee, and is chairman of committees for Oversight and Reform; Redistricting; and Oversight. He chaired the committee looking into former state Rep. Cecil Brockman, and he’s vice chairman of the powerful Committee on Rules, Calendar and Operations of the House.
