Virginia Counties Rally Behind the Corps to Oppose Legislation Affecting the Virginia Military Institute

Amherst, Augusta, Buchanan, Floyd, Rockbridge, and Russell Counties became the first in the Commonwealth of Virginia to formally oppose two proposed bills in the Virginia General Assembly that would alter the governance and threaten changes to the culture and operations of the Virginia Military Institute (VMI), the nation's oldest state-supported military college. In early February, the Amherst County, Augusta, Buchanan County, Rockbridge County, and Russell County Boards of Supervisors, acting separately and unanimously, opposed House Bills 1377 and 1374, both introduced during the 2026 legislative session. The measures address separate but related aspects of VMI's structure and oversight. As covered in this issue of The Cadet, House Bill 1377 would establish a state advisory Task Force to, among other tasks, determine "…any required legislation or budgetary changes to ensure VMI meets the higher education needs of the commonwealth" and "…whether additional academic program offerings should be approved by SCHEV and provided to students enrolled at VMI, should VMI remain a state-funded institution of higher education." House Bill 1374 would amend state law to overhaul the VMI Board of Visitors, eliminating the requirement for alumni members and reducing the requirement for Virginia residents on the board. The resolutions adopted by the the Amherst, Augusta, Buchanan, Floyd, Rockbridge, and Russell County Boards stated that VMI has operated as a state-supported military college since its founding in 1839 and has produced approximately 26,000 graduates, many of whom have served in the U.S. armed forces or held leadership roles in public service and the private sector. The Boards expressed opposition to the bills and urged all members of the General Assembly to reject them. Although VMI is located in Lexington, the resolutions argue that decisions affecting the Institute have statewide implications. The Boards cited concerns that restructuring or reevaluating the public status of a long-standing institution without evidence of institutional failure could create uncertainty for counties across Virginia that rely on stable state governance when planning for workforce development, public investment, and economic growth. Supporters of the resolutions say the actions reflect growing concern among local governments and VMI stakeholders about legislative proposals they view as unprecedented. Supporters of the efforts described the resolutions as the first step in what they expect to be a broader statewide response. The proposed legislation comes amid ongoing debate over VMI's governance and culture, following a state-commissioned report released in 2021 that examined allegations of racism and discrimination at the Institute. VMI officials have said they have implemented reforms in response to the report, while cadets and alumni have disputed characterizations that portray the school as systemically discriminatory. Some VMI cadets have spoken publicly in recent months, describing their experience as inclusive and emphasizing the Institute's focus on discipline, leadership, and military training. Defense officials at the federal level have also underlined the importance of preserving the distinct missions of military education institutions, though no formal federal action has been announced. The Feb. 9 Rockbridge County Board of Supervisors meeting to consider its resolution was particularly passionate, with speakers and the Board of Supervisors defending VMI and opposing the legislation. Morgan McCown began her public comment, framing it around heritage, stewardship, and opposition to what she described as government overreach affecting both local taxpayers and the Virginia Military Institute. She reminded supervisors that "Rockbridge County is built on legacy," shaped by "farms that fed families for generations," small businesses, and VMI, which she said became a national landmark "through discipline and independence and valor, not bureaucracy." She emphasized that "Rockbridge County is not disposable land," and she called for fiscal restraint and limited government involvement at VMI. "What it needs from the government is not reinvention, but restraint," she said of the Institute. "Every dollar you spend is a dollar someone here worked for." She warned that "when government overreaches, costs go up, efficiency goes down," and concluded with a direct appeal: "We do not need an airport, we do not need another solar field, we do not need higher taxes… and we certainly don't need political agendas interfering with how the Virginia Military Institute functions." Jan Lowry, representing Rockbridge Area Republicans, urged the Board to support the resolution opposing the pending legislation, arguing that VMI "has become a partisan issue" and "should not be a partisan issue." She encouraged supervisors to "oppose all of the ill-gotten bills that the assembly is handing down." Lowry shared her family's connection to the Institute, noting her daughter took military science classes there while on an ROTC scholarship at Washington and Lee. She said she and her husband chose to retire in Rockbridge County because of its character and educational institutions: "Small town, three colleges within the county was more than we could ask for." She warned that "any kind of government interference with the Virginia Military Institute would just be a step backwards for Rockbridge County." Heather Davis kept her remarks brief but direct, asking supervisors to support the resolution opposing the two House bills. She said both proposals "seek to drastically change the makeup at VMI" and cautioned that they could have "devastating economic effects for our area." Fritz Fleming spoke as the father of two VMI graduates, praising the Institute's impact on his daughters. Though not a graduate himself, he said he has seen firsthand "how VMI creates leaders," not only in the military but as "strong citizen soldiers, civic leaders who are committed to serving our country." He described his eldest daughter, a member of the Class of 2003, now an emergency room pediatrician in Texas, and his youngest, currently enrolled at VMI. Fleming emphasized that the Institute "prepared her well," and said he supports "a fair and balanced examination" of any institution, but questioned the motivations behind the current legislation. "I would really ask the board to consider fully supporting VMI," he said, citing both "the leaders it produces" and "the obvious economic impact it has here in the county." Mona Hazara described VMI as "an incredible institution," noting that her son graduated in 2011 and that her family has been actively involved for years. She said graduates are "leaders in both the military… and the civilian world."Hazara thanked the Board for sponsoring the resolution and urged supervisors to ensure VMI does "not… fall as a pawn to political and punitive agendas." Retired Army Colonel Bob Morris, president of the The Cadet Foundation (independent of VMI and its Alumni Agencies), criticized the legislation. He cited findings from the Barnes & Thornburg report, quoting directly: "No explicit racist or sexist policies… impacting minorities and women at VMI," and "This report does not recommend that any VMI core policies, practices, and traditions… be abolished." He also quoted the report's findings that the investigation "found no evidence of overt bias in Honor Court proceedings" and that VMI's procedures were "robust and compliant with Title IX." Turning to House Bill 1377, Morris objected to language referencing VMI's Confederate-era history, saying the "whereas statement is not true" and warning that failure to pass the resolution would amount to condoning it. He characterized the legislation as "a political agenda that Rockbridge County really doesn't need to be engaged with," urging supervisors to "approve them and stay out of being dragged into a politically motivated fight." Dave Sheldon described deep family ties to VMI, noting that a brother-in-law, a nephew, two sons, and a grandson are planning to enroll. He praised the Institute as "one of the few schools I know where you get an exceptional education and leadership training at the same time." While acknowledging uncertainty about what he had read regarding the proposed changes, he said he was "leery about the results that will come out," adding, "I think it will do more harm than good." Mr. Matt Daniels echoed concerns about the Institute's economic importance. While acknowledging its "social and educational value… to the nation, the state, the world," the speaker emphasized local impact: "The economic impact… will be severe if VMI were to be either closed or fundamentally changed." Travis Black urged supervisors to "support anything that goes along with VMI," noting that his son will attend next year. He described the Institute as "a benefit to the area and a lot of people—employment, students, and everything."Supervisor Steve Hart spoke emotionally about his personal and professional connections to VMI: This is personal for me. I mean, I served with a bunch of graduates of Virginia Military Institute. One of them was one of my platoon leaders, one of them was a friend when I was a lieutenant. Lieutenant General Bob Flowers was my brother's Brigade Commander in Desert Storm. That man was a legend. I taught there for seven years. I saw the positive effect it has on cadets. The most common thing I heard from a cadet there was, "I never would have graduated anywhere else." They knew themselves well enough; they had to have the thing that VMI offered. The other reason it's personal for me on this is that the fellow who authored these things [HB1733] is a graduate of my alma mater. And I don't know what that man learned. I don't know where he came up with this stuff. And it certainly wasn't good for the cadets. It wasn't good for the institute. It's not good for the people of Rockbridge County. We shouldn't keep VMI just because it's good for us economically. That's a bad idea. You shouldn't keep anything from the government for that. But it's really good at what it does, and it's a part of our community. It employs people. It employed me. I think one of the things that doesn't always get brought up, a lot of the folks who spoke here, the VMI graduates that came back here because of that. It draws people into our county, which draws business to our county. It is a huge part of our county, and to lose it would tear out a chunk. I know we all know this, but I think it's gotta get said for the record, and I think it's gotta get said for the people that are trying to do this to us. Is this thing gonna do any good? I don't know, but I know not doing it is bad. During the discussion that followed public comments, supervisors noted the speed with which the General Assembly was moving on the bills. One member remarked, "It's amazing how fast the General Assembly can move sometimes," joking that while "they can't pass a budget," they can advance this legislation quickly. Chairman David McDaniel noted the Board had received "numerous emails" on the issue and that he did not recall seeing any opposing the resolution. County Administrator Spenser Suter read the full resolution into the record, stating that the Board formally "expresses its opposition to House Bill 1374… and House Bill 1377," and urging lawmakers to consider VMI's "historical significance, institutional uniqueness, and local impacts." The Board then moved to adopt the resolution supporting VMI and passed it by a 6-0 vote. No VMI Alumni Agency Representatives were seen or spoke at the meeting The county resolutions direct their county administrators to forward copies to the Governor of Virginia, members of the General Assembly, and other localities that may consider adopting similar measures.The city of Lexington chose an opposite path. In response to almost 200 requests submitted to the City of Lexington to pass similar resolutions, the City Council refused to take the up the measure at any meeting. In a response sent to supporters of the resolutions, the City spokesperson Leslie Straugham wrote: Lexington City Council is proud to be the home of VMI and respects the institute for its excellence in higher education, producing honorable citizen-soldiers, and its many contributions to our community. I, along with the City Manager and Councilman David Sigler, went to Richmond yesterday and met with our state representatives and/or their staff to offer our support for VMI. We were informed that VMI leadership successfully amended HB 1377 to remove threats of defunding VMI. As the amended bill has the support of both VMI and our state delegate, Delegate Terry Austin, [the] Lexington City Council is not considering a resolution opposing HB 1377. Delegate Austin, a Republican, faced criticism for his actions supporting the legislation that could lead to a primary challenge in the future. When pressed on whether the City Council will consider a resolution against HB1374 to transfer VMI under the governance of Virginia State University, the City's spokesperson replied: The City Council supports VMI, and we expressed that to them and our legislators. We will closely monitor HB 1374, and assist General Furness, Delegate Austin, and Senator Head as they need. We do not want to consider a resolution until we have more information, so that our position aligns with VMI. If anyone would like to speak at our next Council meeting on this topic, they are welcome to during our public comment section. Our next meeting is Thursday, February 19, 7 pm, in the Rockbridge County Administration Building. I understand how alarming and frustrating this is for all the VMI families, but I have confidence in how Gen. Furness and his staff are addressing the situation. The Lexington City Council meets on Feb 19 at 7 p.m., in the first-floor meeting room of the Rockbridge County Administrative Offices (150 South Main Street, Lexington). The City will livestream the event on its website, and those who wish to have their voices heard on the issue may attend and speak. The Lexington City Council livestream is available in the online version of this article. Copies of all Resolutions and a video of the Rockbridge County session are available with the online version of this article at www.cadetnewspaper.org, and copies of the resolutions are available at www.thecadetfoundation.org/action. Please help The Cadet remain the independent voice of the Corps and aluni/ae by supporting us at http://www.thecadetfoundation.org