STARRS Urges Presidential, Secretary of War, and Congressional Review of Virginia Legislation Impacting VMI

On February 18, 2026. Stand Together Against Racism and Radicalism in the Services (STARRS), a bipartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, dedicated to preserving a merit-based, apolitical U.S. military, focused on warfighting readiness and that advocates for equal opportunity through high standards, ethical leadership, and selfless service published an Open Letter to the President of the United States and Secretary of War supporting the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) Corps of Cadets and opposing Virginia House Bills 1345 and 1377. The full text of the STARRS letter and enclosure is reprinted below. February 18, 2026 President Donald J. Trump 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20500 Mr. President: We write to you regarding a matter that threatens the production of commissioned officers for the United States Armed Forces and the relationship between the Federal Government and one of our six federally recognized Senior Military Colleges. Legislative actions now advancing in the Commonwealth of Virginia pose material risks to military readiness, officer development, and federal interests protected under 10 U.S. Code § 2111a. The legendary Virginia Military Institute (VMI) is a federally recognized Senior Military College operating under a unique statutory relationship with the Department of Defense. Its cadets participate in ROTC programs under federal authority, and its graduates are commissioned into the Armed Forces at rates that exceed those of most civilian institutions. VMI has produced national heroes, including Generals George Marshall and George Patton, as well as our current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, among others. Actions that materially alter VMI's governance or military framework, therefore, affect national defense interests — not merely state policy. In defiance of 10 U.S. Code § 2111a - Support for senior military colleges, the Virginia General Assembly is currently considering two bills, HB1374 and HB1377. Attachment 1 provides an analysis of the implications of these two bills. To be clear, the Virginia General Assembly's actions are a direct challenge to the authority of the Department of War and POTUS, not only to vital military officer training but also to the military readiness of the United States itself. We believe that our Commander-in-Chief, our Secretary of War, and members of Congress should have a say on any state legislation that relates to the curriculum of VMI.We respectfully request that: The Department of War review whether VMI's proposed governance changes are consistent with the federal purposes of 10 U.S.C. § 2111a, and fully coordinate with the Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, scrutiny of potential violations of Executive Orders; Secretary of Defense Memorandum: Restoring America's Fighting Force (January 29, 2025); and Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, 600 U.S. 181 (2023), currently at VMI and how these proposed Bills may significantly increase such violations; The Secretary of War communicates to the Commonwealth of Virginia the federal interest in preserving the military integrity of Senior Military Colleges and demands that at least two Department of War representatives be full members of any task force, as well as Department of Education and Department of Justice representatives (as appropriate), if said Task Force will investigate any racial or gender issues; and Congress considers whether additional statutory protections are warranted to prevent state-level political restructuring from impairing officer-production institutions, and whether the SecWar should implement a monitoring and reporting plan for VMI to ensure it is not coerced or forced to implement changes negatively impacting military readiness or legal compliance. For comparison purposes, the link-- https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t59c121.php --provides information about the Citadel's Board of Visitors. As a true peer institution to VMI, the Citadel board is required, by law, to have eleven regular members who "shall be graduates of the college." If we may be of further assistance, we can be reached at the STARRS corporate email at mission@STARRS.us. Respectfully yours, Bentley B. Rayburn Major General, USAF, Retired Chairman, Board of Directors Stand Together Against Racism and Radicalism in the Services, Inc. Ronald J. Scott, Jr., Ph.D. Colonel, USAF, Retired President & CEO, STARRS The Honorable Michael T. Rose, JD/MBA Executive Vice President & General Counsel, STARRS William M. Connor, V, Esq. Colonel, USA, Retired Chairman, Board of Advisors, STARRS Member, Citadel Board of Advisors Please see the additional information in the ATTACHMENT, and we respectfully highlight the Alumni Free Speech Alliance Resolution from a bipartisan group covering over 26 Colleges and Universities across the nation. The attachment is also available at the end of this article. Please consider supporting The Cadet through a donation at: www.thecdetfoundation.org. The cadet remains independent of both VMI and its Alumni Agencies. All funds go to support our programs governed by a Board of ONLY cadets and alumni.