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

VMI is not merely a public university. It is a federally recognized Senior Military College

MONUMENT, CO, UNITED STATES, February 19, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- 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, according to Colonel Ron Scott, Jr., Ph.D., USAF (Ret.), President and CEO of STARRS.

View letter here: https://starrs.us/starrs-open-letter-to-potus-re-vmi/

HB1377 (establishes a state task force to examine VMI’s culture, governance, military training model, and admissions practices. “And, critically, according to Scott. whether the Institute’s officer-producing role for the United States Armed Forces should continue or be replaced,” he said.

View HB 1377 at the link.
https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB1377

According to HB1374, the bill 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.

View HB1374 here: https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB1374

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,” Scott said.

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,” Scott said.

“Senior Military Colleges exist because Congress determined they are vital to national defense,” said Scott. “A state legislature cannot unilaterally restructure or condition the governance of an officer-producing institution without raising serious federal concerns.”

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,” Scott said.

While HB1374 no longer dissolves VMI’s Board outright, STARRS contends that its restructuring materially alters the Institute’s historic governance model.
“Officer-producing institutions require stability, continuity, and insulation from recurring political intervention,” said Major General Bentley B. Rayburn, USAF (Ret.), Chairman of the STARRS Board of Directors. “Altering board composition in tandem with a state investigation into military training creates uncertainty within a federally significant institution.”

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.

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.

“This is not about state politics,” said The Honorable Michael T. Rose, JD/MBA, Executive Vice President and General Counsel of STARRS. “It is about ensuring that statutory officer-development institutions remain aligned with federal law and national defense priorities.”

According to STARRS, “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. “STARRS open letter to the President follows a formal Resolution by the bipartisan Alumni Free Speech Alliance Executive Committee last week for similar action by federal authorities,” Scott said.

ABOUT STARRS
STARRS (Stand Together Against Racism and Radicalism in the Services), is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving a merit-based, apolitical U.S. military focused on warfighting readiness. STARRS advocates for equal opportunity through high standards, ethical leadership, and selfless service, while opposing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) policies that introduce ideological agendas that undermine unit cohesion and operational effectiveness. STARRS emphasizes educating the public and policymakers on threats to military meritocracy, including radical social engineering initiatives within the Department of War. For more information, visit https://starrs.us.

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