LTG Steven Gilland and the other academy superintendents gave sworn testimony to the US Congress Armed Services Committee 19 JUL 2023. The entire nearly 2 hour testimony can be found on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IqPhXYuodo&t=1249s. The key statement that was made by LTG Gilland at the [01:46:38] mark:
“We don't conduct diversity training at the military academy.”
LTG Steven Gilland
Superintendent, US Military Academy
Many defenders will say that this was not entirely untruthful in that he didn’t give public and televised tours of USMA to show all the DEI/CRT initiatives and watchdogs are just out to get him. The fact is that Gilland integrated DEI into all areas of cadet life and training. The evidence is overwhelming:
West Point’s Cult of DEI
Published 2025, available Amazon paperback/kindle
441 pages of transcripts, screenshots, memos, etc
www.starrs.us - Veteran watchdog group
https://www.judicialwatch.org/crt-propaganda-at-west-point/ (Judicial Watch)
https://www.macarthursociety.org – Veteran/USMA Grad watchdog group
YouTube summary videos of DEI at USMA:
Long Version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQoQw6N-cTw
Short Version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1rNmhuZvIk
It is almost like the scene from Austin Powers where Powers denies that the penis pump in his bag is his despite the receipt, book he wrote about penis pumps, etc. If a general lying was funny I would laugh but it is not one bit funny. This is serious.
Not only did Gilland lie. His command blocked Freedom of Information Requests, blocked the release to the public of the IG Report into allegations of racism at West Point, established and expanded the Diversity and Inclusion Studies Minor for cadets, tried to trick the public by renaming the DEI office (and keeping Ms Benitez in charge as the DEI chief), had a 5 year DEI strategic plan, presided over an unbelievable annual military and government agency wide DEI conference at USMA, tried to intimidate watchdog groups, etc.
Why he lied is a topic for another day. It is clear that West Point under his command was practicing DEI in a big way. The principle of DEI wasn’t wholly illegal as it fell under orders from then SECDEF Austin and then POTUS Biden. However, legal or not, LTG Gilland still lied under oath about conducting DEI at all. This is weakness when he is being called out publicly.
Question – what happens to cadets (or at least used to happen to cadets before the honor codes were recently trashed at the academies) that lied?
Hint – honor board and likely expulsion.
How can an academy Superintendent lie (and break regulations and disrespect Congressional scrutiny) and stay at his post?
He should go down with Milley and crowd....no integrity, liar....he's gotta go!
They lie to Congress because they know there's no penalty even if they get caught.
Wait, he lies to Congress without consequences? Try that if you are a Conservative and see how far you get. We have as many if not more general officers than at anytime in our history.