A Republican senator is demanding that the U.S. Military Academy defend its decision to remove the words “Duty, Honor, Country” from its mission statement. Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee on Tuesday sent a letter to Lt. Gen Steve Gilland, the commandant at West Point, to explain why this change was needed to a mission statement that “has long been a beacon of inspiration for many prospective officers, reflecting the Academy’s commitment to producing leaders of character who are called to serve our nation.” She wrote, “Duty, Honor, Country is a phrase that has become synonymous with the Acad…
