Latest news with #MilitaryAcademy
Shafaq News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Iraq military academy heads face court over cadet incident
Shafaq News/ Iraq's top investigative panel has concluded its inquiry into the recent cadet incident at the Fourth Military College in Dhi Qar, a source familiar with the matter disclosed on Sunday. 'The committee submitted its report to Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, recommending legal action against the head of the Military Academy, the college dean, and the assistant dean,' the source told Shafaq News, pointing out that all three have been referred to military courts under Article 42(1) of the Iraqi Military Penal Code. The article outlines penalties of up to three months in prison for military personnel who disregard, alter, or exceed official orders. Repeat violations could carry a six-month sentence.
Fox News
5 days ago
- General
- Fox News
West Point decision to cut ‘duty, honor, country' from mission statement under fire again
EXCLUSIVE: A United States Military Academy mission statement swap from "duty, honor, country" to "Army Values" is coming under fire again — this time by a conservative judicial and government watchdog group who claims the school engaged in a "cover up" scheme when it altered its mission statement in 2024 as part of an effort to advance a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) agenda. On March 11, 2024, West Point Superintendent Lt. Gen. Steven Gilland publicly announced that West Point would update its mission and insert the term "Army Values" in lieu of "duty, honor, country." Even so, Gilland stressed that "duty, honor, country" would remain West Point's motto as it has been since 1898. Judicial Watch obtained documents via a Freedom of Information Act request seeking all emails regarding the removal of "duty, honor, country" from the mission statement between officials at West Point. Among the documents Judicial Watch obtained is a document from Gilland detailing mission statement talking points for Founders Day speakers that was sent on March 23, 2024. The memo instructs speakers to "AVOID saying 'removed,' 'replaced,' 'deleted'—just refer to the 'updated mission statement and reinforce that the motto remains unchanged.'" The memo does not explicitly connect the mission statement change to any DEI initiatives. However, Judicial Watch argues that the talking points document it obtained implies DEI was a factor in the mission statement change because the document also contains an FAQ section that appears to downplay the role of DEI, claiming only five to eight students each year complete West Point's Diversity and Inclusion Studies minor. "These records detail how the DEI agenda helped change the mission statement of West Point — and how leadership under the Biden administration tried to cover it up," Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said in a Thursday statement to Fox News Digital. But in the memo outlining mission statement talking points, Gilland urged speakers to push back against the narrative that the mission statement change was done for political purposes. "EMPHASIZE the actual seven values as some in the audience don't realize Army Values is a defined term and to counter the social media narrative that the Army Values change for political reasons. AVOID comparing DHC to AV—it's not either/or," the mission statement talking points document said. "AVOID the perception that the External Review Team was political or made the decision. The Academy selected them. They advised. Academy leadership made Decisions," the document said. The term "Army Values" keeps "duty" and "honor" within its core set of values, but also includes the following: loyalty, respect, selfless service, integrity and personal courage. Gilland said in a statement announcing the change that "country" is reflected in the term "loyalty." "The Army Values include Duty and Honor, and Country is reflected in Loyalty, bearing truth faith and allegiance to the U.S. Constitution, the Army, your unit, and other Soldiers," Gilland said in an announcement about the mission statement change. Gilland also said that "duty, honor, country" is "foundational to the United States Military Academy's culture and will always remain our motto." An Army spokesperson directed Fox News Digital to Gilland's original announcement where he wrote: "Our absolute focus on developing leaders of character ready to lead our Army's Soldiers on increasingly lethal battlefields remains unchanged." West Point is one of several U.S. military academies that trains students to become military officers. Meanwhile, West Point's mission statement has been changed nine times in the past century, and the words "duty, honor, country" didn't make it into West Point's mission statement until 1998. As of March 2024, West Point's mission statement is: "To build, educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets to be commissioned leaders of character committed to the Army Values and ready for a lifetime of service to the Army and Nation." West Point's previous mission statement, first adopted in 2005, remained: "To educate, train and inspire the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character committed to the values of Duty, Honor, Country and prepared for a career of professional excellence and service to the Nation as an officer in the United States Army." West Point's superintendent at the time, Lt. Gen. William Lennox, requested the change in 2005 and then-Army Chief of Staff Gen. Peter Schoomaker approved the change. Meanwhile, Republicans have pushed to incorporate "duty, honor, country" back into the mission statement. For example, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, spearheaded legislation in January to add the words back to the military academy's mission statement. "For centuries, the United States Army has set the global standard for military excellence because its leaders embrace a lifetime of selfless service and embody the values of 'Duty, Honor, Country.' West Point's removal of these core values from its mission statement risks eroding the foundation of American military leadership," Cruz said in a statement in January.
The Star
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
French President Macron decorates Indonesia leader, announces cultural partnership
France's President Emmanuel Macron (right) and Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto (left) inspect the honour guard during a visit at the Military Academy in Magelang, Central Java on May 29, 2025. - Photo: AFP MAGELANG, (Indonesia): French President Emmanuel Macron bestowed Indonesia's leader with France's top award on Thursday (May 29), before announcing a new cultural partnership with Jakarta on a visit to the world's largest Buddhist temple. Macron's trip to Indonesia is the second stop of a three-nation, six-day tour of Southeast Asia that began with Vietnam and concludes in Singapore. After meeting for talks in the capital Jakarta, Macron and his counterpart Prabowo Subianto flew by helicopter on Thursday from Javan city Yogyakarta to a military academy in Magelang, a city in Central Java surrounded by mountains. The pair attended a military parade and Macron gave Prabowo the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, France's highest military or civil award. Prabowo is an ex-general accused of rights abuses under dictator Suharto's rule in the late 1990s. He was discharged from the military over his role in the abductions of democracy activists but denied the allegations and was never charged. Macron rode in a jeep driven by Prabowo with the pair welcomed by a marching band and hundreds of students waving Indonesian flags. Macron then visited Borobudur, a Buddhist temple built in the 9th century that is the world's largest, where the pair announced they were boosting cultural ties. "In front of this temple, we are taking an important step by launching a new cultural partnership," said Macron. "The first pillar is heritage and museum cooperation. The second pillar is cultural and creative industries," he said. Macron said the basis of the new partnership would be cinema and fashion, as well as video games, design and gastronomy. The French leader will now depart for Singapore where he will deliver the opening address Friday at the Shangri-la Dialogue, Asia's premier security forum. On Wednesday, the pair called for progress on "mutual recognition" between Israel and the Palestinians at a key meeting next month as Macron brought the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation into his diplomatic efforts. "Indonesia has stated that once Israel recognises Palestine, Indonesia is ready to recognise Israel and open the diplomatic relationship," said Prabowo. Indonesia has no formal ties with Israel and support for the Palestinian cause among Indonesians runs high. The nations also signed a series of agreements on cooperation in a range of fields including defence, trade, agriculture, disaster management, culture and transport. - AFP
Barnama
6 days ago
- Business
- Barnama
Macron's Historic Visit Strengthens ASEAN-France Partnership
French President Emmanuel Macron and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, inspect the honor guards during visit at Military Academy in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia, May 29, 2025. Achmad Ibrahim/Pool via REUTERS JAKARTA, May 29 (Bernama) -- French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday paid a historic visit to the ASEAN headquarters in South Jakarta, marking a milestone in the growing partnership between France and the Southeast Asian regional bloc. The visit coincides with the fifth anniversary of the ASEAN-France Development Partnership, highlighting Paris's continued commitment to strengthening ties with ASEAN. France was officially conferred the status of Development Partner of ASEAN in 2020, underscoring its aim to deepen cooperation with the region, according to the ASEAN Secretariat. bootstrap slideshow Macron was welcomed by ASEAN secretary-general Dr Kao Kim Hourn, as part of his regional tour that includes stops in Vietnam, Indonesia, and Singapore. 'With the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, @ASEAN, we share the same goal: peace and prosperity for our peoples and regions,' Macron wrote on X. 'Thank you, Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn, for your welcome and our constructive discussions,' he added. France sees the Indo-Pacific as critical to the shared future of the region and the world, particularly regarding global challenges such as climate change, economic development, and security. On Monday, Macron stated on X that through strong cooperation and concrete initiatives in defence, innovation, energy transition, and cultural exchanges, France is committed to being a reliable partner and bridge-builder, promoting peace and dialogue in this key hub of global trade and technology. His three-day official visit to Indonesia, which coincides with the 75th anniversary of Indonesia-France diplomatic relations, concludes on Thursday.
Barnama
7 days ago
- Politics
- Barnama
Indonesia, France To Sign Defence Deal During Macron's Visit
By Mohd Iswandi Kasan Anuar JAKARTA, May 28 (Bernama) -- Indonesia and France seek to deepen their strategic defence ties with the signing of a Letter of Intent (LoI) during French President Emmanuel Macron's state visit to Jakarta on Wednesday, officials said. The agreement aims to expand cooperation in defence, particularly in the area of strategic weapons systems, Indonesian Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin said in a statement after welcoming Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron. bootstrap slideshow 'We will be enhancing defence cooperation, especially in relation to strategic defence equipment,' Sjafrie said. As part of his three-day visit ending on Thursday, Macron is scheduled to travel to the Military Academy in Magelang, Central Java, where he will inspect French language training facilities for Indonesian military personnel. 'He will visit the French language laboratory used by soldiers, officers, and non-commissioned officers of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI). Many of them are already fluent,' Sjafrie added. Macron's aircraft touched down in Jakarta at around 10 am local time on Tuesday and was received with a ceremonial welcome. His visit marks a renewed effort to boost bilateral ties across key strategic sectors, with defence high on the agenda. -- BERNAMA
