The once boisterous campus of Valley Forge Military Academy (VFMA) will fall silent after this academic year in May 2026. The Wayne, Pennsylvania, all-boys military school sits on historic ground where the encampment of General George Washington and the Continental Army spent the bitter winter of 1777-78 during the Revolutionary War. Whereas Washington and his men weathered the hardship and went on to victory, VFMA cannot claim the same success. Financial problems and a failure to adapt to a changing academic culture did in the institution that produced notable public figures, including the late General Norman Schwarzkopf, retired Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster, former National Security Advisor, author J.D. Salinger, and Maryland Governor Wes Moore.
Secondary education in the US has undergone some turbulent times, where more traditional and patriotic values have come into conflict with a social justice, woke academic worldview. However, as is often the case, the real culprit in bringing down private institutions is that rising costs tend to outpace tuition revenues. In a September 15 press announcement, it was explained that VFMA would continue to operate through May 30, 2026, concluding the institution’s 98-year history, with the graduation of the 98th Corps of cadets. The announcement described the factors leading to the decision to close the academy, explaining:
“First, rising costs have made a boarding school education less affordable for many families. In turn, this has driven sharp declines in enrollment. In addition, changes in Pennsylvania law increased the academy’s liability exposure, driving steep insurance premium increases and narrowing the number of insurers willing to provide coverage. Together, these factors made the academy’s future unsustainable.”
VFMA’s “liability exposure” was made worse after a spate of lawsuits over excessive hazing. However, there has been a steady erosion of interest in young men attending a secondary military school. Following the Civil War, 100s of all-boys military academies were valued as esteemed alternatives to public schools. According to Fandom.com, the current list of military schools in operation is 35. Among those 13 are co-educational. That leaves 22 all-boys military schools. The reasons for the decline in single-sex military academies are not just tuition or operating costs.
A military Education
In its article “Why the Decline in Military Schools?” the online publication MilitarySchoolUSA.com explained, “The decline in the number of military schools in the US reflects complex changes in American educational and cultural landscapes. While these schools still play a vital role for certain students, providing unique opportunities for growth and development, they no longer occupy the central place they once did in American education.” Among the factors other than tuition costs, the article points out that societal and cultural shifts have made military schools less appealing. A disciplined and structured academic atmosphere “does not resonate” with the contemporary generation that favors individuality and “personal freedom.”
Additionally, you cannot discount the popularity of a military career generally as having a direct impact on US military incubator programs like Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) in high school and ROTC programs at universities, as well as military recruiting programs generally. The same broad brush that covers these programs can also impact the participation in secondary military schools. However, recent recruiting statistics show a marked turnaround from the dismal numbers during the previous Biden administration. “Defense [Department of War] Secretary Pete Hegseth has made efforts to increase public engagement with the military at large, with the Army and Air Force both hitting their recruitment goals early. Some critics blamed the previous Biden administration for depressing interest in the military, citing their focus on left-wing initiatives as a key contributor to the decrease,” the Daily Caller observed.
It’s difficult to predict whether military schools will benefit from the change in direction taken by the Pentagon leadership. Secretary Hegseth has not been shy about explaining his intentions: “We will put America First, and we will never back down. The President gave us a clear mission: achieve Peace through Strength. We will do this in three ways — by restoring the warrior ethos, rebuilding our military, and reestablishing deterrence,” Hegseth explained in a Pentagon press release. The War Department secretary can count on our Commander-in-Chief to back him. After all, President Trump is a graduate of the New York Military Academy in Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York, and has an affinity for a military school education. There is no record of any other president having graduated from a military prep school.
The demise of VFMA does not sound the death knell for other all-boys military academies, but it should be a warning. Financial responsibility, combined with a sensitive finger on the cultural and social pulse of the American people, will fortify the future for military schools, particularly all-boys military schools. America needs institutions that build discipline, character, and leadership qualities in young men and boys. Don’t let the fate of VFMA be a harbinger of the future for all-boys military schools.
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The views expressed are those of the author and not of any other affiliate.
