Mensch Bill Would Provide for Valley Forge Appointments

Senate Bill 1318 creates legislative selection process for military academy/college

Legislation introduced by Senator Bob Mensch (R-Bucks, Lehigh, Montgomery & Northampton) would create a new program for legislative appointments to the Valley Forge Military Academy & College (VFMA&C).

"My legislation provides for the selection process in statute and allows for an appointment by every member of the General Assembly," said Senator Mensch. The House of Representatives recently passed a resolution where each member can appoint a qualified constituent to the freshman class at Valley Forge each year and they are eligible to receive a scholarship funded entirely by the institution. "My legislation goes beyond that and makes the process more transparent."

VFMA&C is a two-year, transfer program from which almost all students move on to four-year colleges and universities. Valley Forge is also the only institution in the Northeastern United States offering an Early Commissioning Program, which allows successful candidates to earn a commission as a second lieutenant in the Army in two years rather than the standard four years through ROTC programs at other colleges and universities.

"Valley Forge has a long tradition of providing character-based education within an academic and military environment," said Senator Mensch, a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee. "The institute provides the training and discipline that builds a solid foundation enabling young men and women to be successful in a wide variety of career paths. Its students have gone on to become military leaders, business and industry executives, government officials, professional athletes, Rhodes Scholars and White House Fellows."

The State Military College Legislative Appointment Initiative Program created under Senate Bill 1318 would allow each member of the legislature to create a selection committee to recommend an eligible student for enrollment at Valley Forge.

The State Ethics Commission would be charged with developing guidelines to govern the establishment and functions of the selection committee in order to prevent conflicts of interests or other potential ethics violations.

SB 1318 is now before Senate Education Committee for consideration.