Valley Forge Military Academy Lawsuit for Sexual Abuse Victims [2025 Update]

The Valley Forge Military Academy Lawsuit Is An Active Lawsuit

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Valley Forge Military Academy (VFMA), a private military boarding school in Wayne, Pennsylvania, has been named in sexual abuse lawsuits involving students. Survivors describe an environment at Valley Forge Military Academy where abuse by older cadets is covered up and victims who come forward are punished by faculty and staff. 

The lawsuits against Valley Forge Military Academy are part of a larger wave of litigation showing a pattern of institutional negligence on the part of many Pennsylvania schools. This article will delve into the abuse allegations at Valley Forge Military Academy and steps victims can take to be compensated for their pain, suffering, and treatment-related expenses.

Valley Forge Military Academy Lawsuit Updates

September 2025: Valley Forge Military Academy To Close in May 2026

Citing declining enrollment and the rising costs of tuition, the board of trustees announced that VFMA will close in May of 2026, at the end of the academic year. In a public announcement, the school also cited changes in Pennsylvania laws that leave it open to more legal liability. The closing of the grade 7-12 school comes at a time when the school is facing multiple allegations and lawsuits related to sexual abuse that happened at its campus. The school may be held liable in these cases, as many survivors say administrators allowed the abuse to happen and covered it up for decades. Changes in Pennsylvania law are giving childhood sexual assault survivors more time to file lawsuits against the institutions that perpetuated the abuse.

April 2025: VFMA Receives $3M Gift for Capital Approvements

Amidst a flood of sexual assault complaints, VFMA has received one of its largest capital gifts to date. The school received $3M, which it plans to put toward campus improvements and capital projects. The gift came from Harry C. McCreary, who graduated from the school in 1945. The school plans to rename one of its residence halls in his honor. Although the financial gift is good news for students attending Valley Forge Military Academy, the school still faces lawsuits that accuse officials of covering up sex assaults on the campus. Enrollment and revenue have declined in recent years, due to deteriorating conditions at the school, abuse, assault, and other factors.

April 2019: Toothpasting Victim Files Lawsuit Against VFMA

Alleging that the military academy looked the other way while he was abused, the anonymous victim of the 2017 “toothpasting” incident, John Doe, filed a lawsuit against VFMA. “Toothpasting” describes incidents where cadets were sodomized with inanimate objects. Doe’s attorney stated that his client feared not just the students who assaulted him, but a school culture in which people who reported incidents “did not fare well.”

March 2019: VFMA President Resigns After Less Than A Year On The Job

Citing “philosophical disagreements” with the board of trustees of VFMAC (the formerly combined academy and military college), Army Major General Walt Lord resigns as president. Lord would later report that he felt micromanaged by the board and encountered resistance when he attempted to address the school’s financial issues.

April 2018: Major General Walt Lord Appointed President Of Valley Forge Military Academy And College

Army Major General Walt Lord, a former graduate of Valley Forge Military College, was appointed president of VFMAC. Lord expressed concerns for his alma mater’s tarnished reputation and is widely credited with taking a reform-based approach to the institution, applying military discipline where appropriate and removing dangerous students when necessary. Trustee Major General Jessica Wright resigned not long after, citing issues with the school’s governance structure and an “apathetic attitude” on the part of the board.

February 2017: Three VFMA Cadets Charged In “Toothpasting” Incident

Three students attending VFMA were charged as juveniles after attempting to sodomize another cadet with a lacrosse stick as part of a hazing ritual. The victim also reported having his property stolen, being waterboarded, and being subject to frequent non-sexual assaults.

February 2015: Whistleblower Files Title-IX Complaint On VFMA

VFMA Title-IX officer Robert Wood filed a federal complaint against the school, describing numerous incidents of sexual assault on campus and the “systemic problems” that enabled them. Incidents in the report include a group of male students who intended to film a female cadet having sex, a male cadet raped by another male student, “toothpasting,” a hazing ritual involving sodomization with objects, and a female cadet who reported being raped at a party off-campus. Wood reported that VFMA frequently did not follow through on the disciplinary board’s recommendations to dismiss the offending students.

February 2012: VFMC Cadet Charged With Sexual Assault

Police arrested and charged VFMC cadet Jerrell McEachin with deviant sexual assault, indecent assault without consent, indecent exposure, and other charges. The victim, a female cadet, claimed McEachin forced her to perform oral sex on him after she had refused his sexual advances.

January 2004: VFMA Cadet Charged With Sexual Assault

A 17-year-old cadet was arrested and charged with sexual assault on another student. Two additional students claimed they were assaulted by the same cadet. The parents of the cadet withdrew their son from the academy.

About the Valley Forge Military Academy Lawsuit:

About Valley Forge Military Academy in Wayne, PA

Valley Forge Military Academy is an all-boys boarding and day school serving grades 7-12. Its sister organization, Valley Forge Military College, is a co-ed two-year military junior college offering undergraduate majors. The college and military academy were a single entity called Valley Forge Military Academy and College until 2023, when the college was spun off into a separate entity with its own board of trustees and administration. The two entities continue to share a campus in Wayne, however.

Valley Forge Military Academy and College was founded in 1928 by World War 1 veteran Lt. General Milton Graftly Baker. It is the only military academy in Pennsylvania and counts General Norman Schwarzkopf among its alumni. While the institution’s prestige and focus on military-style discipline has garnered prestige over its nearly 100 years of operation, Valley Forge has also been named in lawsuits for failing to adequately protect students from physical and sexual abuse.

At Valley Forge Military Academy, older cadets are often assigned adult duties and are responsible for overseeing many operations at the school. The school has also become known as a last-chance school, where vulnerable and troubled teens are sent for reform. This has led to an environment with little qualified oversight where numerous types of abuse are common and systemic.

What Are the Allegations Against Valley Forge Military Academy?

Valley Forge Military Academy faces multiple allegations involving sexual abuse between cadets. Instead of taking complaints seriously and punishing perpetrators, the school is accused of upholding a culture of “no negative press.” Allegations against VFMA include:

• Not taking complaints seriously
• Turning a blind eye to abuse committed by cadets
• Ignoring abuse committed by staff
• Allowing sexual hazing rituals to take place
• Not punishing or expelling students who committed sexual assault
• Retaliating against victims
• Choosing reputation over student safety

In cases where the abuse was reported, the incidents were often ignored or not taken seriously. Other allegations include that school administrators did not take disciplinary action against cadets who perpetrated abuse. Instead, the school often retaliated against victims who reported sexual abuse. According to records, VFMA chose to protect its reputation and abusers over victims.

For example, survivors describe a culture of neglect at VFMA. In a lawsuit filed by John Doe, a male student claims the academy looked the other way while he was abused. The earlier Title-IX complaint alleges that VFMA neglected to follow through with disciplinary recommendations for offending students. Additional complaints involve staff and faculty who behaved inappropriately with students, including former commandant J.J. Rivera. The accusations paint a picture of an institution in which bullying and assault are commonplace.

The allegations facing VFMA are similar to those being leveled at other private schools in Pennsylvania, where protecting the institution’s reputation took precedence over the well-being of students. Many of these institutions are also facing lawsuits.

Who Committed Crimes of Sexual Abuse at Valley Forge Military Academy?

Most of the alleged or convicted perpetrators at VFMA so far have been other students/cadets. However, school staff have also been named in complaints. Some of the assaults, like those in the John Doe case, were tied to hazing rituals on campus. One such ritual, dubbed “toothpasting,” involves sodomization with foreign objects. However, former students have also described inappropriate behavior on the part of staff and faculty, including flirtation with female cadets at VFMC.

Older cadets are often responsible for younger cadets. Many of these cadets are perpetrators of sexual, physical, and psychological abuse. Some of the abusers are coached by drill-sergeant-style leaders who use harsh tactics to belittle and control cadets.

Who Were the Victims of Sexual Abuse at Valley Forge Military Academy?

Victims of sexual assault at Valley Forge Military Academy have typically been students. Because the grade 7-12 population is entirely male, many of the victims also are. Most of the female victims attend the co-ed undergraduate Valley Forge Military College, which shares a campus with VFMA. The academy’s reputation for being a “last chance,” intensive boarding school creates a closed environment that contains both vulnerable students from disadvantaged backgrounds and students with a high propensity towards violent behavior.

Students are placed into a highly hierarchical, military-like environment where obedience to authority, both staff and older cadets, is emphasized. In cases where that power is abused, it can be especially difficult for victims, who often fear retaliation, to come forward.

How Did Valley Forge Military Academy Fail to Protect Its Students?

Institutional failures like those at VFMA can create environments in which predators can abuse victims while facing few consequences. Failures by officials at Valley Forge include:

• Covering up and/or failing to report sexual abuse to authorities
• Lack of oversight of students
• Delegating too much authority to other students
• Allowing a culture of extreme hazing to develop on campus
• Resisting attempts to reform processes

While VFMA’s military-like structure stands in contrast to that of other elite Pennsylvania boarding schools facing similar lawsuits, it shares a common theme of prioritizing the school’s reputation over the safety of students.

This negligence has led to multiple lawsuits. Although individuals can be sued for sexual abuse, the lawsuits also target the institution itself as an entity for allowing the abuse to continue or for not following appropriate procedures when sexual abuse was reported.

Who Can File a Valley Forge Military Academy Sexual Abuse Lawsuit?

Anyone who experiences sexual assault or abuse at Valley Forge Military Academy may be eligible to file a lawsuit. People who might be able to file a lawsuit include:

• Cadets (students)
• Staff
• Children of staff
• Those abused on campus grounds who were not enrolled in the school

Survivors of sexual abuse at VFMA may be eligible to file a lawsuit, even if the abuse occurred years ago. If someone was abused under the age of 18, they have until age 55 to file a civil lawsuit. If someone was abused at age 18 or older, they have 12 years to file a civil lawsuit.

What Damages Can I Recover From a Valley Forge Military Academy Lawsuit?

Survivors of VFMA sexual abuse may be able to recover both economic and non-economic damages through a lawsuit. While the applicable damages will vary between cases, victims may be compensated for:

• Medical bills
• Therapy bills
• Lost wages or earning capacity
• Lost educational opportunity
• Pain and suffering

Damages may cover more than just compensation and may also be awarded to hold the offending institution accountable. For example, if the institution is held liable for negligence, victims may also receive punitive damages in the form of increased compensation.

How Can I File a Valley Forge Military Academy Lawsuit for Sexual Abuse?

Filing a sexual abuse lawsuit against Valley Forge Military Academy or a similar institution involves several steps. Though some details of the case will be public record, the identities of childhood victims of sexual assault may be protected throughout the process.

The steps for filing a lawsuit are:

1. Contact an attorney experienced in sexual abuse lawsuits. An experienced attorney can make the process smoother and less stressful.
2. Undergo a confidential case review. A case review from an experienced legal team can lay out specific steps, rationale for filing, and expectations for the case.
3. Gather relevant records, testimony, or medical documentation. This evidence will be critical to supporting your case as it enters negotiation or trial.
4. File a lawsuit before legal deadlines expire. Your lawsuit needs to be formally submitted within the Commonwealth’s statute of limitations.
5. Pursue settlement negotiations or trial. Your case will be decided either through negotiation with the defense or, if a settlement cannot be reached, through trial.

Estimated Valley Forge Military Academy Lawsuit Settlement Amounts

Childhood sexual abuse cases involving institutions in Pennsylvania have resulted in awards ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars. King Law estimates a typical payout will range between $500,000 and $2 million per individual. However, the exact compensation will depend on the severity of the abuse, the strength of the case’s evidence, whether the case goes to trial, and institutional accountability. Awards of less than $500,000 or more than $2 million are possible.

What is the Deadline to File a Valley Forge Military Academy Lawsuit?

A Valley Forge Military Academy lawsuit needs to be filed within Pennsylvania’s statute of limitations for civil lawsuits involving sexual assault. The deadline to file a sex abuse lawsuit depends on multiple factors, including:

• When the abuse happened
• The age of the victim at the time of the abuse

The statutes of limitations for civil sexual abuse cases in Pennsylvania currently are:

• Up until the victim’s 55th birthday, provided the abuse occurred when the victim was under 18. This is more likely to apply to VFMA students than VFMC cadets.
• Victims who were over 18 have 12 years to file a civil lawsuit for sexual assault.

A lookback window is also being proposed for victims not covered by the current statute of limitations. If this legislation is passed, it would allow adult victims much more time to file a lawsuit related to the abuse they endured as children.

Recent reform efforts have extended the statute of limitations for sexual abuse cases in the Commonwealth, but the criteria can be a little confusing. Because of this, it is highly advisable to speak to an experienced lawyer to help determine your deadlines and to avoid being barred from filing.

Contact a Valley Forge Military Academy Lawyer

Survivors of sexual abuse who are seeking justice need experienced representation that will respect their confidentiality and boundaries. Our team and legal partners manage sexual assault cases with compassion and understanding.

King Law has decades of experience holding institutions accountable for their negligence in protecting students. We offer free consultations that will help determine your eligibility, critical deadlines, and the next steps should you decide to move forward. Contact us at 585.496.2648.

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