Strength,
I agree with kinnem. College is more than just one thing, it is the whole package. You just need to decide what things carry the most weight. Life is always going to be that way, there will always be a give and take.
I understand VMI has military tradition, but remember every college has their own traditions too. Once you get there, and IF you love your school you will defend it as the best. That too is just the way of life.
I also agree that those great officers would exist no matter where they attend college because it is the drive that is in their existence. It would be akin to saying Bill Gates should not be a business mogul because he dropped out of college, or that had he stayed in college he wouldn't be a mogul. He is because of that is his passion and what pushed him to be a success.
Finally, I know kids that think by going to a school close to home is a negative thing in different ways.
1. Many of the kids from HS go there and we want to start from scratch.
~~~ The fact is for large universities, the chances are they won't see each other. They won't live in the same dorm. They won't be in the same classes. They too probably want to start their life too. IOWs it is a fallacy to believe it will be XYZ HS part II with all of the same people in your circle if you don't want them to be.
2. The folks will be popping by at the dorm, or asking if you are coming home for Friday night dinner.
~~~ The fact is our lives move on too. Many of us like the idea that you won't be coming home, because after yrs of the tv blaring until 1 a.m. and waking up to dishes in the sink we are happy not to be screaming across the house at 1 a.m. lower the tv and shut your door. Trust me we also don't miss the dishes either!
~~~ The reality is it will be you coming home, and as parents we know what that means.
~1. They need $$$
~2. They ran out of clean clothes
~3. The snack/food supply is running low
~4. Everyone cleared out for the weekend, and so by going home #1-3 are accomplished! Plus, Mom and Dad really miss me, so they will be more than happy to see me, even though I am only coming home for reason #4, they'll never realize that!
So if you are placing Purdue or any school at a lower placement for the above reasons, you need to re-think it.
Good luck.
PS. Our DS attended college only 70 mins away from us, but a spit eye from DC. He maybe came home 1x a semester, besides long weekends like T-Day. Our DD at VT, 4 hrs away, has come home now more often, because she and her sorority sisters like to go into DC when there are no home games at school. They all love VT, but you know when you get to the age of 21, DC is a lot more fun than Blacksburg, and at 21 with 5 girls in a car, a 4 hr road trip isn't that long in their mind when you scheduled your classes to have every Friday off!
It is amazing how things change when you get older!