Speaking to America's Future Commanders at West Point - April 2010

Inclusive Security Chair Ambassador Swanee Hunt traveled to the US Military Academy at West Point to deliver the keynote speech at their annual conference on diversity.

Before an audience of more than 1400 people, including the entire freshman class, Ambassador Hunt shared examples of how Women Waging Peace Network members around the world build and sustain peace. She called on the US military to re-examine how it engages with women in conflict areas and to increase significantly from the current level of 15 percent the number of women in the US armed forces.

Conference organizers said later that Ambassador Hunt's presentation effectively provoked discussion on the concepts of women’s inclusion and diversity more broadly. They even said later that the presentation “got the barracks buzzing all night.” Several instructors reported that they couldn’t get to their lesson plans the following morning because all the cadets wanted to talk about was the lecture the night before.

While at West Point, Ambassador Hunt also met with the Superintendent, Lieutenant General Frank Hagenbeck and President and CEO of the West Point Association of Graduates, Bob McClure, and several other faculty and staff.

As in previous years, Inclusive Security is helping a number of West Point cadets undertake summer internships with Women Waging Peace Network members and, for the first time, is welcoming one to our DC office.

For more information on Inclusive Security's work with West Point, please contact Jacqueline O'Neill.