50 Years of USNA Women Leading with Teamwork, Tone and Tenacity™

50 Years of USNA Women Demonstrating “Teamwork, Tone, Tenacity”™ (T3) Leadership!

Two Former Jewish Midshipmen Club Superstars Highlighted below!   Read on …

Amazing program celebrating this significant anniversary for women at Annapolis, followed by a spring parade! The first women at the United States Naval Academy arrived for their plebe summer in 1976. That inaugural group included 55 graduates, approx 5% of the class. Today, women comprise approximately 30% of the Brigade. Since 1980, there have been approximately 7,500 women graduates!

The integration of women at USNA has been a force multiplier for U.S. security. It tapped an untapped talent reservoir, producing aviators, surface warfare and aviation officers, and feeding many communities, such as intelligence, supply, and engineering. Women graduates have become positive, public leadership exemplars as astronauts, corporate chiefs, scientists, educators, and politicians. Some have made the ultimate sacrifice to our nation, underscoring their unwavering commitment to our physical safety and way of life.

Just too many friends encountered today to list them all. A few shout-outs:

Extremely proud of my Class of 1983 women graduates

Former members of the Jewish Midshipmen Club (two shown here: LtCol Audrey Callanan, USMC ’08, and LCDR Andrea Howard ’15.

Not pictured, but joined us for Shabbat service tonight: our first woman Jewish graduate, USNA ’81, Diane Durban.

One particular panel included all women warriors with whom I served or knew as Midshipmen: “Warfighters Answering The Call: From Desert Storm to Midnight Hammer: Moderator: Dr. Susan Yoshihara ’86, RDML Cindy Thebaud ’85, VADM Sara A. Joyner ’89, LtGen Lori Reynolds ’96, and LCDR Andrea Howard ’15.

USNA women have proven that “ability, not gender” drives excellence, strengthening the nation’s defense posture while modeling collaborative, principled, and resilient leadership for all Americans.