[Senate Hearing 119-159]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
S. Hrg. 119-159
THE STATUS OF MILITARY SERVICE ACADEMIES
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HEARING
BEFORE THE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON
PERSONNEL
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES
UNITED STATES SENATE
ONE HUNDRED NINETEENTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
__________
MARCH 26, 2025
__________
Printed for the use of the Committee on Armed Services
[GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Available via: http://www.govinfo.gov
__________
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
61-564 PDF WASHINGTON : 2025
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COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES
ROGER F. WICKER, Mississippi, Chairman
DEB FISCHER, Nebraska JACK REED, Rhode Island
TOM COTTON, Arkansas JEANNE SHAHEEN, New Hampshire
MIKE ROUNDS, South Dakota KIRSTEN E. GILLIBRAND, New York
JONI ERNST, Iowa RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, Connecticut
DAN SULLIVAN, Alaska MAZIE K. HIRONO, Hawaii
KEVIN CRAMER, North Dakota TIM KAINE, Virginia
RICK SCOTT, Florida ANGUS S. KING, Jr., Maine
TOMMY TUBERVILLE, Alabama ELIZABETH WARREN, Massachusetts
MARKWAYNE MULLIN, Oklahoma GARY C. PETERS, Michigan
TED BUDD, North Carolina TAMMY DUCKWORTH, Illinois
ERIC SCHMITT, Missouri JACKY ROSEN, Nevada
JIM BANKS, INDIANA MARK KELLY, Arizona
TIM SHEEHY, MONTANA ELISSA SLOTKIN, MICHIGAN
John P. Keast, Staff Director
Elizabeth L. King, Minority Staff Director
_________________________________________________________________
Subcommittee on Personnel
TOMMY TUBERVILLE, Alabama,
Chairman
JONI K. ERNST, Iowa ELIZABETH WARREN, Massachusetts
RICK SCOTT, Florida RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, Connecticut
TED BUDD, North Carolina MAZIE K. HIRONO, Hawaii
TAMMY DUCKWORTH, Illinois
(ii)
C O N T E N T S
_________________________________________________________________
march 26, 2025
Page
The Status of Military Service Academies......................... 1
Members Statements
Statement of Senator Tommy Tuberville............................ 1
Statement of Senator Elizabeth Warren............................ 2
Witness Statements
Gilland, Lieutenant General Steven W., USA, Superintendent of the 5
United States Military Academy, United States Army.
Davids, Vice Admiral Yvette M., USN, Superintendent of the United 15
States Naval Academy, United States Navy.
Bauernfeind, Lieutenant General Tony D., USAF, Superintendent of 32
the United States Air Force Academy, United States Air Force.
Appendix......................................................... 76
(iii)
THE STATUS OF MILITARY SERVICE ACADEMIES
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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 2025
United States Senate,
Subcommittee on Personnel,
Committee on Armed Services,
Washington, DC.
The Subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 2:30 p.m., in
room SR-222, Russell Senate Office Building, Senator Tommy
Tuberville (Chairman of the Subcommittee) presiding.
Committee Members present: Tuberville, Scott, Budd, Warren,
Reed, Blumenthal, and Hirono.
Also present: Senator Sullivan.
OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR TOMMY TUBERVILLE
Senator Tuberville. I would like to call this Committee
hearing in session. The Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on
Personnel meets this afternoon to conduct oversight and receive
testimony on the status of the Military Service Academies.
Thank you for being here.
The last time this body conducted a hearing on this topic
with these witnesses, or with any witnesses with the academies,
was more than 30 years ago. We are fortunate to have these
three distinguished officers here today: Lieutenant General
Steven Gilland, U.S. Military Academy; Vice Admiral Yvette
Davids of the Naval Academy; and Lieutenant General Tony----
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. Bauernfeind, sir.
Senator Tuberville.----Bauernfeind. It is going to be a
long day.
As this is the first meeting of the Personnel Subcommittee
in the 119th Congress let me begin by saying I look forward to
working with you, Ranking Member Warren, thank you for being
here, as we continue the bipartisan tradition of the Armed
Services Committee in developing the National Defense
Authorization Act. Nothing is more bipartisan than supporting
our men and women in uniform and their families. This
Subcommittee has a long history of prioritizing the well-being
and morale of our servicemembers, and I am eager to continue
that work as the new Chairman.
The Military Service Academies are foundational to the
success of the military officer corps. In many ways, the
Service Academies establish the culture of their respected
service. Moreover, the academies occupy an important position
in our society. They are perhaps the last universities in the
country that focus on building character and improving the
morality of their student body.
The American people often perceive the academies as being
emblematic of the entire U.S. military, for better or for
worse. Over the last several years, the academies have lost
sight in some areas of the fundamental reason for their
existence, which is to commission officers with the education
required by the respective military branches.
All three academies have been sued for engaging in race-
based affirmative action that is now prohibited at every other
university in the country. We have repeatedly heard, over the
last several years, that our diversity is our strength. It is
not. Diversity can be an awesome advantage, but our unity of
effort and shared benefits in our Constitution and common
values are our strength. Diversity for the sake of diversity
alone weakens us.
A professor at the Air Force Academy proudly authored a
Washington Post op-ed proclaiming that she teaches critical
race theory to cadets. Both West Point and the Air Force
Academy established diversity and inclusion minors which can be
trendy in other university settings, but were so unpopular with
cadets that when they were abruptly canceled by President Trump
hardly anyone noticed.
More importantly, any effort to teach our future leaders to
judge or short people by immutable characteristics like race
runs counter to the Constitution and is devastating to good
order and discipline. Last fall, the Naval Academy
appropriately canceled a lecture after it was revealed that the
speaker planned to use the opportunity to make a partisan
political speech. But one must ask, why was this speaker
invited in the first place? The academies must always remember
that they were created in the first place. The American people
devote tremendous resources to maintaining all of these
institutions. If the academies are not entirely focused on
building officers' character and to lead our Nation's sons and
daughters in combat, then what is the purpose?
I hope our witnesses will address these criticisms but also
tell us about the great things that are happening every day at
the academies.
The vast majority of the cadets and midshipmen, faculty and
staff at the Service Academies are properly focused on the only
mission that matters, which is defending our Constitution and
the American people.
I thank the witnesses for appearing here today, and I look
forward to their testimony.
Now I will turn the microphone over to Senator Warren.
STATEMENT OF SENATOR ELIZABETH WARREN
Senator Warren. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am also looking
forward to continuing the bipartisan tradition of this
Subcommittee, and I hope to work with you and all of our
members to make sure that we improve the lives of our
servicemembers, their families, and our civilian workforce so
that they can stay focused on the mission of keeping Americans
safe.
I want to start by extending my condolences to the four
families that just lost loved ones during a training mission in
Lithuania. They remind us, those who go into harm's way and
their families are always at risk and put it on the line for
the people of this United States of America. We are a deeply
grateful Nation.
I am glad that we are starting this year by focusing on how
we recruit and retain the next generation of military leaders.
Our Military Service Academies are among the top academic
institutions in the Nation. West Point, the Air Force Academy,
the Naval Academy provide a high-quality education, and they
recruit and train almost 20 percent of our military officers.
Currently, our Military Academies are very selective,
almost as tough to get into as the top colleges in this
country. But that knife cuts both ways. Every student admitted
to the Military Academies has other options. Academy students
are often highly recruited by other schools. The competition
for talent for tomorrow's leaders is already fierce. Attacks on
our Military Academies through policies that shrink the pool of
young Americans who will consider applying for military service
will cause lasting damage to our military and to our Nation.
The latest U.S. census found that the youngest generation
of Americans is more diverse than ever. That means we need our
Military Academies to continue developing successful leaders
from all walks of life, not push away strong recruits because
they feel unwelcome or undervalued. Ham-fisted efforts to
reshape the academies are bound to backfire. For example, a mix
of military practitioners and civilian instructors have
successfully worked together for decades to shape students at
the Service Academies into a lethal fighting force.
In a same way that competition for talent exists for
academy students, the same competition is true for faculty.
Well-respected professors have options, and many are
aggressively recruited.
When Secretary Hegseth seemed to suggest that academies
should have fewer civilian professors, and when the Department
of Defense (DOD) imposes a ban on travel by civilian personnel,
it suggests that the military does not care about civilians
supporting its mission and that it will make it harder to
attract and keep top talent to teach tomorrow's military
leaders.
The foolishness of the travel ban was immediately apparent.
Testing sites for military entrance exams were forced to close
or reduce hours, so fewer young people could apply to the
military. While DOD has begun to allow civilians to travel to
these testing sites again, these attacks on civilian personnel
who help to support our military are worrying, and civilian
personnel are key to keeping our academies successful, as well.
Our military students deserve the best teachers, people who
are experts in their field. Tying the hands of the academies as
they compete with other top universities for talented faculty
will undercut the academies and, over time, undercut the
leaders the academies are teaching.
Students need to develop their skills both inside the
classroom and outside, as well. I am sure many of us can think
of sports teams and extracurricular activities that helped
shape our experiences at school, that helped build our
communities, and that made us better leaders. Surely, as a
coach, Chairman Tuberville saw students' leadership skills
develop and grow through out-of-classroom work.
The executive orders attacks on clubs at academies that it
considers Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is not
creating more effective warfighters. It is cutting off students
from opportunities to grow as leaders. When we are trying to
maintain a military force that can deter China, we cannot
afford to be shutting down engineering clubs. But under
President Trump, West Point has already disbanded chapters of
the National Society of Black Engineers and the National
Society of Women Engineers. Both organizations have been
praised repeatedly for helping recruit and retain more young
engineers for military service. Closing those chapters at the
Military Academies, while those chapters remain open at more
than 600 other colleges and universities, does not help our
military recruit top talent.
This Committee held two hearings on recruiting last year,
and both hearings made clear that the United States cannot meet
its recruiting goals without women. The Army met its recruiting
goals in 2024, primarily because of new female recruits. There
was an 18 percent increase in women signing up for Active Duty,
compared to an increase of just 8 percent for men. Let me be
clear. These women are not looking for a preference or a
handout. They just want a chance to compete straight up.
But we will not be able to attract the women we need if
they see a new glass ceiling on their opportunity to command.
By removing women, like the Chief of Naval Operations Vice
Admiral Franchetti, from leadership roles simply because they
are women, and confirming a Secretary of Defense who has a long
record of opposing women in combat, the Trump administration
has already set a tone from the top that women are not welcome.
We are already hearing concerns that women are hesitant to join
certain military jobs because they believe they will not be
welcome, solely due to their identity, not because of their
qualifications.
Black recruits face their own challenges. When a Black
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a man who served
honorably for over 40 years and who outlined our most
successful strategy to deal with foreign terrorists, is fired
solely because President Trump cannot imagine that he earned
the job on the merits, Black military recruits across the
Nation get the message--your race makes you vulnerable.
When national organizations to support Black college
students who major in engineering are suddenly dropped at the
Military Academies, while those organizations remain lively at
600 other colleges and universities, the message that the
Military Academies may not welcome you gets even louder.
Recruiting and retaining talent, including Black and female
talent, is a critical job for the future security of our
Nation. Pushing away more than half our future leaders is
wildly self-destructive.
Mr. Chairman, 24 alumni from West Point and the Naval
Academy have written to me, sharing their stories about what
the academies mean to them and why they are concerned about the
direction this Administration wants to take them. I would like
to enter those into the record for their letters and testimony.
Senator Tuberville. So entered.
[The information referred to follows:]
Please see Appendix beginning on page 76.
Senator Warren. Let me read from just one of them, who
wrote that these attacks on diversity are, quote, ``a direct
affront to the principles upon which our military was built and
a betrayal of the sacrifices made by generations of
servicemembers.'' Let those words sink in--a betrayal. We owe
them better than that.
I look forward to this hearing and hearing the testimony of
witnesses who are here today. I thank you for being with us.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Senator Tuberville. Thank you, Senator Warren.
Now we will start with our witnesses and we will go to
questions and answers. We will start with you, General Gilland.
STATEMENT OF LIEUTENANT GENERAL STEVEN W. GILLAND, USA,
SUPERINTENDENT OF THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY, UNITED
STATES ARMY
Lieutenant General Gilland. Chairman Tuberville, Ranking
Member Warren, distinguished members of the Subcommittee, thank
you for your continued support of the United States Military
Academy and Corps of Cadets. I am honored by the opportunity to
share how your Military Academy is providing the Army and our
Nation with disciplined, resilient warrior leaders of
character, ready to fight and win on the 21st century
battlefield.
West Point produces the best-trained junior officers,
dedicated to the Army values and ready for a lifetime of
selfless service to the Nation. Starting on day one, our cadets
are grounded in the ideals of duty, honor, country, and our
Cadet Honor Code. Our rigorous leader development system
ensures West Point graduates are prepared to lead American
soldiers.
West Point is not a traditional college or university. We
equip our graduates with the skills required to lead small
units on the battlefield. Furthermore, we develop and refine
the high moral character necessary to lead America's sons and
daughters to fight and win our Nation's wars.
Through a robust corps curriculum that encompasses
warfighting, scholarship, and physical training, underpinned by
the United States Constitution, we instill both the warrior
ethos and intellectual agility necessary to outthink and
outmaneuver our adversaries. Our graduates serve as a testament
to the effectiveness of our program, including 77 Medal of
Honor recipients, over 100 Rhodes Scholars, 2 U.S. Presidents,
and numerous Members of Congress, including 10 current members.
Our team, many of whom are combat veterans, and from my
professional experience in the 75th Ranger Regiment, as a
former deputy commander of a special mission unit, and the
Commander of the Warrior Division in the Republic of Korea, we
know what it takes to fight and win in the most unforgiving
conditions. That mindset and toughness is what West Point
teaches, which is exactly the type of battlefield leader West
Point produces.
But what truly sets us apart is our comprehensive character
development efforts integrated through all aspects of the cadet
experience. I believe a cadet gets a degree in character
development and leadership. We charge every member of our
community, staff, faculty, and coaches to be developers of
leadership and character. These extraordinary young men and
women are among America's finest, hailing from our states,
unified by shared commitment to selfless service, supporting
and defending the Constitution, and living and leading
honorably.
We invite you to West Point to participate in the classroom
and our training, sleep outside on the ground and in the rain
with our cadets, and witness firsthand our exceptional future
leaders in action. We know that you will be inspired.
Thank you again, Senators, for the opportunity to discuss
the United States Military Academy with you today.
[The prepared statement of Lieutenant General Steven W.
Gilland follows:]
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Senator Tuberville. Thank you, General. Admiral Davids.
STATEMENT OF VICE ADMIRAL YVETTE M. DAVIDS, USN, SUPERINTENDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY, UNITED STATES NAVY
Vice Admiral Davids. Chairman Tuberville, Ranking Member
Warren, distinguished Members of the Subcommittee, thank you
for the opportunity to appear before you today on behalf of the
United States Naval Academy.
The Naval Academy's mission is to develop midshipmen
morally, mentally, and physically, and to imbue them with the
highest ideals of duty, honor, and loyalty, in order to
graduate leaders who are dedicated to a career of naval
service. We are developing our Navy and Marine Corps' next
generation of resilient warfighters and ethical leaders of
character who will preserve peace, and when called upon,
prevail in conflict.
I took command of the Naval Academy as Superintendent in
January 2024, and I am pleased to report to you today that the
Naval Academy is succeeding in its mission. Having graduated
from the Naval Academy in 1989, as a Surface Warfare Officer,
over the last 35 years I have had the privilege of serving on
board 7 Navy ships, including command of a carrier strike crew.
My husband Keith, a member of the Naval Academy class of 1990,
honorably served as a Navy SEAL for 34 years before retiring
this fall, after commanding Naval Special Warfare Command.
I can attest that the Naval Academy has and continues to
develop the type of stalwart leaders that our Navy and Marine
Corps needs, both today and for a future fight. The Naval
Academy graduates and commissions over 1,000 officers each
year, ensigns, and second lieutenants to serve in our Navy and
Marine Corps. Every member of the Naval Academy team, from
company officers to professors to coaches is committed to
developing these young men and women to meet and exceed the
standards required, as evidenced by an average graduation rate
of 89 percent, well above the DOD requirement of 75 percent,
and the U.S. 4-year graduation rate of 27 percent.
While we value our reputation in the various college
rankings, they are important for our admission efforts. It is
important to highlight that we are a Military Service Academy
and not a college or a university. Our graduates must be
prepared immediately upon commissioning to lead and fight.
As a national institution, the Naval Academy draws
applicants from across our great Nation. The Naval Academy uses
a comprehensive process, a whole-person assessment, balancing
objective factors, including each candidate's application such
as grade point average (GPA), with subjective factors such as
strength of a candidate's high school and course load. At no
time are race, sex, or ethnicity considered in the admissions
process. Despite recent challenges associated with COVID-19
pandemic and drops in college enrollment nationally, the Naval
Academy has experienced a nearly 47 percent increase in our
number of applications over the past 20 years.
Our outreach efforts have been successful in reaching
across the country, delivering dedicated, quality, candidates.
From the moment a midshipman swears their oath on Induction Day
to the day they are commissioned, they undergo experiential
leadership development, learning by doing, as an integral
aspect of their education and training.
While our core academic program includes required courses
in English, history, and government, it also includes an
immense focus on leadership development, and is heavily
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) focused. Our
graduates will serve on nuclear submarines, fly state-of-the-
art aircraft, and command advanced warships. This technical
foundation is an imperative.
Our philosophy of education stresses attention to
individual students by highly qualified faculty and staff
members, and our faculty is an integrated group of over 550
military officers and civilian professionals, historically
designed to be roughly equal in number. Officers typically
rotate to the Naval Academy for 2-to 3-year assignments,
bringing fresh ideas and experiences from the fleet. We also
have a smaller contingent of permanent military instructors and
professors, usually assigned for 5 to 8 years at a time.
Our career civilian faculty members, all with doctoral
degrees, bring continuity to the education program, the
academic and subject matter expertise necessary for our
advanced technical courses, and hone teaching skills. Working
together, our military and civilian instructors form an
exceptionally dedicated team.
The Naval Academy offers 26 majors. Over 75 percent of our
graduates major in a STEM discipline, and majors are added or
removed in response to the needs of the fleet. Recent examples
include the addition of majors in nuclear engineering, cyber
operations, and data science. We integrate wargaming into each
midshipman's professional development, preparing future
officers who can outthink the enemy.
Every midshipman also maintains a high level of physical
fitness. They participate in classes and combatives as well as
swimming, and must achieve physical fitness standards that far
exceed Navy-wide standards. We have 36 varsity sports, among
the most of any college or university in the Nation. Developing
teamwork, grit, resiliency, and the will to win are all vital
attributes for all Naval Academy graduates.
Established by Congress in 1845, the Naval Academy has
developed into a 4-year, total immersion program designed to
instill professional, physical, and academic excellence
required to develop warfighters and leaders of character for
careers in our naval service.
Thank you again for the opportunity to appear before you
today, and I look forward to your questions.
[The prepared statement of Vice Admiral Davids follows:]
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Senator Tuberville. Thank you, Admiral. General?
STATEMENT OF LIEUTENANT GENERAL TONY D. BAUERNFEIND, USAF,
SUPERINTENDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ACADEMY, UNITED
STATES AIR FORCE
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. Chairman Tuberville,
Ranking Member Warren, and other distinguished Members, good
afternoon and thank you for the opportunity to address this
Committee on behalf of the United States Air Force Academy
(USAFA).
At the Air Force Academy, we are exceptionally proud of our
military, academic, and athletic heritage, where we have
developed leaders who have served with honor since our first
graduating class of 1959. With our 30 majors and our 19 minors,
we are proud to be named amongst the top public colleges in
this great Nation, alongside our teammates at this table.
Additionally, our 30 intercollegiate athletic teams
continue to showcase our warrior spirit and our athletic
prowess with 248 national champions after last Friday night and
928 All-Americans over our short history.
But this is not enough. As a Nation, we are in a time of
consequence with global geopolitical instability. Our
adversaries have watched the American way of war, and they are
challenging our capabilities in every warfighting domain. It is
our responsibility to act now. At USAFA, that action is a
transformation that starts with our updated mission in which we
will forge leaders of character motivated to a lifetime of
service and developed to lead our Air Force's Space Force as we
fight and win our Nation's wars.
With our mission in mind, and building upon the foundation
of our service's core values, our priorities are that we will
forge warfighters to win, we will inspire leaders of character
and quality, and we will motivate critical thinkers to adapt.
Our mission, our priorities, and our newly injected
warfighter training are the bedrock of forging warfighters to
win. The warrior ethos our Nation needs must focus on our
readiness and driving us to be offensively minded, to be the
masters of our craft, and team builders who overcome adversity.
Our cadets will be ready for future battlefields with the
foundational warfighting skills of shoot, move, communicate,
medicate, and automate. These are the skills our joint force
requires.
Leaders of character and quality make the right decisions,
the right way, even if unpopular. They value teamwork, hold
each other accountable, maintain high standards, and build each
other up to exceed those standards, and always uphold their
honor.
Finally, the dynamic strategic environment of our time
demands critical thinkers to adapt. On a modern-day battlefield
our leaders must innovate solutions to wicked-hard problems,
while operating with limited information. By developing their
skills to ensure military readiness, to make rapid decisions
with limited data, manage operational risk, our cadets will be
ready to face a challenging world.
As a Military Service Academy, our priorities are the
foundation of everything we do. Every military training
session, every classroom, educational experience, and every
athletic competition must support and reflect our priorities as
we develop warfighters ready to lead on day one. Woven
throughout that foundation is a shared responsibility for
instilling a culture of warfighting excellence, team building,
and respect to the entire team. To be clear, our training will
always be demanding, but it will never be demeaning.
To achieve our goals, our Academy is undergoing significant
change. We have returned to the basics of military training and
enforcing standards for all Academy personnel. While standards
and accountability are critical to good order and discipline,
more importantly they are vital to modern warfare, where
precision, professionalism, and trust are the foundation of
complex military activities.
We are also implementing a four-class leadership
development program. We are shifting away from an emphasis on
stress-focused training during the freshman year to a
comprehensive, military-focused progressive training at the
individual, team, and unit levels that spans a cadet's entire
47-month leadership and military development program.
Through 4 years of rigorous military training, a nationally
recognized academic program, and highly competitive academics,
we will develop graduates who exemplify unwavering courage and
integrity. They will be prepared to lead in our Air Force and
our Space Force, and they will be ready to lead lethal
warfighting teams to deter our adversaries, and should
deterrence fail, fight and win our Nation's wars.
Our path is clear. We must forge warfighters to win, we
must inspire leaders of character and quality, and we must
motivate critical thinkers to adapt, all to ensure that we
deliver the decisive advantage over our adversaries. Our Nation
deserves nothing less.
I look forward to your questions and sharing more about the
incredible Air Force Academy. Thank you.
[The prepared statement of Lieutenant General Bauernfeind
follows:]
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Senator Tuberville. Thank you, General. We will start with
a few questions. I would just like to say something. I coached
for 40 years and recruited all over this country. I did lose
recruits to each one of your academies, and it never bothered
me because I knew the direction they were headed. They were
going to a different team, and all three of you said something
about team, and that is what you are. Your entire academy is a
team. You are all together in one. When you are at a
university, you have athletic teams and all that, but you are a
unique situation. I want to thank you for what you all do,
because you are the tip of the spear for the future of our
country, the leadership that you are going to build.
So thank you for those opening statements, and let's just
talk about some of the inner workings of what you all do. In
the last 30 years, the composition and the role of the
faculties at each of your institutions has changed
significantly. Everything changes. So I want to ask each one of
you to answer these questions. How has the military-civilian
mix of your faculties changed over that time? General, we will
start with you.
Lieutenant General Gilland. Senator, our civilian faculty,
we call it a blend of excellence. Our force structure has
uniformed members 74 percent of the faculty, and then the force
structure allows 26 percent for civilian faculty. What has
changed over the past decade specifically is that the civilian
faculty bring a depth of knowledge within disciplines that we
are able to use for the benefit of the education of our cadets.
Primarily the force structure I said of 26 percent
civilian, about 55 percent of those civilian faculty work in
the STEM fields--so as we think about our engineering,
mathematics, and such--which has led us to be able to--we have
got a cadet team that deals in hypersonics, that has been able
to launch a rocket that has exceeded the Karman line. Sir, the
Karman line is 100 kilometers above the Earth's surface. These
are undergraduate students that are competing against graduate
students that are able to do that.
The reason they are able to do that is because when we
think of the expertise that the civilian faculty, within
physics, aerospace engineering, et cetera, they bring that
expertise and that knowledge and continuity for our cadets to
be able to build year after year, and able to do that.
Also, our title 10 civilian instructors, just as our
uniformed instructors, they swear an oath to the Constitution,
to support and defend the Constitution also. They are charged,
by me as the Superintendent, to be developers of character and
leadership. As I mentioned in my opening statement, Senator,
they are part of that community to teach character and
leadership, not just physics or data science, but also the life
lessons that come with being leader in their experiences.
Senator Tuberville. Admiral?
Vice Admiral Davids. Thank you, Senator. The Naval Academy,
since 1845, has modeled a 50/50 civilian-to-military ratio, and
we remain pretty close to that now, although we are off by a
little bit, I would say, at the moment. Our civilians, very
similar to the answer that you just got, bring such an
incredible depth. They tend to stay for 30 years or longer. So
they bring this longevity and continuity that we need at the
Academy that balances the miliary personnel that either rotate
in and out about 3 to 5 years or so, or complement our
permanent military instructors and permanent military
professors, that will stay a little bit longer, about 5 to 8
years in time, until statutory retirement for some of them.
But it is the military and the teamwork that they have got
with the civilian group that really makes this robust, STEM-
heavy curriculum work. For us, similarly, they inspire our
midshipmen. They provide that continuity. But more importantly,
I think, the civilians, in particular, provide this technical
expertise that allows us to change and develop in the STEM
areas that we need to for the longevity of the time, and to
keep up with these incredible midshipmen that are coming in and
need to be more technically advanced.
So the balance that they have is really important to us. We
value them working together as this incredible team. It seems
to have worked very well in our case, and we are making
terrific officers because of this, and warfighters. I would say
that every single one of them, if you are part of the Naval
Academy, are very much a part of developing these midshipmen
into the warfighters, into the leaders of character that they
need to be, and thus we have this 50/50 mix.
Senator Tuberville. General?
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. Senator Tuberville, over
time the Air Force Academy, from when I was a cadet in the
early 1990's, was very few civilian, and we have now migrated
to approximately 38 to 40 percent of civilian faculty is in our
cadet-facing instruction that comes forward.
In my first 7 months I have assessed is the two most
important things that we provide our future leaders are two
things. One is subject matter expertise to challenge them, to
educate them, to help them develop those critical thinking
skills, but also operationally relevant experience. So as we
develop them as future warrior leaders, being able to connect
with them, to teach them what it means to serve inside our
military as that goes forward. We benefit from that capability
from our military instructors as that moves forward as well as
a good portion of our civilian instructors, many of which are
veterans themselves, before they have become civilian
instructors and faculty members, as that develops. Thank you.
Senator Tuberville. Thank you. Senator Warren.
Senator Warren. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am going to pick
up on where you were. We have been talking about the Military
Academies are charged with training the next generation of
leaders, and together the three of you train about 1 out of
every 5 of our military officers. The military spends millions
of dollars, many, many years to train our helicopter pilots and
our combat leaders, and for a few, the chiefs of staff that we
end up with.
But the Trump administration is undermining those
investments by tilting at windmills named DEI. In less than 3
months, the Administration has canceled student engineering
clubs and purged curricula based on clumsy keyword searches.
The Administration sends a strong signal that not everyone is
welcome in our military.
So today I want to dig in on how you all think about your
mission to develop the leaders who will keep our military
strong. Lieutenant General Bauernfeind, do you consider
academic and leadership potential in the admissions process, so
that we can develop the next generation military officers who
will take on the toughest jobs?
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. Senator Warren, yes, we do,
absolutely, in our admissions process consider leadership and
through their 47-month leadership development program.
Senator Warren. Good.
Senator Blumenthal. Make sure your mic is on.
Senator Warren. Yes. Make sure it is on. We are not getting
much sound here.
General Gilland, same answer? Yes?
Lieutenant General Gilland. Yes, ma'am.
Senator Warren. Admiral Davids?
Vice Admiral Davids. Yes, ma'am, considered in the
admissions process.
Senator Warren. Good. So you all admit cadets and
midshipmen based on their academic and their leadership
potential. Then it is your job to turn that potential into
reality.
So let's talk about where students develop those skills.
One place, obviously, is the classroom. That is one of the
reasons, as you have already described, that students learn
from both academic experts and practitioners in the field.
Military practitioners obviously have valuable experiences to
share with students. But the academies also need the best
teachers for physics and cybersecurity and electrical
engineering and much, much more.
The Department of Defense has recognized this, including in
a 1993 report, calling on the Service Academies to ingrate more
civilian faculty so that, quote, ``the faculties can act in
unity but not identically a blend of excellence.''
Vice Admiral Davids, does learning from both military and
civilian instructors help your students develop the skills they
need to become part of a lethal fighting force?
Vice Admiral Davids. Thank you, Senator. Absolutely, they
learn from both, our military and our civilian. It is one team
to be able to develop these midshipmen, and they are all in on
doing that. So I am really impressed.
Senator Warren. Good. General Bauernfeind?
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. Bauernfeind, ma'am.
Senator Warren. Bauernfeind.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. Yes, Senator Warren. Yes,
we value our facility as it comes forward, as it brings forward
for the two aspects, as mentioned before, bringing forward that
subject matter expertise and that operationally relevant
experience to both educate and develop future leaders.
Senator Warren. General Gilland, are you in agreement with
your colleagues here?
Lieutenant General Gilland. Yes, Senator.
Senator Warren. Good. But leadership is obviously about
what you lean in the classroom, but it is also what happens
outside the classroom. So I want to talk for just a minute
about engineering clubs. They certainly encourage students to
learn hard skills, to support each other, and that undertaking
can be really difficult. But an engineering club also gives the
student an opportunity to take on leadership roles and
responsibilities, like being the treasurer, or being the
president. That is true of other clubs, too.
One cadet who helped found the Vietnamese-American Cadet
Association at West Point said that it helped to make him a
better officer and that, quote, ``West Point was probably the
first place where I had a supportive environment for my
identity and who I am.''
So Lieutenant General Gilland, do cadets grow as leaders by
taking initiative and contributing to their communities, and
are clubs a significant part of that?
Lieutenant General Gilland. Yes, Senator. All of our clubs,
and I would consider all of West Point as a living, breathing,
leadership laboratory.
Senator Warren. I like that. I like that. Vice Admiral
Davids?
Vice Admiral Davids. I would agree completely, Senator.
Senator Warren. General Bauernfeind?
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. Senator Warren, I do agree,
as well, that our clubs provide opportunities.
Senator Warren. So I am concerned, because currently the
Administration is rolling out Executive orders that have led to
dismantling clubs that have been around for decades, and that
have successfully supported students at the Service Academies.
Those leadership opportunities remain available in more than
600 colleges and universities around the country. Banning those
clubs just at our Military Academies does not make it easier to
recruit the best and the brightest.
The Trump administration's ham-fisted attacks on the
Service Academies undermine our ability to recruit and to train
talented young people who will become a critical part of our
lethal fighting force. I think that is bad for our cadets and
it is bad for our national security.
Thank you for being here, and we apologize for moving in
and out. We have got votes going on at the same time. So this
is not a comment on what anyone has to say. We just have to
play a little bit of tag here.
Senator Reed, I understand--yes, he hasn't even sat down
yet. Senator Reed, you are up next.
Senator Reed. Well, thank you all for your testimony and
for your service. My experience, which has some connection to
the academies, is that there are places which build character
and also critical thinking. The character is understanding that
you must do the harder right rather than the easier wrong. But
the critical thinking is absolutely important, because today we
are in a multidimensional scheme of warfare. We have
accelerated technology. We have contested supply lines. The
young graduates are going into a much more complicated world
than I went into.
Admiral Davids, can you talk about the process that your
faculty and dean go through when determining the curriculum for
your students?
Vice Admiral Davids. Thank you, Senator. We have a really
robust curriculum. It includes everything that you might need
to make a great officer, and having just come from the fleet, I
can attest to that. It has got English. It has got government.
It has got leadership. It has got STEM-heavy to help develop
them and ready them in order to be ready to be these incredible
officers out in the fleet on day one, sir.
Senator Reed. Thank you, ma'am. General Gilland, please.
Lieutenant General Gilland. Senator Reed, our curriculum,
which spans across not only the academic program but also our
physical and military program, is designed to develop critical
thinkers, as I stated in the opening statement, to be able to
outthink and outmaneuver our adversaries. That is built into
everything that we do at the United States Military Academy.
Senator Reed. Thank you, sir. General Bauernfeind.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. Senator Reed, thank you
very much. We have a robust course of instruction that not only
includes our academic curriculum but our physical education and
our commissioning education, all designed to meet the three
priorities that I laid out in the opening statement, as it
moves forward, and we have a very dynamic curriculum for all,
because in our connection with our Air Force major commands and
our Space Force field coms we are responsive to not only the
requirements of the fielded forces but also the direction we
receive from the Secretary of the Air Force, as an example, to
graduate more of our future leaders focused on STEM degrees, as
the way of future warfare is going to rely heavily on that STEM
education as it moves forward. Through our integrated
curriculum review process, as well as great faculty support, we
are able to ebb and flow our curriculum to meet the dynamic
requirements of the force.
Senator Reed. Sir, can I followup with another question,
which is can you tell us a vignette of your own personal
experience that you have tried to infuse into the wing at the
Air Force Academy?
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. So as an example, as we
look forward to curriculum review we see an opportunity, as
looking to the future of our corps, is a need for understanding
that all of our future leaders must not only be air-minded but
they also must be space-minded and cyber-minded, to understand
how to deliver and understand the organizations that deliver
those effects for the joint warfighting campaign.
So right now our faculty are looking through our process to
how to ensure that all 1,000 graduates every year come out with
that full appreciation of air, space, and cyber, to be
effective as joint operators.
Senator Reed. Thank you. Admiral Davids, your comments?
Vice Admiral Davids. Thank you, Senator. I think it is my
enthusiasm for the curriculum and for the trust I have got in
the faculty that inspires them all to do incredible things.
You asked what we do individually to support. I think one
of my big focus areas this year has definitely been wargaming,
and it is sort of at a nascent level, but I think we do have
one of the largest undergraduate wargaming efforts at one time
for our midshipmen fourth class at the end of each year. It is
really extraordinary. It is also to support the midshipmen
first class as they develop their capstone projects, and this
is why it is so exciting, because it is tied completely with
the fleet, with our labs, with our research projects that
occur, that the midshipmen are incorporating to include in some
real-world operational support.
Not to mention we have some incredible extracurricular
activities that we talked about before, and one that I just
used as an example is something we call SWAT-C but imagine it
is a competitive drone group that goes out and competes against
these two here but also other schools in the real-world
terrain, on understanding how to use that technology in the
future. It is about really infusing support to the faculty and
staff.
Senator Reed. Thank you, and General Gilland.
Lieutenant General Gilland. Senator Reed, our curriculum is
under continuous assessment, and it evolves to meet the
requirements of the United States Army. From a personal
vignette perspective, at West Point we have what is called MX-
400, which is the officer capstone course. It is a
superintendent's course. Our first class, our seniors, take
that course one semester during their senior year. I address
them in specifically the underpinnings of the Constitution of
the United States and what it means to be a commissioned
officer in the United States Army. Then the vignettes
associated with experiences that I have had through almost 35
years of service in our Army.
Senator Reed. Just let me make two final points. One of the
advantages you have now is a very established and experienced
noncommissioned officers corps, who are integrated within the
cadet companies and squadrons, et cetera, which is a plus.
Second, I have some prejudices among the academies, but Admiral
Davids, I think Navy really began to turn in the right
direction when in the 1860's you moved to Newport, Rhode Island
for a few years. I think that is the key point. Thank you.
Vice Admiral Davids. Thank you, sir.
Senator Tuberville. Thank you, Senator Reed. Senator
Sullivan.
Senator Sullivan. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It is good to
see you at the helm here, and also as a member of the U.S. Air
Force Academy board. I think that is great. Congratulations to
Senator Tuberville on both.
I want to just kind of have an honest assessment here,
because I think one of the biggest concerns we have in the
Congress, certainly the American people have, is our so-called
elite universities in our country, the Ivy League, for example,
that they have become bastions of anti-Americanism, anti-
military institutions, antisemitic institutions, the top
universities in the country. I think this is a charge that is
not some kind of fake charge. My alma mater, Harvard
University, has led the way on being anti-military for decades.
They still are, in my view, in many ways. They do not respect
the service of people in our military.
I had an experience that I wrote about in The Wall Street
Journal just last year when I visited Harvard. I mean, you
could not believe it, a giant anti-Israel, antisemitic protest
put on by a radical group, in Harvard Library's Widener Reading
Room, during finals. It was ridiculous. I mean, it was stunning
how out-of-touch these universities are. Americans across the
country are like, ``Wait, these are the universities teaching
our leaders?'' It is a real shame, and there is a lot of
concern, with good reason.
In that Wall Street Journal op-ed I talked about the
experience I saw there recently at Harvard. I was shocked at
the lack of leadership, particularly Claudine Gay, who
subsequently got fired after my Wall Street Journal op-ed. I
wrote, ``Not all university leadership is so craven, morally
bankrupt, and afraid of the most vocal, radical sects of their
own student bodies.''
I serve on the Board of Visitors of the U.S. Naval Academy,
which--no offense, Senator Reed--is rated the number one public
university in America. The contract could not be starker
between the Service Academies and the Ivy League on issues like
civil discourse, so-called space spaces, trigger warning,
American history, and yes, our unique and exceptional place in
the world.
So Admiral, I have seen a lot of what the Naval Academy has
done. I think for the most part it is outstanding. But we have
concerns that some of this DEI, Critical Race Theory (CRT),
anti-Americanism, anti-militarism kind of is going to seep over
to our Service Academies, which I think is the point of this
hearing, and I really appreciate the Chairman for calling it.
We want our Service Academies focused on warfighting,
lethality, patriotism, and I think they are still, all three of
you, still are at the helm of the top universities in the
country. But there can be improvements, and I think everybody
would agree with that.
So let me just ask, very quickly, General Bauernfeind,
there was a civilian professor at the Air Force Academy named
Dr. Lynne Chandler Garcia, published an op-ed in The Washington
Post where she stated, quote, ``She teaches critical race
theories to our Nation's military leaders because it is vital
to cadets to understand history of racism that have shaped both
foreign policy and domestic policy.'' Do you think CRT is vital
for future military Air Force officers, General?
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. Senator Sullivan, thank
you. What we are focused on is developing those warfighters,
those leaders of character and quality, and those critical
thinkers to adapt. In accordance with law, on the Fiscal Year
2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), we no longer
teach critical race theory at the United States Air Force
Academy.
Senator Sullivan. Okay.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. To focus on those critical
thinkers, we are delving in hard on teaching our future leaders
how to think and not what to think.
Senator Sullivan. Good. That is a great answer.
Admiral, you and I have gotten to know each other well. I
appreciate your leadership at the Naval Academy. One of the big
challenges--we just had a hearing yesterday on it--
shipbuilding, and do you think having our future naval officers
fully understand naval architecture programs is something that
should be, even though it is not a major for everybody, is that
in the core curriculum at the Naval Academy now?
Vice Admiral Davids. It is part of the core curriculum. I
might offer also we have the second-largest wave tank in the
Nation, which is a backup to Carderock, which could be helpful
in the future when we are talking shipbuilding. It is
exceptionally important to us. We do have a cadre of midshipmen
who really focus and enjoy naval architecture, sir, and I am so
pleased that we offer it.
Senator Sullivan. Are there ways to encourage midshipmen,
more midshipmen to take up naval architecture as a major? I
think it is one of our challenges on shipbuilding right now. If
there is going to be a source of military leaders who
understand naval architecture to help get us out of this
challenge on shipbuilding, it is going to be from the academy
you lead. Are there ways to do that?
Vice Admiral Davids. There are ways to relook at this. We
are looking at our curriculum right now, just to ensure that
not only do we follow the executive orders but also that we are
completely aligned with warfighting of the future. This is
warfighting of the future. This is a hot button right now. It
would be appropriate to reconsider what we do with naval
architecture. What I do know is we do have a lot of wonderful
midshipmen focused on it right now.
Senator Sullivan. Great. Thank you. Thank you, Mr.
Chairman.
Senator Tuberville. Thank you, Senator Sullivan. Just to
followup, General, is that professor still employed at the Air
Force Academy?
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. Yes, sir.
Senator Tuberville. Senator Reed, would you like to
rebuttal on----
Senator Reed. You are very generous, Mr. Chairman, but I
think that history speaks for itself.
[Laughter.]
Senator Tuberville. Senator Hirono.
Senator Hirono. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I welcome all of
our superintendents.
I want to be absolutely clear. The Trump administration's
attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion in our military and
our Military Service Academies are not just misguided, they are
dangerous. These efforts weaken our armed forces, ignore our
history, and undermine the very principles that make our
military the most capable in the world.
The claim that DEI initiatives somehow detract from combat
readiness is not only false but flies in the face of decades of
evidence. Diversity is not a distraction. It is our strategic
advantage. The Department of Defense itself has repeatedly
affirmed that a diverse force is a stronger force. Even the
conservative Supreme Court, in its disastrous ruling on
affirmative action, recognized that Military Academies have,
quote, ``potentially distinct interests,'' end quote, in
maintaining a diverse officer corps.
A Federal district court recently, in Maryland, said just
that ruling, that the Naval Academy's limited use of race in
admissions was constitutional, citing a compelling national
security interest in officer diversity. The court emphasized
that unlike civilian institutions, Military Academies must
account for how their admissions policies directly affect
national defense. Why is that? Because diversity in leadership
is not an ideological preference. It is a strategic imperative.
Because the ability to lead diverse units, work with
international allies, and maintain cohesion within the ranks is
not an optional skill, it is a necessity.
In other words, having an officer corps that represents the
country it protects and the people it leads is a force
multiplier--a force multiplier--which gives our armed forces an
advantage over our adversaries.
Yet, instead of embracing this reality, we see efforts to
erase and dismantle the very programs that help us build this
capability. West Point has disbanded a dozen cadet clubs that
supported women, Lesbian, Gay Bisexual, and Transgender
(LGBTQ+) students, and racial minorities. The Air Force removed
a documentary in their basic military training curriculum on
the Tuskegee Airmen, Black pilots who had to fight two wars,
one against the Axis powers and one against the racism in their
own country. The Army, in a so-called, quote, ``digital content
refresh,'' end quote, accidentally erased the history of the
442d Regimental Combat team, the most decorated unit in U.S.
military history, composed entirely of Japanese-Americans who
fought bravely while their families, 120,000 Japanese-
Americans, were incarcerated in internment camps back home.
This is unacceptable and disrespectful to our brave veterans.
I will say that again. The Army took down a page honoring a
unit that fought valiantly to prove their loyalty to a country
that had imprisoned their families back at home, reinstating
the page only after public outcry.
In Secretary Hegseth's message to the forces, he claims to
be committed to warfighters, he claims to care about
warfighting ethos and lethality. If Secretary Hegseth and
President Trump are proud of our warfighters, then why are they
erasing their legacy?
This hypocrisy is not just offensive. It is a betrayal of
our servicemembers and their sacrifices. It is no coincidence
that the same voices attacking DEI today are the ones who stood
silent when women in the military were fighting for equal
opportunities, when LGBTQ+ servicemembers were forced to hide
who they were, and when racial minorities were systematically
denied leadership opportunities.
This is not about merit. It is about rolling back progress
under the guise of readiness and lethality. Our Military
Academies are supposed to be developing leaders of character--
you all testified to that--leaders who can navigate the complex
global challenges of the 21st century, not just fire weapons or
fly a plane. Leaders who can foster trust and cohesion with
diverse unit, who can engage with international allies, and who
can uphold the values of democracy and equality that we send
them to defend. The Department of Defense itself has argued
that diverse leadership is a, quote, ``national security
imperative,'' end quote. Yet we are watching as this
Administration systematically dismantles every effort to ensure
that our officer corps reflects the America it serves. This is
not just a political talking point. It is a strategic failure
in the making.
To the superintendents and leaders here today, you oversee
the comprehensive training and education of our future military
leaders. You are responsible for ensuring that our armed forces
remain the best in the world, not just in combat effectiveness
but in leadership, character, cohesion. I urge you to stand
firm. Do not allow anti-DEI policies to undermine the very
fabric of our national security. Do not allow President Trump
and Secretary Hegseth to erase history by dividing what we know
to be facially true. The strength and future of our military
depends on it.
Mr. Chairman, I would like to include in the record of this
hearing this list of words that The New York Times printed as
words that are disappearing in the new Trump administration.
They are words like biases, diverse groups, equal opportunity,
immigrants, injustice, victims, women, females, Blacks--three
pages' worth of words that are no longer welcome in this
Administration. I would like this list to be included in the
record of this hearing.
Senator Tuberville. So entered.
Senator Hirono. Thank you.
[The information referred to follows:]
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Senator Hirono. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Senator Tuberville. Thank you, Senator Hirono. Senator
Scott.
Senator Scott. General Gilland, is the Army-Navy game
important?
Lieutenant General Gilland. Senator Scott, it is great to
see you again. The Army-Navy game is important. Absolutely,
sir.
Senator Scott. It would be really disappointing if you ever
lost, right?
Lieutenant General Gilland. We are disappointed, but we
will also come back.
Senator Scott. Did you go to the game?
Lieutenant General Gilland. Yes, sir.
Senator Scott. Do you remember the score?
Lieutenant General Gilland. I do, sir.
Senator Scott. What was it?
Lieutenant General Gilland. Well, I try to put that behind
me, sir, but yes.
Senator Scott. Okay. But to Navy, you think it is really,
really, really important game, isn't it.
Vice Admiral Davids. Exceptionally, especially this year,
sir.
Senator Scott. Go Navy. Thank you guys for what you are
doing. I thank each of you for what you are doing.
So, first off, who is responsible for your faculty? I mean,
who is responsible for the mission?
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. Senator Scott, I am.
Senator Scott. Okay. Admiral?
Vice Admiral Davids. I am, as well, sir.
Senator Scott. So you are responsible for your faculty,
right?
Lieutenant General Gilland. Yes, Senator.
Senator Scott. How is your faculty chosen?
Lieutenant General Gilland. Senator, our faculty at West
Point is chosen through different hiring processes, as we think
about those departments, and department heads lead the
respective hiring process. So for both uniformed and civilian
faculty, going through the process to identify those people
that have the skills, particularly knowledge and experience in
whatever the discipline is that we are looking for.
Senator Scott. So do you hire them or does the faculty hire
themselves, hire new faculty?
Lieutenant General Gilland. Sir, through the hiring process
it is brought to the Dean of the Academic Board and to myself
for approval.
Senator Scott. Admiral?
Vice Admiral Davids. Very similar. We are looking for
individuals that have the expertise in the fields that we need,
going forward have the commitment to the Naval Academy and buy-
in for exactly our mission set, sir.
Senator Scott. Who makes the final decision?
Vice Admiral Davids. Everything. I am responsible for
everything, but it is recommended by panel, sir.
Senator Scott. General.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. Sir, we have similar
processes as our colleagues at the table, and especially our
Dean of Faculty has great authority, under my responsibility,
to canvas for the best and brightest military and civilian
faculty instructors as we move forward.
Senator Scott. So ultimately each of you have the ability
to pick your faculty.
Lieutenant General Gilland. Senator, yes, we do, but I
think that what is important to clarify is that through
authorities that have been delegated, depending on the
instructor, the level, I am not personally canvassing captains
across the operational force to come teach in a department. I
have very capable department heads who execute that.
Senator Scott. All right. Do any of you have tenure or are
you looking at having tenure.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. Yes, sir, we have both. We
have civilian tenure for a small number of our civilian faculty
as well as our military permanent professors and senior
military faculty that have longer duration at the Air Force
Academy.
Vice Admiral Davids. We too have a process of tenure for
our civilians, sir.
Lieutenant General Gilland. We do too also, Senator.
Senator Scott. So why do you have tenure?
Lieutenant General Gilland. Well, Senator, I think that
tenure offers our civilian faculty, specifically, opportunities
to advance within their discipline at the United States
Military Academy.
Vice Admiral Davids. I think it is a wonderful recruiting
tool to get in the best and the brightest that we can. They
could go to so many other places, but we draw in these
incredible talents that want to stay. Sir, I also think it is
an incentive to stay, which we want these individuals to buy
into the program and be able to learn and advance their skills
so that we can benefit from them, sir.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. Sir, I would say that is
the process at the Air Force Academy, as well, as part of the
academic progression for our civilian faculty.
Senator Scott. So did each of you come through a tenure
system.
Lieutenant General Gilland. We came up through a
professional military system, sir.
Senator Scott. You don't have tenure, do you?
Lieutenant General Gilland. No. Well, I have got 35 years
in the Army, sir. Some would probably call that tenure.
Senator Scott. Yes, but you had to perform, and if you did
not perform you were out.
Lieutenant General Gilland. That is correct. But tenure
within our civilian faculty, Senator, has to be earned. It is
not given. It has to be demonstrated that a faculty member
qualifies to meet the tenets of earning that tenure.
Senator Scott. On any of your areas as a tenured professor
ever lost their job while you have been there?
Lieutenant General Gilland. Not during my time, Senator.
Vice Admiral Davids. Not during my time either, sir.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. Neither for me, sir, for my
short period.
Senator Scott. Thank you.
Senator Tuberville. Thank you. Just to followup on that,
can you fire a civilian, tenured teacher, professor? General,
can you fire one?
Lieutenant General Gilland. Yes, Senator.
Senator Tuberville. You can?
Lieutenant General Gilland. Yes, through the process we
have the ability to fire them.
Vice Admiral Davids. Sir, there is an Human Resources (HR)
process in which we can do that.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. Absolutely, Senator, there
is a process for all civilian and military personnel that do
not meet our standards.
Senator Tuberville. Thank you.
Senator Blumenthal. How about your coaches?
Lieutenant General Gilland. All the time.
Senator Tuberville. I guarantee you they do not have
tenure.
[Laughter.]
Senator Blumenthal. I asked that question because----
Senator Tuberville. We might have to work on that, though.
I am kind of partial to the coaches.
Senator Blumenthal. I have some serious questions. You can
disregard that one.
I think you have some of the most important jobs in our
military, maybe in our country, which is educating our future
leaders. They are leaders not only in the military but
eventually in their communities, as well. I think your job has
been made more difficult by some of the recent talk about a
woke military and some of the recent orders that you have had
to implement, like the DEI executive orders, eliminating DEI
content from your curriculum and campuses, which I think has a
chilling effect on the discourse that takes place on campuses,
which is really part of the educational experience. What young
people say to each other, what they learn from each other I
think is as important as maybe some of the courses that they
take.
I trust that you have faithfully executed the orders from
your commander in chief to eliminate all the DEI content from
your campuses and curriculum. I understand in the case of West
Point, sir, you reviewed over 600 courses and you eliminated
just 2 that come into compliance, which says to me there was
not a lot of this extraneous DEI, woke content in your courses.
Is that a fair conclusion on my part?
Lieutenant General Gilland. Senator, the review is still
ongoing, given the timeframe. We are in the validation frame.
But of over 600 courses that were reviewed, 2 were determined
to not be compliant with the executive order, and thus we
eliminated those two courses. They were higher-level electives
that had a fairly small population of cadets that were enrolled
in that.
Senator Blumenthal. What were the two courses?
Lieutenant General Gilland. Sir, one was a history course
and the other was an English course. Respectively, the
population impacted about 25 cadets in one course and 13 in
another.
Senator Blumenthal. What was the title of the----
Lieutenant General Gilland. Oh, yes sir. The title for the
history course was, it was HI 463, ``Race, Ethnicity, and
Nation,'' and our English course, which was English 352, was
``Power and Difference,'' sir, and like I said, 25 cadets
impacted in the history course, 12 cadets impacted in the
English course.
Senator Blumenthal. Could you give me, for the Navy,
Admiral Davids, the equivalent information, and maybe for the
Air Force, as well.
Vice Admiral Davids. Certainly, sir. Thank you for the
question. Out of 870 courses that we reviewed, only 2 of them
were canceled. They were NL 445, ``Gender Matters,''--that is a
leadership course, sir--and an English course, HE 374, ``Gender
Sexuality Studies.'' We had a total of 18 other classes that we
either needed to modify, very minorly, or make some subtle
adjustments to bring it to compliance with the executive
orders.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. Senator Blumenthal, we are
in the middle of our course review. We are conducting a review
of our 735, and we are doing two sets of eyes on the review as
we go forward. Of the 735, we have assessed that right now
there are 55 courses that we have identified for further-on
analysis. Of those numbers, right now our initial assessment is
40 percent will require no change, 53 percent will require
minor admin or reading change, and only 3 of the courses
potentially for suspension. I have not made that decision yet,
and once I do, sir, I will followup on the record with the
names of those courses.
Senator Blumenthal. If all of you could followup. I know
that this review may be ongoing, as you said, General. I would
appreciate knowing.
You know, the reason it is a somewhat impossible position,
in order to teach about tyranny you have to read books on
Nazism, right. Some of the bad stuff has to be learned in order
to avoid mistakes that have been made in the past. The military
has an extraordinary and proud record of leading our Nation on
desegregation. It literally led the Nation, and we should be
teaching that history so that our military can be not only
proud but continue to lead the Nation in its values and
principles, let me just say, of diversity, which is what you
do--you are diverse and you need to teach people how to deal
with diverse groups that they will command--and inclusion,
because you want to include people from different backgrounds
and races and religions, and be able to lead them, as well, and
do it equitably.
So I am very sympathetic to your dilemma right now, and I
hope that the Congress can help you rather than hinder you with
the kind of rhetoric that has become all too popular about woke
military and all that stuff. I want to thank you for the great
job that you are doing.
I nominate, every year, people to go to your great
institutions. I wish all of them could be admitted. But I must
say, one of the most satisfying and fulfilling tasks I have is
to do those nominations, because they are extraordinary, just
exemplary young men and women. Thank you for helping to educate
them.
Senator Tuberville. Thank you, Senator Blumenthal. Senator
Budd.
Senator Budd. Chairman, thank you. Thanks for hosting this.
Thank you all for being here, as well, and I would echo those
comments. It is one of our highlights. It gives us great hope
in our country, every December, when we gather as a large
panel, somewhere in North Carolina, to review applicants and
candidates. It is one of the highlights from my time in the
House and also here in the Senate.
Let me ask about the concept of the military being a great
leveler, and I believe that it is. For decades, the U.S.
military has been the strongest representation of the very best
of our country. Americans from all backgrounds must continue to
be evaluated and promoted based on their merit, encompassing
their character, their commitment, their ability, and their
courage.
General Gilland--and if I could ask all of you, as I ask
the questions, to keep your answers concise--you said that all
appointees to West Point are fully qualified, based on your
scoring methodology, the whole candidate score. So what is the
lowest that an applicant can score and still be deemed highly
qualified?
Lieutenant General Gilland. Sir, the whole candidate model,
which is based on academic, physical, and then character and
service, that is one component of the admissions process, of
which we use the whole candidate score and then the measure of
the tangibles, and then there are the intangibles, such as grit
and tenacity, desire to serve our Nation, that are also
assessed by our recruitment officers, through our Admissions
Department.
When we look at the whole person concept for the cadet
candidates that exist across our Nation, and within your State
specifically, sir, we look at both the tangibles and the
intangibles.
Senator Budd. It would seem those additional qualifiers of
grit, tenacity, and desire to serve, would that not be part of
the whole candidate score?
Lieutenant General Gilland. Well, sir, with regards to the
whole candidate score, as I said, broken down, there's academic
which is 60 percent----
Senator Budd. Physical----
General Gilland.--Thirty percent, which is the character
and extracurricular activities, and then 10 percent physical,
and then there is the assessment of the intangibles as we have
seen through letters of evaluation that come in from coaches
and teachers, respectively, the interview process, the
interviews that go through our field force members that are out
within the respective locales. So there are these intangibles
that are also considered in the development of a candidate and
determining admissions to the Military Academy.
Senator Budd. General, is there a different minimum score
for any particular demographic?
Lieutenant General Gilland. No, sir.
Senator Budd. General, roughly 25 to 30 percent of an
incoming class at West Point is not required to be appointed
based on their order of merit. Do you oppose legislation that
would require you to appoint more applicants based on their
whole candidate score, and if so, why is that?
Lieutenant General Gilland. Sir, admissions model is
compliant with the provision of Title 10, which has been
codified into law, as has been stated, sir. If there is a
change to any legislation we absolutely look forward to working
with you on what that would mean and what it would entail with
any modifications.
We continuously assess our admissions process, and, for
instance, as we talk about the whole candidate score, each of
the academies have different whole person scoring models, and
we are looking at ours also at this time.
Senator Budd. General Bauernfeind, I understand you are
looking at some of the Air Force Academy's admissions
processes. You mentioned that earlier. Do you have any specific
concerns, and if so, what are they? Would you oppose
legislation that would require you to adhere to your order of
merit in admissions?
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. Sir, first of all, our
admissions process, to go back to the fully qualified, it
requires two aspects, a highly competitive application process
that goes into not only the academic ability to succeed at one
of our Military Service Academies but extracurricular
activities, focused on leadership abilities and depth of
service. Then, as discussed before, athletic capabilities, an
air liaison interview, but then finally a committee score that
looks deeper into the letters of recommendation, the
interviews, that starts to understand alignment to our service
core values, integrity, determination, grit, as that comes
forward as we dig into it. So I am very content with our
current admissions process for understanding how we are getting
the best and brightest.
The second aspect is also the nominations that we get form
our congressional leadership, to ensure that we are getting the
best and brightest from all the districts in our great Nation
as it moves forward. If our elected leaders choose to provide
additional guidance, we look forward to working with our
elected leaders to comply with that.
Senator Budd. Thank you. I have additional questions for
the record, unless you have other time.
Senator Tuberville. Thank you, Senator Budd. I have got one
question. I apologize for people in and out. We have votes. We
have other hearings going on. But we do really appreciate you
coming. We have learned a lot here.
Permanent military faculty are Senate confirmed. Should we
have any input toward civilian professors? General, on your
recommendation.
Lieutenant General Gilland. Sir, I think that when we look
at the confirmation of our permanent faculty, which is a fairly
small number, we make that recommendation to you, as Congress.
With regards to our civilian faculty, I think even with their
swearing to an oath to the Constitution of the United States, I
would have to go back and ask about from a civilian hiring
practice, because the civilian hiring practices and regulations
that govern that are different than from our uniformed members.
Senator Tuberville. Admiral?
Vice Admiral Davids. Very similar, except that I would say
that at the Naval Academy we have a proven formula that works,
sir, and that includes these incredible civilian faculty that
are charged to support everything that we do there. They are
completely in on our mission, and they complement the military
aspect of our faculty, as well, sir. So when I say proven, I
say that 89 percent graduation rate at the United States Naval
Academy, and a great deal of that is because of the incredible
coaches, mentors, faculty, and staff that we have there, all
focused on that mission set, sir.
Senator Tuberville. Thank you. General?
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. Sir, I am very comfortable
under my authorities picking the civilian faculty for our force
as we go forward. But if our elected leaders want to have a
voice in that, I am also very comfortable working with our
elected leaders to detail a process that enables us to move
through that process quickly.
Senator Tuberville. Senator Budd, we have got time for one
more question, if you want to throw it out.
Senator Budd. Admiral Davids, how often does the U.S. Naval
Academy deviate from the order of merit list when you are
permitted to do so?
Vice Admiral Davids. Sir, we have an incredible system,
tried and true. No race, sex, or ethnicity goals associated
with this. No race, sex, or ethnicity whatsoever governed in
the acceptance of who we actually take in. We have
congressional nominations, as you know, and the qualified
alternates list, which is by order of merit. Then, once we have
offered up the ability to provide opportunities to every
district, then we can include our military nominations process,
as well.
Then what you are talking about, sir, is the additional
qualified individuals there. It comes to about 250 individuals
or so. Those individuals are identified also by a whole person
multiple and an incredibly active and robust admissions staff
of 22 members that go through, similar to them, both objective
and subjective insights into each individual record. In some
cases individuals do not score very well in an imperfect
system, which is the whole person multiple, and they are able
to offer up some certain individuals, and that would be in that
particular area that you are talking about.
We are looking for leaders of character. We are looking for
gems out there that are going to be proven to not only can they
succeed at the Naval Academy but they have a propensity to
serve their Nation, for the Navy or the Marine Corps. That is
what we are looking for, sir.
Senator Budd. Thank you very much. If this Subcommittee
reached out for data on the class of 2028, I guess
matriculating in 2024, would you be willing to provide that for
the Subcommittee?
Vice Admiral Davids. Certainly, sir.
Senator Budd. Thank you very much. Chairman.
Senator Tuberville. Thank you, Senator Budd. I would be
remiss if I did not bring up something about sports, and I
would like one of you's thoughts about this. I have always felt
that playing sports was invaluable to leadership development.
Many of the cadets and midshipmen at your institutions are
athletes participating on the various academy sports teams.
They represent the best of your institutions and our country.
Occasionally--occasionally--some of these athletes develop
to an elite level and are forced to forego living out their
dreams of playing the sport they love at a professional level
because of outdated, to me outdated, regulations governing
their service obligations. I would like to see this year's NDAA
reflect a serious commitment to these outstanding individuals.
When appropriate, these cadets and midshipmen should graduate
and commission with their classes, and defer their service
obligation until their professional sports-playing careers are
complete. These would be commissioned officers in our armed
services subject to the same rules and regulations as their
peers, while at the same time providing valuable exposure and
increased visibility to the academics, while they play sports
at the highest level.
I know that is not protocol for what we do as we speak. But
General, I would like to get your thoughts on that. With an
all-volunteer military now, we are looking for possible ways to
get more and more young men and women involved in our
academies.
Lieutenant General Gilland. Senator, the Army is a team
contact sport. That is how I view the Army, and those men and
women that are coming into the Army, regardless of their
background and upbringing, better be prepared to get involved
in a team contact sport, because that is what you all, as the
citizens of our Nation, ask of us.
As a result, when we think through the development of
leaders of character, I am looking for, it may not be the best
player, because numbers do not always define somebody's
potential. I am looking for the best player for the team, and
for those individuals that have the elite capability to pursue
professional sports, I absolutely support, and I think we have
to look at measures, as you outlined, from a commissioning
perspective, that would allow those individuals to go into that
professional sport of whatever their talent is in, execute
that, and then have them serve in the Army.
I think there are combinations of ways to do that, though
not only Active service concurrent with their respective
playing for a team. Of course, there are different things that
have to go with that, with moving them around and such if they
are traded. Or there is the deferral of the respective Active
Duty service obligation that they have.
But I think that it results in multiple benefits, not only
to each of our academies but I think it benefits our services
also, through deliberate outreach and engagement that we would
ask of those talented individuals.
Senator Tuberville. Thank you. Admiral?
Vice Admiral Davids. Sir, when I was a midshipman fourth
class, Napoleon McCallum was in my upper class. The original
admiral, David Robinson, was also in upper class. They were
heroes of mine. I saw how brilliant they did in their careers
to not only bring in incredible talent to the Navy, to the
Naval Academy, as well as supporting our Nation. There are many
ways to serve, sir, and they did brilliantly in that.
So I am a huge fan of it. I appreciate that we may look at
this. I think that the return on investment is incredible, and
I fully support it, sir.
Senator Tuberville. Thank you. General?
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. Senator Tuberville, I also,
as a freshman, looked up to one Chad Hennings, a monster of a
football player.
Senator Tuberville. A big old boy.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. Yes, sir, and benefited
greatly. He also, during that time, his value was not only was
he an amazing football player but he also went out and served
and flew combat operations in Operation Iraqi Freedom Desert
Storm during that time, bringing both the recruiting values to
bear, the service and the professional capabilities.
I believe where the NDAA is now, by giving us an
opportunity of three per year is a great opportunity for us to
pick those truly elite athletes that can go on to that next
level. As a data point, over the last 5 years we have had 22
Air Force Academy cadets that have moved forward into
professional sports. Thirteen met their first seasons, and
unfortunately were not able to continue, and they came back to
Active Duty, and nine are continuing, and over that time, that
two to three is, I think, an opportunity for us to continue to
go forward.
I would also ask, sir, as we have this conversation for pro
sports, to have a fulsome conversation of the impact of the
transfer portal on our Military Service Academies and how that
is taking young men and women away from service to the Nation
until they have had an opportunity to blossom as leaders.
Senator Tuberville. Yes. Well, that is a great point, and I
look forward to visiting with all three of you about this
before our NDAA is put together this June. I know it is a huge
problem, and I can understand it is a huge problem for you
also. Again, I want to sit down with all three of you before we
get to that point in June, and hopefully we can work something
out. Because I think it would be a great tool for all of you,
for recruiting, because you all take our best and brightest.
All of us, all the Senators, and Congressmen, we have an
opportunity to send the best young men and women we possibly
have in our states, and you do a great job with them.
I want to thank you for coming today. This a fact-finding
mission. We have not done it in 30 years. We will do it again
next year, and hopefully we will make it bigger and brighter.
We just want to enlighten people about what you do, because
leadership, discipline, teamwork is everything that goes along
with what our country is about. Again, it is so, so, important.
We cannot really do this enough, but thanks again for what
you do, how you do it, and tell all of your cadets and
midshipmen that we are for them, and I look forward to being on
the Board of Visitors at the Air Force Academy this year and
visiting with you. Again, you are our future, and we hope you
use our young people at your convenience but also give them the
best and brightest future they can possibly get. Because we are
going to go as a country as how they go.
Thanks again. This has been a good hearing, and this
hearing is adjourned. Thank you.
[Whereupon, at 3:57 p.m., the Committee adjourned.]
APPENDIX
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[Questions for the record with answers supplied follow:]
Questions Submitted by Senator Ted Budd
service academy admissions process
1. Senator Budd. Lieutenant General Gilland, Vice Admiral Davids,
and Lieutenant General Bauernfeind, during the admissions process, how
often does your respective military service academy deviate from the
order of merit list when you are permitted to do so, and would you
agree to provide this data to the Personnel Subcommittee for the class
of 2028?
Lieutenant General Gilland. USMA conducts its admissions process in
accordance with statute (10 USC Sec. 7442). All candidates must be
nominated by law. The nomination requirement drives almost all order of
merit (OML) deviations.
OML at USMA is measured by Whole Candidate Score (WCS), a
quantification that accounts for scholarship, leadership and physical
fitness aspects of a candidate's file. We admit candidates outside of a
strict OML in the following ways:
Nominees from Members of Congress (MoC): A cadet
candidate from any Senator's State or Congressman's district, may have
a lower WCS than a candidate from another MoC's State or district who
is denied admission.
MoC Slating of Own Nominees: USMA is bound by the
prioritization of any nominating MoC (assuming minimum standards for
admission are satisfied). If a MoC identifies a particular candidate
with a lower WCS than another in his State or district as his primary
nominee, the lower WCS candidate would displace a higher one. MoCs can
also choose to enumerate nominees from within their State or district
without regard to OML.
Children of Members of Armed Forces: Those candidates
satisfying the nomination requirement by being the children of Armed
Forces members who were KIA, MIA, 100 percent disabled veterans, or a
Medal of Honor recipient, may result in an overall OML deviation. There
is no OML deviation permitted, however, from within this nomination
category. Additionally, candidates satisfying the nomination
requirement through the President's authority to nominate up to 100
children of Active Duty and Retired Armed may result in an overall OML
deviation. There is no OML deviation permitted, however, from within
this nomination category.
Enlisted Soldiers: Those candidates satisfying the
nomination requirement through the Secretary of the Army's authority to
nominate enlisted members of the Regular Army, Army Reserve, and from
ROTC, may result in an overall OML deviation. There is no OML deviation
permitted, however, from within this nomination category.
For those candidates satisfying the nomination requirement through
the Secretary of the Army's Qualified Alternate basis (10 USC Sec.
7442(b)(5) permits 200 Qualified Alternates per year), there is no
deviation from the OML within the nomination category. Qualified
Alternates come from the nominees presented by MoCs, but who do not win
the statutorily limited number of cadets from any MoC's State or
district.
Vice Admiral Davids. When making offers of appointment to
candidates who may be charged as additional appointees (10 USC
Sec. 8456(b)), the Naval Academy may deviate from the Whole Person
Multiple (WPM), USNA's version of order of merit. For the Class of
2029, there will likely be 150-175 additional appointees (the vast
majority with congressional nominations), most of whom are well-
qualified recruited athletes whose WPMs were affected by their
participation in their high school sports activities, which often
precluded other activities. Other additional appointees often include
Naval Academy Preparatory School candidates who were precluded from
being charged against another nomination source, as they are counted as
members of the Navy Reserve and Marine Corps Reserve limited to 85
under 10 U.S.C. Sec. 8454(b)(3). The Personnel Subcommittee is welcome
to review our appointee data for the Class of 2028. The Department of
the Navy additionally provides an annual briefing on the number of
appointees in each appointment category as requested in House Report
118-301, the Joint Explanatory Statement accompanying the National
Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2024.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. USAFA is in compliance with 10 USC
Sec. 9442 and 9443. As we ensure the best and brightest across the
United States of America are selected to attend USAFA, we rely on three
critical aspects:
1) Congressional Nominations
2) Selection Composite Score
3) Unique Skill Sets valued and required by DAF and USAFA
Our first charge is to address the congressional nomination slates
to include both Principal and Competitive nominations. USAFA selects
all Principal nominations if they meet standards. Principal nominations
comprise approximately 30 percent of all nominations. USAFA leverages
our Selection Composite Score to select from congressional Competitive
nomination slates. Congressional Competitive nominations comprise
approximately 40 percent of all nominations. Thus, approximately 70
percent of USAFA nominations come from congressional sources.
Our next priority is to select the Top 200 qualified alternates in
accordance with 10 USC Sec. 9443. We use the Selection Composite Score
in this process.
We also value those unique skills provided by our prior enlisted
who have demonstrated leadership in service, and recruited Division 1
athletes who have demonstrated athletic, leadership, and teamwork
skills (grit, tenacity and communication).
We will work with the DAF and OSD to provide the requested data.
2. Senator Budd. Vice Admiral Davids, in 2020, the Institute for
Defense Analyses issued a report on the academy attrition. The report
said, ``SAT/ACT scores are significantly associated with higher
graduation probabilities at USMA [United States Military Academy] based
on research conducted by the RAND Corporation in 2015. In a subsequent
report, SAT scores were a significant predictor of success at USAFA
[United States Air Force Academy], with higher scores associated with a
higher likelihood of graduation. The researchers recommended increasing
the academic composite weighting of academy applicants, since these
increased the likelihood of graduation.'' Has the Naval Academy
increased the academic composite weighting since 2020? If not, why not?
Vice Admiral Davids. Yes, the Naval Academy increased the academic
composite in the Whole Person Multiple commencing with the Class of
2029.
__________
Questions Submitted by Senator Elizabeth Warren
transgender cadets and midshipmen
3. Senator Warren. Lieutenant General Gilland, Vice Admiral Davids,
and Lieutenant General Bauernfeind, the Trump administration and
Secretary Hegseth have taken several actions to attempt to ban
transgender servicemembers from serving in the military. What actions
have you taken to implement these executive orders and directives at
the service academies, and on what dates?
Lieutenant General Gilland. None. USMA has no transgender cadets.
Vice Admiral Davids. In response to executive orders and
directives, I have taken the following action:
On March 17, 2025, via email I informed all USNA
midshipmen and service members of voluntary separation procedures for
those with a current diagnosis or history of, or exhibiting symptoms
consistent with, gender dysphoria. I also explained that voluntary
separation requests must be submitted no later than March 28, 2025. I
provided links to the associated ALNAV and NAVADMIN messages and
encouraged individuals with questions to engage with a medical
provider, legal office, and/or their chain of command. Finally, I
provided the contact information of a Navy Judge Advocate who is
available to provide confidential legal advice to midshipmen and staff
on the matter.
On April 3, 2025, via email I informed all USNA
midshipmen and servicemembers that, due to court order, the Department
of the Navy is currently prohibited from implementing policy recently
directed through Executive Orders and Department of Defense directives.
I also provided a link to the associated ALNAV message and encouraged
individuals with questions to engage with a medical provider, legal
office, and/or their chain of command. Furthermore, I provided the
contact information of a Navy Judge Advocate who is available to
provide confidential legal advice to midshipmen and staff on the
matter.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind.
On 4 Feb 2025, USAFA received and complied with the
Office of the Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve
Affairs (SAF/MR) guidance.
On 2 Apr 2025, USAFA received and complied with SAF/MR
Memorandum, Additional Guidance for Executive Order 14183,
``Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness,'' 2 April 2025, to
pause until further notice all actions directed by Executive Orders
related to transgender personnel.
On 8 May 2025, USAFA received the Secretary of Defense
memo, ``Implementing Policy on Prioritizing Military Excellence and
Readiness,'' 8 May 2025, and on 9 May 2025, the DAF received SAF/MR
initial guidance on this policy.
4. Senator Warren. Lieutenant General Gilland, Vice Admiral Davids,
and Lieutenant General Bauernfeind, do you anticipate that transgender
cadets or midshipmen at each of your respective academies will be
permitted to graduate?
Lieutenant General Gilland. USMA has no transgender cadets.
Vice Admiral Davids. Midshipmen who satisfactorily meet all
graduation requirements in accordance with USNA Instruction 1531.49C
will be permitted to graduate.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. Yes. USAFA's transgender cadets
received their degrees.
5. Senator Warren. Lieutenant General Gilland, Vice Admiral Davids,
and Lieutenant General Bauernfeind, have you removed, temporarily
suspended, or taken any other action to pause the ability for
transgender cadets or midshipmen to be enrolled in or participate, in
the same location and manner as non-transgender cadets or midshipmen,
in programs, courses, and extracurricular activities at each of your
respective academies? If so, please provide details on these actions.
Lieutenant General Gilland. N/A.
Vice Admiral Davids. No.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. In compliance with initial
executive orders and to ensure our transgender cadets could continue to
meet their academic requirements, USAFA temporarily paused Military
Training activities for our transgender cadets. After receiving the
SAF/MR Memorandum, Additional Guidance for Executive Order 14183,
``Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness,'' cadets returned to
all Military Training activities.
6. Senator Warren. Lieutenant General Gilland, Vice Admiral Davids,
and Lieutenant General Bauernfeind, do you anticipate that transgender
cadets or midshipmen at each of your respective academies will be
permitted to commission after graduating?
Lieutenant General Gilland. N/A
Vice Admiral Davids. Midshipmen who satisfactorily meet all
graduation requirements in accordance with USNA Instruction 1531.49C
and meet medical accession standards are eligible to be commissioned by
the President upon graduation.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. USAFA received guidance from DOD
and the DAF on the commissioning of our transgender cadets. Graduating
transgender cadets will not be commissioned.
7. Senator Warren. Lieutenant General Gilland, Vice Admiral Davids,
and Lieutenant General Bauernfeind, have you required or do you plan to
require any transgender cadets or midshipmen to attend classes
virtually that non-transgender cadets or midshipmen attend in person?
Lieutenant General Gilland. N/A
Vice Admiral Davids. No. I have not required, and am not currently
planning to require, any midshipmen to attend classes virtually.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. In compliance with the initial
Executive Orders and to ensure cadets could continue to meet their
academic requirements, we provided the voluntary opportunity for our
transgender cadets to attend classes virtually. One cadet attended
classes virtually. After the 2 Apr guidance, all transgender cadets
attended in-person classes.
8. Senator Warren. Lieutenant General Gilland, Vice Admiral Davids,
and Lieutenant General Bauernfeind, have you required or are you
planning to require any transgender cadets or midshipmen to move to
living quarters corresponding to their birth sex?
Lieutenant General Gilland. N/A
Vice Admiral Davids. No. I have not required, and am not currently
planning to require, any impacted midshipmen to move to living quarters
corresponding to their birth sex.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. Since the beginning of the academic
year, all three of our transgender cadets have been in single-person
rooms, as is typical with some senior cadets. Note, not all senior
cadets have their own rooms, as there is insufficient space to
accommodate this. Between the time of OSD/DAF guidance and the
injunction, we made single-rooms available close to single-occupancy
hygiene facilities. After the injunction, cadets returned to their
original single-rooms.
9. Senator Warren. Lieutenant General Gilland, Vice Admiral Davids,
and Lieutenant General Bauernfeind, have you required or are you
planning to require any transgender cadets or midshipmen to stay in
separate or isolated living quarters?
Lieutenant General Gilland. N/A
Vice Admiral Davids. No. I have not required, and am not currently
planning to require, any impacted midshipmen to stay in separate or
isolated living quarters.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. Since the beginning of the academic
year, all three of our transgender cadets have been in single-person
rooms, as is typical with some senior cadets. Note, not all senior
cadets have their own rooms, as there is insufficient space to
accommodate this.
10. Senator Warren. Lieutenant General Gilland, Vice Admiral
Davids, and Lieutenant General Bauernfeind, please describe actions you
have taken regarding treatment of transgender cadets or midshipmen to
comply with orders issued by U.S. District Courts in applicable
litigation, including Talbott v. Trump and Shilling v. Trump.
Lieutenant General Gilland. N/A
Vice Admiral Davids. In response to the litigation, on April 3,
2025, via email, I informed all USNA midshipmen and service members
that, due to court order, the Department of the Navy is currently
prohibited from implementing policy recently directed through Executive
Orders and Department of Defense directives. I also provided a link to
the associated ALNAV message and encouraged individuals with questions
to engage with a medical provider, legal office, and/or their chain of
command. Furthermore, I provided the contact information of a Navy
Judge Advocate who is available to provide confidential legal advice to
midshipmen and staff on the matter.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. USAFA has complied with all court-
ordered preliminary injunctions. Throughout this process we have
supported our transgender cadets including access to health
professionals, legal advisors, our alumni support network, and academic
counselors.
11. Senator Warren. Lieutenant General Gilland, Vice Admiral
Davids, and Lieutenant General Bauernfeind, how many transgender cadets
or midshipmen are enrolled in each of your academies? Please provide a
breakdown of the number of cadets or midshipmen enrolled by class year.
Lieutenant General Gilland. None.
Vice Admiral Davids. I am currently aware of one transgender
midshipman who is a member of the Class of 2026 (junior).
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. We are aware of three (3) cadets
(Class of 2025).
sexual assault and harassment
12. Senator Warren. Lieutenant General Gilland, Vice Admiral
Davids, and Lieutenant General Bauernfeind, should cadets or midshipmen
who report sexual assault be prosecuted if their report does not result
in a successful conviction?
Lieutenant General Gilland. No.
Vice Admiral Davids. No, a midshipman should not be prosecuted on
the basis of whether a sexual assault report results in a successful
conviction.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. No. Lack of a successful conviction
only proves the complaint was not able to meet the burden of proof. Any
minor collateral misconduct discovered is also not eligible for
prosecution under DOD's ``Safe to Report'' policy.
13. Senator Warren. Lieutenant General Gilland, Vice Admiral
Davids, and Lieutenant General Bauernfeind, how should cadets or
midshipmen who report sexual assault be treated if their report does
not result in a successful conviction?
Lieutenant General Gilland. Fairly and with dignity and respect.
Vice Admiral Davids. The Department of Defense encourages greater
sexual assault reporting to connect victims with care and services
needed to recover, as well as to have the opportunity to hold alleged
offenders appropriately accountable. For that purpose, we have both
Restricted and Unrestricted reporting options. When making Unrestricted
sexual assault reports, midshipmen should be treated with respect
throughout the entirety of the reporting, investigation, and resolution
process--regardless of whether their report leads to a conviction.
There are many protections, services, and resources available to help
victims recover after both kinds of sexual assault reports. Some of the
resources that support midshipmen who experienced sexual assault
include access to confidential counseling with a staff psychologist,
regular check-ins with their victim advocate and SAPR office, and the
ability to apply to the Naval Academy's On Ramp Program so they can
receive extra time and accommodations with school assignments. We also
support victims of sexual assault through our physical separation
policies, which include the ability to request class and/or company
reassignments, request a leave of absence away from the Naval Academy,
or expedited transfer to another Service Academy if the victim filed an
Unrestricted Report.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. Regardless of conviction results,
USAFA's first priority is to ensure cadets who report a sexual assault
receive Advocacy and Support Services such as health professionals,
legal advisors, support networks and counselors. USAFA recognized the
complexity of proving sexual assault cases. Regardless of a successful
or unsuccessful conviction, our priority is the care of the cadet and
providing a pathway of healing and support. While every unrestricted
report is investigated by the Office of Special Investigations and
assessed by the Office of Special Trial Council, our first concern is
always advocacy, support and healing.
14. Senator Warren. Lieutenant General Gilland, Vice Admiral
Davids, and Lieutenant General Bauernfeind, do you support allowing
women who have become pregnant or started families to return to each of
your respective academies?
Lieutenant General Gilland. Yes. We have a process for when this
situation arises that is in accordance with law, DOD, and Army policy.
Vice Admiral Davids. Yes, USNA follows DOD Instruction 1322.22--
Military Service Academies, which allows for midshipmen (both men and
women) to request a leave of absence for the delivery and care of their
dependent child, and then, after establishing a family care plan (just
as single active duty parents provide before deployments), return to
the Academy.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. USAFA supports the CADET Act to
enable cadets to retain their parental rights. The CADET Act allows
cadets who become parents administrative time off to focus on
themselves and their families until they can return to meet the
military, academic, and athletic demands at USAFA (utilizing a
validated Family Care Plan).
15. Senator Warren. Lieutenant General Gilland, Vice Admiral
Davids, and Lieutenant General Bauernfeind, do you support allowing men
who have started families to return to each of your respective
academies?
Lieutenant General Gilland. Yes. We have a process for when this
situation arises that is in accordance with law, DOD, and Army policy.
Vice Admiral Davids. Yes, USNA follows DOD Instruction 1322.22--
Military Service Academies, which allows for midshipmen (both men and
women) to request a leave of absence for the delivery and care of their
dependent child, and then, after establishing a family care plan (just
as single active duty parents provide before deployments), return to
the Academy.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. USAFA supports the CADET Act to
enable cadets to retain their parental rights. The CADET Act allows
cadets who become parents administrative time off to focus on
themselves and their families until they can return to meet the
military, academic, and athletic demands at USAFA (utilizing a
validated Family Care Plan).
16. Senator Warren. Lieutenant General Gilland, Vice Admiral
Davids, and Lieutenant General Bauernfeind, what steps have you taken
at each of your academies to implement the requirements in the Fiscal
Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act and the Department of
Defense guidance in response to these requirements that, ``A cadet or
midshipman who becomes pregnant may be granted a leave of absence for
good cause by the [military service academy] superintendent?''
Lieutenant General Gilland. We follow the law as implemented by DOD
policy and have put cadets on a leave of absence following a
notification of pregnancy.
Vice Admiral Davids. The U.S. Naval Academy has implemented policy
whereupon learning that a midshipman is to become a parent, they are
counseled on their options: (1) request a transfer to the Senior
Reserve Officer Training Corps; (2) request a leave of absence; (3)
transfer parental rights to a legal guardian or caregiver (to include
adoption); or (4) voluntarily resign. Midshipmen are able to seek legal
advice through the local Navy legal assistance office, and are given
resources to develop a family care plan, if applicable. They are also
encouraged to speak with a chaplain and counselor.
The Brigade has been briefed on this policy at the beginning of
each of the last four semesters, and all staff members in Bancroft Hall
(the USNA dormitory) know to inform Commandant's Legal when a
midshipman reports pregnancy or parenthood, such that they can be
informed of their options.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. USAFA complies with the Fiscal Year
2022 National Defense Authorization Act and Department of Defense
guidance regarding cadets who become pregnant. USAFA authorizes
administrative time off for cadets who become parents to focus on
themselves and their families until they can return to meet the
military, academic, and athletic demands at USAFA (utilizing a
validated Family Care Plan).
17. Senator Warren. Lieutenant General Gilland, Vice Admiral
Davids, and Lieutenant General Bauernfeind, in how many cases have you
granted a leave of absence when requested by a cadet or midshipmen in
accordance with this policy?
Lieutenant General Gilland. Since the policy's implementation,
three Cadets have been offered a medical leave of absence. One pregnant
cadet accepted. The other two refused and opted to stay at USMA as long
as possible.
Vice Admiral Davids. There have been no requests for a leave of
absence during my 15 months as the Naval Academy Superintendent.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. Since the Fiscal Year 2022 National
Defense Authorization Act, USAFA has granted three requests for a leave
of absence in accordance with this policy.
18. Senator Warren. Lieutenant General Gilland, Vice Admiral
Davids, and Lieutenant General Bauernfeind, in how many cases have you
denied a leave of absence when requested by a cadet or midshipmen in
accordance with this policy? Please provide the reason for these
denials.
Lieutenant General Gilland. None.
Vice Admiral Davids. I have not denied any requests for a leave of
absence.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. None.
19. Senator Warren. Lieutenant General Gilland, Vice Admiral
Davids, and Lieutenant General Bauernfeind, how do you consider the
impact of experiences of sexual assault and harassment on cadets and
midshipmen before discharging them from each of your respective
academies?
Lieutenant General Gilland. Consistent with Army processes for
enlisted and officer involuntary separations, the command reviews the
circumstances and grounds for every involuntary separation which
includes whether the cadet has made an unrestricted report of sexual
assault.
Vice Admiral Davids. All midshipmen separations are considered on a
case-by-case basis, considering the facts surrounding the separation
issue (academic, physical, aptitude, honor, conduct, resignation,
etc.), mitigating and aggravating circumstances, in accordance with
applicable policy and the midshipman's suitability for commissioning.
Our processes take a ``whole person'' approach that considers all
manner of factors impacting the individual. If a midshipman has
disclosed an incident of sexual assault or harassment, that information
will be considered in mitigation/extenuation, depending on the
separation issue.
Specific to disciplinary proceedings, USNA has fully implemented
the DOD/DON Safe to Report Policies (DODI 6495.02, volume 1, and SECNAV
memo of 29 Jun 22),
which prohibit disciplinary action for an adult sexual assault
victim's alleged minor collateral misconduct (e.g., underage drinking)
that might be in time, place, or circumstance associated with the
victim's sexual assault incident. These policies aim to eliminate
barriers to victims reporting sexual assault and when such
circumstances arise, where the Office of Special Trial Counsel has
deferred jurisdiction concerning the issue of collateral conduct to the
commander, my staff pauses disciplinary proceedings pending a decision
from me, in consultation with legal, regarding whether the application
of disciplinary action is warranted under case is the Safe to Report
policy.
Finally, if a midshipman is separated from the Naval Academy, I
thoroughly review each case to determine the appropriate separation
codes and characterization of service (e.g., Honorable, General).
Similar to the above separation decision, I consider all mitigating and
aggravating circumstances when assigning (or recommending to ASN (M&RA)
for cases in which I am not the final separation authority) such
designations.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. All cadet disenrollments are
considered on a case-by-case basis, considering the facts surrounding
the separation issue, all mitigating and aggravating circumstances, and
the cadet's suitability for commissioning. A cadet's disclosure of
sexual assault or sexual harassment is considered as a mitigating or
extenuating factor prior to a disenrollment decision in alignment with
DOD's ``Safe to Report'' Policy. This policy encourages reporting of
sexual assault by not penalizing cadets for minor collateral misconduct
when their report of sexual assault coincides with any alleged
misconduct.
USAFA procedures ensure all disenrolled cadets, both voluntary and
involuntary, have access to resources. For cadets who have reported
sexual assault and sexual harassment, victim advocacy services continue
to be offered. USAFA assists with the transition of care to the local
Veterans Administration (VA) via the VA Military Sexual Trauma (MST)
coordinator and the VA medical/mental health care. In addition, USAFA
provides contact information for local survivors' resources as well as
local military sexual assault survivors' resources. In the event an
Unrestricted Report is made at the time of out-processing, SAPR follows
all processes as outlined in the Department of the Air Force and
Department of Defense mandated policies.
20. Senator Warren. Lieutenant General Gilland, Vice Admiral
Davids, and Lieutenant General Bauernfeind, how many cadets or
midshipmen who were discharged before graduation in the last 5 years
alleged they had been sexually assaulted or harassed before they were
discharged?
Lieutenant General Gilland. Of the 82 sexual assaults reported to
the command in the last 5 years, 21 cadets were discharged. Fourteen
were medical separations, five were Unqualified Resignations (UQR), and
two were separated for honor or misconduct.
Of the 32 formal sexual harassment complaints filed in the last 5
years, four cadets were discharged. Two were medical separations, and
two were UQRs.
Not all reports and complaints were substantiated. Additionally,
there are many reasons why a cadet may be separated that are
independent and unrelated to an allegation of sexual assault or
harassment. Finally, if a cadet has made a report of sexual assault or
harassment, the command considers this fact when determining the
appropriate outcome of the action.
Vice Admiral Davids. USNA requires that all midshipmen who are
voluntary or involuntarily discharged meet with the Sexual Assault
Prevention and Response (SAPR) Response Office as part of the check-out
process to receive last minute support and civilian resource
information (if needed). In the event an Unrestricted Report is made at
this time, the SAPR Victim Advocate immediately notifies the CoC as is
standard practice. In the last 5 years, 31 discharged midshipmen
reported a sexual assault or harassment.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. In the last 5 years, 7 cadets who
reported being sexually assaulted or sexually harassed were
involuntarily separated for misconduct unrelated to a sexual assault
report or sexual harassment complaint. In the last 5 years, 14 cadets
who reported being sexually assaulted or sexually harassed voluntarily
separated from USAFA. In total, 21 cadets who reported being sexually
assaulted or sexually harassed have departed USAFA over the last 5
years.
21. Senator Warren. Lieutenant General Gilland, Vice Admiral
Davids, and Lieutenant General Bauernfeind, do you believe that there
should be non-mandatory reporters for sexual assault and harassment at
each of your academies? If not, why not?
Lieutenant General Gilland. Yes. Non-mandatory reporters play a
vital role in supporting victims and advancing the goals of the SHARP
program. They are often the first individuals a victim turns to during
a crisis. Victims who feel heard and supported are more likely to seek
help through official SHARP channels.
USMA policy mandates that all non-mandatory reporters to contact
the SHARP office if they become aware of a sexual assault or sexual
harassment. West Point personnel receive specific training to prepare
for these sensitive encounters because the initial response can shape a
victim's recovery.
Vice Admiral Davids. The decision to report a sexual assault is a
deeply personal one. Should someone desire to make a report, the
Department has provided the means and the resources to connect the
victim with the support they need to recover. USNA values the
importance in the flexibility that non-mandatory reporters provide to
victims of sexual assault. Not only do our specialized support billets
(Medical, Chaplains, SAPR Staff, etc.) have confidentiality, but our
uniformed faculty and staff members outside the chain of command of the
victim also maintain a ``non-mandatory reporter'' status. As non-
mandatory reporters, members outside the chain of command (to include
all midshipman), are not required to report a disclosure of sexual
assault but may do so as a matter of discretion. Allowing non-mandatory
reporters to exist allows for honest conversations between peers and
colleagues, allowing the victim space to consider their reporting
options.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. USAFA values and leverages both
mandatory and non-mandatory reporters. A dual system provides cadets
with safe pathways to disclosure and support while ensuring
accountability where required.
Our non-mandatory reporters include specialized support billets
(Medical, Chaplains, SAPR Staff, etc.) and select permanent party
members outside the chain of command. Our non-mandatory reporters
receive specific training on helping agencies so they can support and
direct cadets to the appropriate resource or office.
22. Senator Warren. Lieutenant General Gilland, Vice Admiral
Davids, and Lieutenant General Bauernfeind, have you removed,
eliminated, or decreased the scope of any programs, events, campaigns,
observances, or other policies relating to sexual assault prevention
and harassment since beginning your time as Superintendent at each of
your respective academies? If so, please provide specific information
on each of these changes and your justification for doing so.
Lieutenant General Gilland. No.
Vice Admiral Davids. USNA has made administrative edits (i.e.,
replacing ``gender'' with ``sex'') to the SHAPE peer-led curriculum and
GUIDE training, but our critical work in the mission remains unchanged.
USNA observed Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month (SAAPM) in
April 2025 as an opportunity to further expand on sexual assault
awareness and prevention education and to show our support for the
survivors among us. The events, displays, and speakers for SAAPM 2025
have undergone rigorous evaluation to ensure that they are meeting the
intent of SAAPM.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. USAFA has not removed, eliminated,
or decreased the scope of any programs, events, campaigns, observances,
or other policies relating to sexual assault and harassment prevention.
We have enhanced our cadet-led helping and support liaison programs to
mirror the operational Air Force and Space Force organizational
structure. As such, USAFA transitioned the ``Teal Rope'' program into
Cadet Wing Integrated Prevention and Response (IPR) Cadet Liaisons.
Cadet IPR Liaisons support their cadet squadrons and advise their cadet
leadership to foster a positive unit culture. IPRs act as a resource
for cadets seeking information or support related to helping agencies
and support services. Overall, USAFA adjusted aspects of certain events
to align with uniform standards of the profession of arms.
Furthermore, USAFA hosted the 2024 National Discussion on Sexual
Assault and Harassment, held ``Take Back the Night'' events, and is in
the final stages of offering an Interpersonal Foundations Course as
part of the core curriculum for all cadets.
USAFA is laser-focused on violence prevention actions, as
demonstrated in our institutional efforts on the Climate Transformation
Task Force (CTTF), which purposefully aligned the ``Let's Be Clear''
campaign with DOD and DAF efforts. CTTF is a USAFA-wide effort to adapt
our organizational culture that produce warfighter-leaders who
understand interpersonal leadership skills, ultimately leading to
enduring change in how we reduce unit level risk factors associated
with sexual assault.
23. Senator Warren. Lieutenant General Gilland, Vice Admiral
Davids, and Lieutenant General Bauernfeind, have you signed or do you
intend to sign the Sexual Assault Awareness Prevention proclamation?
Lieutenant General Gilland. Yes.
Vice Admiral Davids. USNA has not signed a formal proclamation for
Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month (SAAPM) 2025. Instead,
the Naval Academy internally shared a video featuring USNA leadership
that introduces SAAPM and highlights the importance of sexual assault
prevention and response.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. USAFA institutionally supports
several Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention activities, such as the
National Discussion on Sexual Assault and Harassment (USAFA hosted in
2024), ``Take Back the Night'', and most recently, established the
Interpersonal Foundations Course to be launched in the fall of 2025.
Additionally, Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month (SAAPM)
events were executed the month of April. Greater emphasis for
educational opportunities extends into the academic school year with
the assistance of Cadet Wing Integrated Prevention and Response (IPR)
Cadet Liaisons. IPRs act as a resource for cadets seeking information
or support related to helping agencies and support services. They
support their cadet squadrons and advise their cadet leadership to
foster a positive unit climate. Finally, we are in the last stages of
publishing our ``Leadership Imperative for Violence Prevention''
strategy.
24. Senator Warren. Lieutenant General Gilland, Vice Admiral
Davids, and Lieutenant General Bauernfeind, does your academy have a
``teal rope'' program for peer liaisons for the Sexual Assault
Prevention and Response (SAPR) office?
Lieutenant General Gilland. In 2022, USMA created the ACT--
Addressing Sexual Assault/Sexual Harassment, Creating Healthy Climates,
Tackling Holistic Health--program. After undergoing dedicated
prevention training, select upperclass cadets serve as company-level
peer-educators and conduits to professional resources. Since its
inception, more than 250 cadets have been assigned. While select cadets
serve as ACT leaders, we emphasize that every cadet is an ACT cadet and
has the responsibility to support their teammates, lead by example, and
maintain a safe, professional climate built on trust and mutual
respect.
Vice Admiral Davids. USNA Teal Rope equivalent are the SHAPE and
the GUIDE teams. The Sexual Harassment Assault Prevention Education
(SHAPE) team consists of 90 Midshipmen peer educators who train the
Brigade in small group sessions as part of the comprehensive 4 year/13-
hour SHAPE curriculum. The Guidance, Understanding, Information,
Direction and Education (GUIDE) team consists of 105 Midshipman
distributed throughout every company and provides Guidance,
Understanding, Information, Direction and Education to members of
Brigade who have experienced a sexual assault or who seek more
information/resources on the topic. The GUIDEs wear a small teal pin on
their uniforms to distinguish themselves as a resource in the Brigade.
Both the SHAPE and GUIDE teams are a part of the infrastructure within
the Brigade to ensure maximum integration amongst all midshipman
support programs.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. USAFA transitioned from a ``Teal
Rope'' program to a formal cadet squadron Special Staff program in
order to enhance the support and better align with the operational Air
Force and Space Force organizational structure. USAFA transitioned the
``Teal Rope'' program into the Cadet Wing Integrated Prevention and
Response (IPR) Cadet Liaisons. The Cadet IPR Liaisons serve as advisors
to cadet leadership to foster a positive unit culture. IPRs also act as
a resource for cadets seeking information or support related to helping
agencies and support services.
25. Senator Warren. Lieutenant General Bauernfeind, what is the
status of the Air Force Academy's ``Let's Be Clear'' Campaign?
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. The USAFA ``Let's Be Clear'' (LBC)
campaign was merged with the DOD-led Climate Transformation Task Force
(CTTF), culminating in actions aimed at reducing the prevalence of
sexual assault and sexual harassment at the military service academies.
The actions targeted known unit climate risk factors associated with
incidents of interpersonal violence, such as prolonged stressful
training environments, barriers and stigma around seeking mental health
support and integrating interpersonal violence prevention skills into
cadet professional development curriculum. USAFA took 125 actions,
transformed them into a unified effort across the whole USAFA
installation, and executed 17 Lines of Effort to robust the initial LBC
campaign. Examples of USAFA's efforts include addressing transparency
of accountability, improving hiring practices of training staff, and
fortifying interpersonal violence prevention training for cadets and
permanent party members.
__________
Questions Submitted by Senator Mazie K. Hirono
recruitment in minority communities
26. Senator Hirono. Lieutenant General Gilland, Vice Admiral
Davids, and Lieutenant General Bauernfeind, having an officer corps
that represents the diversity of the country it protects and the people
it leads is a force multiplier which gives our Armed Forces an
advantage over our adversaries. Given the restrictions imposed by
recent executive orders targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion
(DEI), are your admissions teams still able to focus recruiting efforts
on underrepresented communities to ensure the officer corps becomes
more reflective of the diversity of the country?
Lieutenant General Gilland. The Corps of Cadets represents every
part of America, and our goal is to ensure that it continues to do so.
However, there are congressional districts that do not maximize their
allocations of 15 candidates. To that end, our recruiting efforts are
focused on identifying and recruiting candidates from those
congressional districts that do not maximize their allocations.
Vice Admiral Davids. Currently, we are not aware of any
restrictions which would limit our ability to recruit any potential
candidates from across the country.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. USAFA continues to direct our
outreach and recruiting efforts to leadership, aviation, and STEM
focused events where we are best positioned to find qualified
candidates from a wide range of backgrounds who meet our USAFA
priorities of Warfighters to Win, Leaders of Character and Quality, and
Critical Thinkers to Adapt. This includes USAFA Admissions recruiting
in ``Opportunity Districts'' where we can leverage congressional
vacancies where there is an above average propensity to serve in the
military, eligibility to serve in the military, and desire to attend a
4-year college or university. USAFA seeks to conduct outreach where all
potential candidates are informed of the opportunity.
27. Senator Hirono. Lieutenant General Gilland, Vice Admiral
Davids, and Lieutenant General Bauernfeind, do you feel you still have
clear guidance and sufficient flexibility to recruit the best and
brightest cadets and midshipmen from every corner of this country?
Lieutenant General Gilland. Yes.
Vice Admiral Davids. Yes.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. Yes.
sexual assault/harassment
28. Senator Hirono. Lieutenant General Gilland, Vice Admiral
Davids, and Lieutenant General Bauernfeind, according to the Department
of Defense's 2023-2024 report, an estimated 457 women and 327 men at
the service academies experienced unwanted sexual contact. The DOD
reports that only 1 in 8 cadets or midshipmen who experience sexual
assault choose to report it. Many survivors remain reluctant to report
incidents due to fears of retaliation, lack of trust in leadership, or
uncertainty about support services. How are each of your academies
evolving sexual assault prevention training to better reflect cadet and
midshipmen experiences, and what measures are in place to evaluate the
effectiveness of those programs?
Lieutenant General Gilland. While we recognize that the decision to
report sexual assault is a personal one that takes courage, the command
encourages 100 percent reporting to ensure accountability of actions.
Regardless of a cadet's decision to report, we are committed to
ensuring sexual assault victims get the help they need. We deliberately
and proactively communicate the availability of these resources to
cadets in various ways.
USMA has rigorously worked to address the reluctance to report and
concerns of retaliation. Our efforts include leader-driven SHARP
training informed by our team of professionals and Corps-wide
activities to promote a supportive climate. The command's intent is to
foster an environment in which seeking support is seen as the enactment
of strong character and engaged leadership--whether by leading yourself
or leading a cohesive team where members feel equipped to perform at
their best. Readiness is best achieved if these foundational conditions
are met.
Ultimately, this is about character. We believe and emphasize that
character is prevention, and prevention is character. Our efforts and
training focus on sustaining and strengthening the professional
climate, built on trust, dignity, and respect that is necessary for
Cadets to develop into leaders of character who live honorably, lead
honorably, and demonstrate excellence as Army officers.
Vice Admiral Davids. No midshipmen should have to fear retaliation
for reporting a sexual assault or sexual harassment. USNA continues to
educate about retaliation and offer support services through the
Midshipman GUIDEs, in the supplemental SHAPE curriculum, and through
leadership action. The SHAPE curriculum underwent a National Opinion
Research Center (NORC) evaluation from the fall of 2021 to the spring
2023 and the training itself has internal feedback methods and program
metrics that contribute to curriculum updates. USNA has also taken
great effort to comprehensively screen and train all Company Officers
and Senior Enlisted leaders and utilizes leadership positions both
within and outside the brigade to emphasize the importance of dignity
and respect. USNA has created resources to equip midshipmen to engage
in bystander intervention and has vastly expanded support services
available to victims who file Restricted Reports. By providing
additional support for victims who want to maintain confidentiality,
USNA hopes to see a higher reporting rate in future reports.
In the last 5 years, there has been 1 report of retaliation
associated with a sexual assault case. DOD actively prohibits
retaliation and requires the Services to report and investigate
retaliation allegations Anyone who believes they are experiencing
retaliation can go directly to the DOD Inspector General--or get more
information about available help and reporting avenues from their SARC.
Unrestricted Reporting allows victims of sexual assault to report
retaliation in the SAPR program. USNA policy immediately escalates any
retaliation report to Superintendent/Commandant level for immediate
investigative action and appropriate recommendation from the Office of
Special Trial Council (OSTC).
The results of the 2024 survey of cadets and midshipmen at the
Academies indicate USNA's efforts have increased midshipman trust in
leadership. Specifically, as compared to the 2022 survey, trust that
the Naval Academy will protect their privacy following a reported
incident has increased 25 percent, trust in USNA to ensure a
midshipman's safety following a reported incident has increased 29
percent, and trust in USNA to treat a victim with dignity and respect
following a reported incident has increased 25 percent.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. USAFA is continuously evolving our
SAPR training and updating our program evaluation. We execute
comprehensive training for both staff and cadets that emphasize
regulatory policies and procedures. Additional training includes
bystander intervention and helping agency options. Most recently, cadet
access to helping agencies was improved by embedding support locations
in the cadet area and aligning walk-in hours to our cadet schedules.
USAFA conducts program evaluations using data from various sources
to include course assessments, internal feedback and information from
official DOD data collection tools such as the annual Defense
Organizational Climate Survey (DEOCS) and the Service Academy
Experiences Survey (SAES) of cadets and midshipmen at the Academies.
The feedback is used to update curriculum, inform prevention efforts,
adjust victim services, and improve processes.
USAFA recently developed the Interpersonal Foundations Course: a
graded academic core course focused on cultivating a comprehensive
academic understanding of relationships across various contexts
including self-awareness, peer-to-peer, professional, and romantic. The
course integrates theoretical foundations, practical applications, and
reflective components to provide cadets with a well-rounded and
impactful learning experience.
29. Senator Hirono. Lieutenant General Gilland, Vice Admiral
Davids, and Lieutenant General Bauernfeind, what concrete steps are you
taking to challenge harmful cultural norms and build a climate of trust
for survivors of sexual assault to come forward and report perpetrators
without fear of retribution?
Lieutenant General Gilland. USMA has made a concerted effort to
build a professional climate of trust through formal and informal
training; continual communication and engagement with Cadets, staff,
faculty, and coaches; and proactive, committed leadership at all
levels. USMA and the United States Army are values and standards-based
organizations, and sexual assault and harassment are contrary to our
values. We reinforce to all members of the USMA Team and West Point
community the importance of knowing, adhering to, and enforcing
standards; being role models and leading by example; holding ourselves
and each other accountable for our actions and behaviors; and treating
everyone professionally, with dignity and respect.
We believe we are making progress in this space. For example, the
results of the 2024 Service Academy Gender Relations (SAGR) survey show
that nearly 70 percent of USMA women who chose to report any experience
of unwanted sexual contact did so out of a sense of civic or military
duty (nearly triple the number reported in the 2022 survey). We
interpret this result as a promising sign that speaking up and seeking
support is an embedded part of our military duties as current and
future leaders.
Additionally, every individual who reports harassment is protected
in accordance with AR 600-52. No Army personnel may retaliate against a
victim, a reported victim, or another member of the Armed Forces based
on that individual's report of sexual assault and sexual harassment
made under the purview of the SHARP Program. These provisions are
punitive.
Vice Admiral Davids. No midshipmen should have to fear retaliation
for reporting a sexual assault or sexual harassment. In alignment with
the OSD-mandated Climate Transformation Task Force (CTTF) mission, USNA
has amplified and initiated multiple actions over the past 2 years to
address unhealthy climates to further reduce harmful behaviors and
reinforce a climate of trust and accountability for midshipmen. These
include reviewing traditions and eliminating any that may be counter to
our desired climate, requiring stand-downs for all sports teams and
extracurricular activities each semester, providing mandatory training
in healthy relationships for all freshmen, expanding training in
bystander intervention skills, increasing substance misuse education,
and providing the Brigade regular updates on accountability for sexual
assault cases to increase midshipmen's trust in leadership to take
action following reports.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. Over the past 2 years, USAFA has
initiated multiple actions to address cultural norms and traditions to
further reduce harmful behaviors and reinforce a climate of dignity,
respect, trust, and accountability for all cadets. These actions
included identifying and eliminating traditions that run counter to
honorable conduct, eliminating the harmful consequences brought forth
by unhealthy power dynamics, and establishing the 4-class leadership
development system. This approach provides mandatory training in
healthy relationships and unhealthy power dynamics for all cadets,
expands training in bystander intervention skills, increases substance
misuse education, and informs the Cadet Wing via periodic discipline
bulletins.
30. Senator Hirono. Lieutenant General Gilland, Vice Admiral
Davids, and Lieutenant General Bauernfeind, what specific trauma-
informed resources are available to survivors on your campus, and how
is their accessibility and confidentiality actively communicated to
cadets and midshipmen?
Lieutenant General Gilland. Trauma-informed resources available at
USMA include our Sexual Assault Response Coordinator and Victim
Advocates; mental health services, such as our Center for Professional
Development, military and family life counselors, behavioral health
specialists, and the DOD SAFE Helpline; Chaplains; Family Advocacy
Program; Special Victims Counsel; and Cadets' peer support network (the
aforementioned ACT program). We actively communicate the accessibility
and confidentiality of these resources through cadet and staff
orientation and training; posters, QR codes, and digital signage; SHARP
and resource websites and portals; and routine staff and faculty
training.
Vice Admiral Davids. Midshipmen have many protections, services,
and resources to help them recover after a sexual assault. As part of
the role and in accordance with annual training requirements,
midshipman SAPR GUIDEs brief their companies and sports teams on all
resources available and the confidentiality associated with each. This
information is also disseminated throughout the SHAPE curriculum and by
leadership in the form of leadership discussions, command briefings,
midshipman handbooks and awareness months. USNA recently hired a trauma
specialist at the Midshipman Development Center (MDC) who, in addition
to working with victims of sexual assault, trains the GUIDEs, SHAPE
peer educators and other support groups on trauma informed care as part
of their extensive summer training curriculum.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. USAFA's command teams and helping
agencies are focused on supporting survivors. Cadets have many
protections, services, and resources to help them recover after
reporting a sexual assault. USAFA leadership and a group of
professional helping agencies engage in the monthly Case Management
Group (CMG) focused on supporting the recovery of our survivors. Within
the CMG, we receive input from Victim Advocates, Victims Counsel,
health professionals, and chain of command in order to provide
individualized trauma-informed care. Outside of the monthly CMG, SAPR
and command frequently followup with survivors ensuring access to care.
Finally, USAFA endorses an open-door policy at all echelons of
leadership.
31. Senator Hirono. Lieutenant General Gilland, Vice Admiral
Davids, and Lieutenant General Bauernfeind, how are you ensuring
consistent enforcement of sexual misconduct policies, and what
oversight mechanisms are in place to evaluate progress and maintain
accountability?
Lieutenant General Gilland. At USMA, we ensure consistent
enforcement of sexual misconduct policies through a structured approach
that combines standardized policy implementation, leader training, and
rigorous oversight. The specific measures include the following.
Command Training & Policy Alignment: To ensure our chain
of command is fully aligned with enforcement expectations, all incoming
TAC Officers (legal Company Commanders) receive mandatory onboarding
and annual refresher training focused on SHARP, EO, and related
policies. This ensures they are equipped to enforce standards,
understand policy updates, and model appropriate leadership behaviors
in line with DOD directives and academy-specific protocols. TACs also
receive training specific to the management of sexual harassment and
sexual assault. Additionally, they are subject to ``Positions of
Significant Trust and Authority'' screening per Army policy.
Standardized Enforcement across Cadet Companies: We apply
consistent protocols across all companies, including uniform reporting
procedures, command response timelines, and support resource
engagement. This eliminates variability and ensures every cadet
receives the same standard of care and response, regardless of unit.
Oversight Mechanisms to Evaluate Progress and Maintain
Accountability: These include our monthly Sexual Assault Review Board,
quarterly Sexual Assault Response Team, the biennial SAGR survey and
Sexual Assault and Violence at the Military Service Academies Report,
the Defense Sexual Assault Incident Data base, and the Incident Case
Reporting System.
Vice Admiral Davids. All Naval Academy sexual assault and sexual
harassment cases are investigated by Naval Criminal Investigative
Service (NCIS) and reviewed by the Office of Special Trial Counsel. For
lesser offenses, such as engaging in consensual sexual acts within
berthing spaces, this type of sexual misconduct is handled internally
at USNA and addressed through our Administrative Conduct System. The
Conduct System affords alleged offenders multiple layers of due process
and appellate rights. The military justice programs at the military
service academies are in the midst of an audit by the U.S. Government
Accountability Office and we await their findings and recommendations.
Finally, Federal law requires that the Department of Defense to visit
the Academies every 2 years to determine the effectiveness of policies
and programs addressing sexual assault and sexual harassment at the
Academies. The results of these oversight actions are regularly
reported to Congress.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. USAFA sexual assault and sexual
harassment cases, based on the form and substance of the allegation and
in coordination with USAFA/JA, are appropriately addressed by either
the Equal Opportunity Office, an independent investigator, Office of
Special Investigations (OSI), or the Office of Special Trial Counsel
(OSTC), as required by regulation. In addition, Federal law requires
that the Department of Defense visit the Academies annually to
determine the effectiveness of policies and programs addressing sexual
assault and sexual harassment at the Academies. The results of these
oversight actions are regularly reported to Congress.
erasing history through diversity, equity, and inclusion executive
orders
32. Senator Hirono. Lieutenant General Gilland, Vice Admiral
Davids, and Lieutenant General Bauernfeind, as we've seen with both the
temporary removal of the brave 442d Regimental Combat Team history
page--a primarily Japanese-American regiment--from a DOD website and
the temporary suspension of a Tuskegee Airmen documentary from Air
Force training, this Administration is trying to erase history. Will
you commit to me that your curriculum will continue to teach the full
truth of our military and national history--including not only the
valor of these units, but also the shameful moments in our military's
history, like the internment of Japanese Americans and racial
segregation?
Lieutenant General Gilland. Our curriculum (academic, military, and
physical) is designed to develop leaders of character for the Army and
our Nation, ready to lead Army formations in our Nation's defense as
they support and defend the Constitution. Our academic program equips
cadets with the intellectual agility needed to make critical decisions.
Cadets explore a wide breadth of subjects through a robust engineering,
scientific, and liberal arts education that teaches cadets how to
think, not what to think. Underpinned by the Constitution, the
curriculum prepares graduates to outthink and outfight our adversaries
on complex, multi-domain battlefields.
Vice Admiral Davids. Yes, the Naval Academy will continue to teach
the full truth of our military and national history. An understanding
of history and the critical thinking skills developed through studying
history are required to be effective leaders for our Navy and Marine
Corps.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. USAFA will continue to teach our
military and national history. USAFA is committed to delivering a
world-class education--one that challenges cadets to think critically
and engage with complex and difficult topics. We remain steadfast in
our commitment to presenting a comprehensive view of American military
history.
curriculum changes as a result of the executive orders
33. Senator Hirono. Vice Admiral Davids, I understand the Naval
Academy's curriculum required extensive review after the President's
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Executive Orders were signed. I
suspect this was the case for all of the service academies. Given the
overly broad nature of the recent executive orders targeting DEI, do
you believe there is a risk to academic freedom and truthful
instruction?
Vice Admiral Davids. The Naval Academy conducted a thorough review
of the 870 courses in our catalog and found that 20 were not aligned
with recent Executive Orders and DOD guidance. There were only two (0.2
percent) that required cancellation. Another nine required
restructuring, such as the removal of a module, and nine required very
minor modifications. We continue to work with Navy and DOD leadership
to sharpen our understanding of the language in these orders so that we
can meet their intent and continue to develop critical thinking skills
in our students. At present, I do not believe there is a risk to
academic freedom and truthful instruction.
34. Senator Hirono. Vice Admiral Davids, how are you working with
your faculty to ensure midshipmen are exposed to a broad diversity of
perspectives?
Vice Admiral Davids. I'm fortunate to have a professional faculty
who are diverse in their disciplinary preparation and life experiences,
while united in their dedication to our mission to develop leaders of
character for the Navy and Marine Corps. We also invest in the
development of our entire faculty throughout their careers to remain
current in their respective disciplines and well-versed in the needs of
today's military through collaboration with the Office of Naval
Research, partnerships with other commands, and frequent opportunities
for fleet exposure and service-relevant speakers.
35. Senator Hirono. Vice Admiral Davids, will you commit to
protecting your faculty's ability to teach cadets and midshipmen the
great, the good, the bad, and the ugly of U.S. history--even if
political directives suggest otherwise?
Vice Admiral Davids. Yes, the Naval Academy will continue to teach
the full truth of our military and national history. An understanding
of history and the critical thinking skills developed through studying
history are required to be effective leaders for our Navy and Marine
Corps.
__________
Questions Submitted by Senator Tammy Duckworth
command climate
36. Senator Duckworth. Lieutenant General Gilland, Vice Admiral
Davids, and Lieutenant General Bauernfeind, can you provide insight
into how your execution of the Executive Orders has impacted students
and your assessment of the current command climate at the service
academies?
Lieutenant General Gilland. The Corps of Cadets is focused on
becoming leaders of character and serving the Nation as officers in the
United States Army.
Vice Admiral Davids. Our midshipmen are young professionals. The
Executive Orders have only affected a small fraction of the many
activities that occupy the midshipman's busy day. While some students
may have concerns about particular changes, as with any change, USNA
makes room for feedback and provides leadership discussion and
guidance. As a whole they appreciate the clarity of the focus on
preparation for facing the national security challenges that are on our
horizon. They have always discussed personal topics in their own rooms
with their friends and fellow midshipmen. In professional settings,
such as the classroom, in King Hall (dining facility), and in the
public, they remain exemplars of the future military leadership of our
Nation.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. USAFA cadets are members of the
Profession of Arms. Within the Profession of Arms, service members
follow all lawful orders, which include executive orders. When cadets
have concerns with directed changes, they express those concerns both
in command and helping agency channels, while remaining focused on
their primary duty of becoming the next generation of Air Force and
Space Force leaders, prepared to defend our great Nation.
37. Senator Duckworth. Lieutenant General Gilland, Vice Admiral
Davids, and Lieutenant General Bauernfeind, how are you making it clear
that all students have the potential to succeed as warfighters and
contribute to the mission, when the Secretary of Defense, President and
other senior leaders have suggested through both their words and
actions that women and servicemembers of color have benefited from DEI
policies and endanger readiness and lethality?
Lieutenant General Gilland. The United States Military Academy
develops leaders of character, committed to the Army Values and ready
for a lifetime of service to the Army and Nation. The 4,400 members of
the Corps of Cadets hail from all every corner of our Nation and from
all backgrounds and walks of life. They are united by their common
desire to serve as members of the Profession of Arms and by their
shared commitment to supporting and defending the Constitution.
Vice Admiral Davids. USNA leadership, faculty, staff, and the
midshipmen themselves remain focused on developing leaders of character
and the next generation of resilient warfighters for our Navy and
Marine Corps. We continue to stress that each member of the Brigade and
the entire USNA team is important to our mission.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. USAFA is focused on our mission of
forging leaders of character, motivated to a lifetime of service, and
developed to lead our Air Force and Space Force as we fight and win our
Nation's wars.
affinity clubs
38. Senator Duckworth. Lieutenant General Gilland, Vice Admiral
Davids, and Lieutenant General Bauernfeind, please describe the
criteria used to determine which extracurricular and affinity groups
remain and which are no longer permitted?
Lieutenant General Gilland. The command disbanded any affinity
group/club that was sponsored by the former USMA Office of Diversity,
Inclusion and Equal Opportunity in accordance with executive orders and
applicable DOD and Army guidance.
Vice Admiral Davids. In support of its midshipmen and their
personal and professional development, USNA has retained all of its
midshipman activities and groups, but stratified each based on priority
of mission.
Brigade Support Activities are those organizations whose
primary function is performing or supporting public-facing USNA events.
Extracurricular Activities (ECAs) are those organizations
with a focus on warfighting, physical activity, professional skills,
academic groups, and shared recreational interests.
Religious ECAs (RECAs) are those organizations which
support the spiritual readiness of the Brigade.
Midshipman Groups are those organizations that support
connections between midshipmen and mentoring based on shared interests.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. All cadet club activities are in
compliance with Executive Orders. USAFA has retained all clubs in
support of cadet personal and professional development.
39. Senator Duckworth. Lieutenant General Gilliland, though West
Point has terminated affinity groups like the National Society of Black
Engineers Club and the Society of Women Engineers Club, a number of
clubs still remain at West Point, such as language clubs or religious
clubs, acknowledging that there is still value in some unique groups
providing support and community to one another based on shared cultural
ties. Can you explain what guidance or justification you have received
as to why academies should recognize the importance of students
assembling based on religious affiliation but not other cultural ties?
Lieutenant General Gilland. The decision to disband certain cadet
affinity clubs was in accordance with Presidential Executive Orders
(specifically, EO 14151 ``Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI
Programs and Preferencing'' and EO 14185 ``Restoring America's Fighting
Force''), as well as DOD and Army guidance. The disbanded clubs were
sponsored by the former USMA Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Equal
Opportunity. A review of the clubs' charters determined they were not
in compliance.
40. Senator Duckworth. Lieutenant General Gilland, Vice Admiral
Davids, and Lieutenant General Bauernfeind, please provide a list of
affinity clubs that have been terminated or disbanded and which remain.
Lieutenant General Gilland.
Asian-Pacific Forum Club
Contemporary Cultural Affair Seminar Club
Corbin Forum
Japanese Forum Club
Korean-American Relations Seminar
Latin Cultural Club
National Society of Black Engineers Club
Native American Heritage Forum
Society for Hispanic Professional Engineers
Society of Women Engineers Club
Spectrum
Vietnamese-American Cadet Association
The list of remaining clubs is included as a separate attachment.
USMA is currently undergoing a review process that permits the
disbanded clubs to modify their charters and be reinstated in
compliance with executive orders and DOD directives. USMA will seek
Department of the Army concurrence before reinstating any club.
Please see attachments below:
Vice Admiral Davids. USNA has not disbanded any clubs or groups.
USNA still hosts the following ``Midshipman Groups:''
Alliance Club
Arabic Club
Chinese Culture Club
Eastern European Studies
Filipino-American Club
French Club
German Club
Italian-American Midshipmen Club
Japanese-American Club
Joy Bright Hancock Organization
Korean-American Midshipmen Association
Latin American Studies Club
Midshipmen Afro-Caribbean Heritage Club
Midshipmen Black Studies Club
National Society of Black Engineers
Native American Heritage Club
Naval Academy Pacific Islands Culture Club
Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers
Society of Women Engineers
South Asian Heritage Club
Vietnamese Student Association
Women in Cyber-Security and Computing
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. USAFA has not terminated or
disbanded any cadet clubs.
transgender cadets and midshipmen
41. Senator Duckworth. Lieutenant General Gilland, Vice Admiral
Davids, and Lieutenant General Bauernfeind, given the recent executive
orders prohibiting transgender servicemembers from continuing their
service, how are the academies supporting transgender cadets and
midshipmen through their transition from service?
Lieutenant General Gilland. We do not have any transgender cadets.
Vice Admiral Davids. Based on the most recent guidance, no steps
have been taken to separate any midshipmen from the service. However,
we have a standard package of transition support services that are
provided to all midshipmen, regardless of the reason for their
transition from the Naval Academy.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. USAFA provides individualized
support to any servicemember impacted by changes in military accession
or service policies. This includes access to health professionals,
legal advisors, alumni support network, and academic counselors.
Servicemembers are supported through confidential care and coordination
with service component leadership to ensure continuity of support
during separation, in full alignment with Department of Defense policy
and ethical obligations.
42. Senator Duckworth. Lieutenant General Gilland, Vice Admiral
Davids, and Lieutenant General Bauernfeind, will you all commit to
following up with the Senate Armed Services Committee and the
Subcommittee on Personnel to ensure we are kept informed of any changes
in reporting trends and any concerns raised by students regarding
climate, safety and their professional futures?
Lieutenant General Gilland. Yes.
Vice Admiral Davids. Yes, I will ensure that the Senate Armed
Services Committee and the Subcommittee on Personnel are kept informed
of any changes in reporting trends and concerns raised by students
regarding climate, safety and their professional future.
Lieutenant General Bauernfeind. Yes.
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