Celebrating 50 Years at the Service Academies
This year marks the 50th anniversary of a moment that changed the course of history in the U.S. military. Women entered the nation’s military academies for the first time in 1976, a year after Congress passed legislation making it possible.
Since that historic freshman class, women at military academies have transitioned from surviving unwelcome resistance to becoming leaders who rose to the highest ranks. Today, women make up roughly one quarter of the student body at the academies. Notable achievements during the first 50 years include graduates who became generals, admirals and astronauts.
As expected, commemorations of this milestone are taking place at the service academies, however some events are being held off campus. Why off campus? Because celebrating women’s achievements, regardless of their historic significance, has in some cases been deemed to be in conflict with the Pentagon’s termination of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Despite efforts to erase or minimize women’s military achievements, THE FIGHT TO FIGHT team and servicewomen throughout the country will not let that happen.
Fortunately for West Point graduates, they were able to hold their 50th anniversary gathering on campus, unlike the other service academies, which were not authorized to do so.
THE FIGHT TO FIGHT at West Point
One of the most active groups of service academy graduates, West Point Women, gathered recently to view clips from THE FIGHT TO FIGHT at the Thayer Hotel, located on a hill with a commanding view of the Hudson River.
This session featured five clips from THE FIGHT TO FIGHT documentary film. The screening included two co-producers of the film whose work, both in front of the camera and behind the scenes, was essential to making THE FIGHT TO FIGHT a reality – Ellen Haring, USMA 1984, who moderated the session, and Kris Fuhr, USMA 1985, one of the session’s four panelists.
Clips from the film were chosen to stimulate discussion among panelists and interaction with attendees. Panelists shared stories, both funny and frustrating, about barriers they faced and prejudices they fought. Kris Fuhr shared stories about recent work she has done – and continues to do – to help open doors for women to excel in their military careers.
Fuhr provided the following impressions from the session:
There were well over 100 West Point women graduates in attendance and the five clips from the film were received with great enthusiasm.
Listening to powerful stories from trailblazing women in their own voices was emotionally moving to the audience, especially since many attendees have been cheering for the success of the women panelists from afar.
The clip of 1st Sgt. William “Stoney” Hall Ret., who was a Ranger Instructor when the first women entered Ranger School, was especially well received. His story about running his fastest five-mile with Capt. Kris Griest drew great applause. His willingness to learn and take on a new perspective reminded many attendees of how the presence of the first women at West Point changed hearts and minds in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Fuhr felt one clip to be especially emotional: “I found it hard to sit there and listen to myself describe my assault, but when I declared at the end of the clip, ‘I am a West Point Woman,’ it drew applause as so many of us lean into that identity to give us strength.”
Expanding on the last point, another attendee reports the audience stood and applauded at the end of Fuhr’s clip in recognition of the depth of her commitment to the values inspired by West Point.
Education, Outreach, Engagement and Impact
I am deeply grateful to all West Point graduates who attended the THE FIGHT TO FIGHT session and followed up by making donations to the film.
My hope is that more folks will support the film as we continue to raise funds for our next phase – creating an effective marketing campaign to maximize education, outreach, engagement and impact.
Timing for the release of THE FIGHT TO FIGHT for distribution coincides with a review commissioned by the Secretary of Defense (SecDef) to evaluate women’s effectiveness in ground combat roles. This 12-month review is scheduled to be completed by early next year and is intended to be the basis for modifying roles for women in combat units.
During recent questioning by Sen. Maizie Hirono before the Senate Armed Services Committee, the SecDef admitted his intention to re-evaluate the roles of women currently serving in ground combat positions (something they have effectively doing for the past 10 years) and make changes to policy that could affect the future of nearly 5,000 women.
As a result of these and other actions by the Pentagon, the goals for THE FIGHT TO FIGHT have evolved to meet the current challenge. They are fourfold:
Influence: provide curated screenings and outreach for lawmakers, senior staff, foundation leaders, national-security voices, journalists, and cultural gatekeepers.
Activate: veteran networks, women-in-leadership organizations, legal and civic groups, universities, and philanthropic partners as co-hosts and amplifiers.
Reach: educate as many people as possible through screenings and streaming about how women have met or surpassed all standards to effectively serve in ground combat units.
Change: touch minds and hearts by telling true stories of courageous and patriotic women who have volunteered to serve in combat units for the past 10 years to build support for legislation that will guarantee fully qualified women will never be prevented from serving in ground combat units based on their sex.
We will need your help to achieve these ambitious goals. All of our efforts to date have been in service to completing the film. Now that the film is nearly done, our multi-pronged impact plan will require another round of funding.
Please consider making a donation today (Click here.) to ensure THE FIGHT TO FIGHT will have an impact on policy actions taking shape today in the Department of Defense and in legislative actions that will ensure the U.S. military is truly merit-based and not sex-based.
Joy Bronson served as a Naval Aviator from 1986 to 1993 and is the Director/Producer of THE FIGHT TO FIGHT documentary feature film.
Help Us Spread the Word
The Fight to Fight documentary is at a pivotal stage and needs to show it can reach a big audience to get the film widely distributed. Donations are critical at this point, and so is sharing our website link, blog and social media posts. So please spread the FIGHT TO FIGHT message to friends, family and colleagues who are veterans or people concerned about the future of our military and fair treatment for women. Click here to donate and here to sign up for our blog.
West Point Women Host a Session Featuring Clips from THE FIGHT TO FIGHT
Key members of THE FIGHT TO FIGHT film team traveled to the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point to join a session held at the historic Thayer Hotel. More than 100 West Point women graduates attended the session, which featured five clips from the nearly completed documentary. Ellen Haring, USMA 1984, moderated the session, and Kris Fuhr, USMA 1984, was one of four panelists. Both Haring and Fuhr are co-producers of the film.
Photo Courtesy of Megan Cardone