Harris becomes first woman to give commencement address at Naval Academy

Vice President Harris on Friday told the graduating class of midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy to be prepared to defend the nation in a new era of modern threats that include pandemics, cyberattacks and climate change.

Harris, who on Friday broke a new barrier by becoming the first female commencement speaker in the history of the Naval Academy, said the United States is on the verge of a “significant turning point” in its history and described the midshipmen sitting before her as uniquely positioned to defend the nation and its democracy against new threats.

“The global pandemic you see, of course, has accelerated what was happening before and it has accelerated our world into a new era. It has forever impacted our world. It has forever influenced our perspective. And if we weren’t clear before, we know now: Our world is interconnected, our world is interdependent and our world is fragile,” Harris said.
 
“A deadly pandemic can spread throughout the globe in just a matter of months. A gang of hackers can disrupt the fuel supply of a whole seaboard. One country’s carbon emissions can threaten the sustainability of the whole Earth. This, midshipmen, is the era we are in and it is unlike any era that came before,” the vice president continued. “So, the challenge now, the challenge before us now is how to mount a modern defense to these modern threats.”

Harris told a personal anecdote from her time on the Senate Intelligence Committee of a visit she made to the USS Scranton outside San Diego during which she asked the officers aboard what it took to protect the submarine against cyber threats.

“They told me it’s pretty simple — equipment and experts,” Harris said. “The way I see it, midshipmen, you, you and you are the experts.”

Harris said the graduating midshipmen would not only harden military assets against cyberattacks but also help mitigate the threat from climate change by reinforcing sinking bases and using solar and wind power in combat operations.  

“Just ask any Marine today: Would she rather carry 20 pounds of batteries or a rolled up solar panel? And I am positive she will tell you a solar panel, and so would he,” Harris said, paying homage to the women serving in the Marine Corps. Her remarks prompted some cheers and applause from her audience.

Harris also took a moment to recognize the contributions made by the military to addressing the pandemic, from vaccine production and delivery to producing personal protective equipment.

“The American people are depending on you — the best, the bravest, the most brilliant,” she said.

While Harris regularly delivers speeches alongside President Biden or at her own events, the remarks were the vice president’s most extensive yet focused on the U.S. military and the role of the armed forces.

Since it was established nearly two centuries ago in 1845, the Naval Academy has not had a female commencement speaker — until Friday.

Upon arriving at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., Harris stopped by the cemetery to pay respects to the late Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), with whom she served in the Senate. Following her remarks, she passed out diplomas to those from the class graduating with distinction.