Interviews

Filter By Conflict

White_down_arrow

Filter By Location

White_down_arrow

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Central Pacific

Dominican Republic

Korean Peninsula

Solomon Islands

European Theater

Pacific Theater

Central America

Atlantic Theater

Sinai Peninsula

Filter By Theme

White_down_arrow

Concentration Camps

Faith and Religion

Liberating France

Military Techniques

Mountain Combat

Returning from War

Taking on a New Command

Wartime Decisions

Women in Service

Counterinsurgency

Writing the Soldier's Life

West Point History

Military Families

Spring 1976 Cheating Incident

Cyber Security and Warfare

Race in the Military

IED (Improvised Explosive Device)

Life After Military

Military Family

African American Military Experience

Nuclear Weapons

Joint Task Force 6

September 11, 2001

Sexual Harassment / Assault

Detention Operations

Don't Ask Don't Tell (DADT)

Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)

Modern War Institute

GWOT Global War on Terror

USMLM United States Military Liaison Mission

Gold Star Families

Cuban Missile Crisis

Jewish Military Experience

Vietnamese Marine Corps

Vietnamese Navy

North Vietnamese

CASA Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army

Military Medicine

Native American

Strategic Air Command

Mounger Writing Center

Iran Hostage Crisis

U.S. Olympic Team

Susan Schwartz entered the Navy in 1977 as one of the first women to teach at the Naval Nuclear Power School. She retired as a captain (O-6) after 24 years of active and reserve duty. Since 2001, she has taught in the USMA Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Here, she addresses the opportunities and challenges she encountered as a woman working in a traditionally male-dominated environment, the changes she has observed during her time at West Point, and the Army's decision to allow women into combat arms branches.

“Building Relationships”: A Civil Affairs NCO And Military Intelligence Officer On Counter-Insurgency In Iraq And Afghanistan

“Aviate, Navigate, And Communicate”: Attack Aviation Along The Afghanistan Border

“Just Be Good At What You Do”: Charting Success At West Point And In The Army

From Procurement, To Pilot, To Physician: A Three Decade Army Career Unconstrained By Convention

“Morse Code Was Like Music”: From The WAC Band To Radio Intercepts In Vietnam

The Author Of Her Own Story: An Air Force Electronic Warfare Officer On Achieving Success

“Always Something To Prove”: An African American Woman’s Determination at West Point in the Late 80s

Being Confident And Pushing Each Other To Excel: Achieving Success At West Point

Grit And Perseverance: Changing Minds As An Army Ranger

“Be Ready To Adjust Your Assumptions”: Reflections On Adaptive Leadership From The 57th Superintendent

“It’s Going To Be Ok, Mom”: Service With The WACs In Vietnam

“The Army Moves Pretty Fast”: Planning For Success As A Chemical Corps Officer

An Army Nurse in the Baghdad ER

“I Am Going To An Academy, The Only Question Is Which One”: The Adventures Of “A Scrappy, Resourceful, Athletic” Woman

“Infrastructure Is Vital To National Defense”: A Civil Engineering Major With Dreams Of Helping People

“Army Strong” Exemplified: Breaking Barriers with the USMA Class of 1980

A Lifetime of Leadership: Standards, Respect, and Competence

“As Hooah As I Wanna Be”: The Story Of A Soccer Player, Logistics Officer, And Historian

Opportunities and Expectations: A Naval Career Spanning an Era of Transition for Women in Uniform

“I Never Walked Away From A Challenge”: Behind The Scenes In The First Class Of Women At West Point

Caring For Servicemen And Their Families: A Republic Of Vietnam Social Worker

“Never Let Anyone Limit You”: Hard Work, Determination, And Success

Love This Place, Hate This Place: Reflections From A Member Of The West Point Class Of ‘80

Doing “Lawrence Of Arabia” Stuff: A Non-Traditional Career Leads To The USMA Department Of Foreign Languages

Working as Hard as I Can: A Military Intelligence Officer Jumps into Action

Ready for Any Mission: A Chemical Officer in Iraq

“The Shortcut To Success Is Hard Work”: From The Soccer Pitch To The Plain

“An Endless Source Of Opportunities”: A West Point First Captain And Rhodes Scholar Reflects

“A Symbol Of What’s Right With America”: West Point, Army Service, And School Administration

Ensuring West Point Represents the Nation: An Admissions Officer Reaches Out

“It Was Like Going Through A Time Machine”: Serving In East Germany With The USMLM

“You Listen, You're Fair, and You Care”: Managing Laboratories In Vietnam

“My Passion Is Service To Others And The Nation”: An Afghan Immigrant’s Journey To West Point And The Field Artillery

“110%”: Getting the Most Out of West Point

Different Paths To A Common Goal: Two Women Describe Their Experiences At West Point

USMA Chaplain: “May our religion be filled with gladness…”

“War Is A Confusing, Crazy-Ass Experience”: From Special Forces In Vietnam To Teaching At West Point

West Point – The Purpose Behind The Hard Work: Reflections Of A USMA ’24 Graduate

Rebuilding The Hollow Army of the 1970s

“I Was Raised With Red, White, And Blue Blood”: A WAC Volunteers For Service In Vietnam

Determination: Overcoming Obstacles As A West Point Soccer Player And Deploying As A Signal Officer

“I Typed My Own Orders For Vietnam”: A WAC’s Pride In Service

Building A Cohesive Team At West Point: Reflections Of A Regimental Commander

Training As A Nurse Cadet To Support The War Effort On The Home Front In WWII

“Get Off Your Butt And Go To West Point”: An Army Aviator Lands In The Department Of Behavioral Sciences And Leadership

“I Saw Everything As A Challenge”: Learning Tactical Patience At West Point

Supplies, Money, and Donkeys: Logistics in the Afghanistan War

“Some Good Days, Some Bad Days”: A WAC Serving In Vietnam

“Holding A Life In Your Hands”: A Parachute Rigger In The Persian Gulf War

“Too Blessed To Be Stressed”: A Women's Army Corps Intelligence Analyst Puts The Pieces Together

“Lady, This Is Vietnam, There Are No ‘Behind The Lines’”: Sergeant Mac, The Strac WAC

“Progression Not Perfection”: Striving For Continual Growth At West Point

“How Can I Help?”: Service To Her Country And To Humanity

“A Soccer Star’s Three Tours in Iraq”: A West Point Family’s Legacy

“I Can’t Give Up”: Breaking Barriers And Standing Up For Yourself

Locking Shields: Surviving West Point As A Woman

Never Satisfied, Always Improving: Kelsey Minato and Army Basketball

Conflicting Ethics: One Officer’s Experiences During and After “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”

“You Only Fail If You Quit”: Tenacity Serving In The Field Artillery And The Infantry

“What An American Soldier Should Be”: Treating Others With Dignity And Respect

A Career Viewed As A Leadership Laboratory: Three Decades Of Change In The Army

“The Most Formative Years of My Life”: A 1994 West Point Graduate Balances Career, Family, and Community Service

“All Of A Sudden, I Was One Of Those Guys”: From The Honor Scandal To Service In Beirut And Desert Storm

“Trust Your Gut”: Combatting Sexual Harassment and Assault at West Point and in The Army

A Promising Career Cut Short: Fighting To Survive Sexual Assault And Harassment In The Air Force

“I Wanted To Change The World”: Idealism And Character At West Point

A Story Of Love And Faith: A Relationship Forged At West Point

First Impressions Count: Overcoming Personal Adversity at West Point

My DNA Is Filled With Service: West Point, The Olympics, And Helping Others Achieve Their Potential

“I Found My Heart In The Army”: From WAC To Sergeant Major

“Reach for Tomorrow”: A West Point Family’s Legacy

“Somebody Has To Be The Bulldog”: Firm, Fair, Trusting Leadership… And Rugby

"There's Combat Going On And I'm In The Army": A WAC Volunteers For Vietnam

Telling Their Story: Women Vietnam Vets And A Virtual Cemetery

"Failures are Blessings in Disguise"

Together Through It All: Twin Command Sergeants Major Reflect On Their Decades Of Service

“You Can Be My Ranger Buddy Any Day”: Earning Respect In Ranger School at 37

“You Get Me Out Of Here, God, And I’ll Serve You”: A WAC Logistician In Vietnam

A 1980 Graduate On Her Spiritual Journey Through and Beyond West Point

Pushing Oneself To Her Limits: Extreme Open Water Swimming In An Army Swim Cap

Serving With Dignity And Compassion: A WAC’s Tour In Vietnam

“R-Day Makes You Stupid”: West Point In The Era Of COVID

To Coach, Teach, And Mentor: Careers In The Military And Collegiate Athletics

“From The Ground Up”: Building The Sexual Harassment & Assault Response & Prevention (SHARP) Program At West Point

Faith, Hard Work, And Helping Others: Making The Most Of West Point

From Combat Leadership In Vietnam To Integrating Women Into West Point

“I Want That Soldier On My Team”: Adversity, Perseverance, And Commitment

“Don’t Ever Let Yourself Be Average”: Running The First WAC Detachment In Vietnam

The Story Behind “Ashley’s War: The Untold Story of a Team of Women Soldiers on the Special Ops Battlefield”

Doing More Than I Thought I Could: Leadership Lessons And Reflections From #34

“West Point Is Where Your Heart Is”: Learning, Growing, And Finding A Home At USMA

To Aid In The Healing Process: An Air Force Dietitian In Vietnam

Strengthening The Long Gray Line: Service, Family, And Relationships

“Comfortable In Uncomfortable Situations”: A West Point Soccer Coach Enlists In The Army

“Let The West Pointer Do It”: Leadership In The Military, Diplomatic Corps, And Academia

An Ambulance Driver For The Free French 2nd Armored Division In WWII

“Bonds That Are Like No Other”: A West Point Family’s Legacy

“Don’t Quit Once You Start Something”: A Leader In War, Training, And Education

"I Want to be in the Fight": An MP Officer Reflects on Leadership, Gender Issues in the Military, and Overcoming Adversity

After Vietnam “I Just Didn’t Fit In”: A WAF Veteran Remembers Her Service

A Citizen Of The World: A South Korean International Cadet At West Point

Taxed And Toughened: Achieving Balance In A Dual Military Family

Following in the Footsteps of Greatness, From Iowa to West Point to Iraq

Parenthood And Perseverance: A 1989 West Point Graduate On Faith And Family

“Serve With Integrity”: Barney Forsythe Reflects On His And His Father’s Service To The Nation

“West Point Was the Mountain I Had to Climb”: Finishing Strong as a Caring and Compassionate Leader

The Intersection Of Service And Heritage: A West Point Graduate On Understanding Her Family’s Holocaust Experience

Finding A Support Structure And An Identity: A Second-Generation West Pointer Forges Her Own Path

Celebrating 40 Years of Women At West Point

Aim For The Best: Breaking Barriers And Achieving Success

A Cold War Armor Officer Reflects On Service From Platoon Leader To Division Commander

The 56th Superintendent On West Point As A National Treasure

A General Officer's Reflections on Confidence, Competence, and Compassion

The Vanguard of a New Generation: Telling the Story of Women at West Point

“If I Get Killed, My Mother’s Gonna Kill Me”: A WAC’s Two Years In Vietnam

“Make Sure To Check All Parts Of Your Operation”: Leadership Lessons From A West Point Commandant

On the Front Lines of Freedom: Team Derrick in Korea, Germany, and Desert Storm

The West Point Admissions Officer on Building the Long Gray Line

“Our Family Business Is Service To Country In Uniform”: Becoming The Best At West Point And In The Army