USMA Commencement Speakers USMA Commencement Speakers Breadcrumb milestones and traditions firstie milestones graduation usma commencement speakers About MENU Academy Leadership Developing Leaders of Character History of West Point Modernization Plan Accreditation & Assessment Visit the Academy Academic Calendar West Point Commencement Speakers YearAddressee2025DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES2024JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES2023KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES2022GENERAL MARK A MILLEY, CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF2021LLOYD J AUSTIN III, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE2020DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES2019MIKE PENCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES2018GENERAL JOSEPH F. DUNFORD, JR. CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF2017JAMES MATTIS, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE2016JOE BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES2015GENERAL MARTIN E. DEMPSEY, CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF2014BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES2013CHARLES HAGEL, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE2012JOE BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES2011ADMIRAL MIKE MULLEN, CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF2010BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES2009ROBERT M. GATES, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE2008PETE GEREN, SECRETARY OF THE ARMY2007RICHARD CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES2006GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES2005GENERAL RICHARD B. MYERS, CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF2004DONALD H. RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE2003RICHARD CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES2002GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES2001DR. PAUL WOLFOWITZ, DEPUTY SECRETARY OF DEFENSE2000AL GORE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES1999GENERAL DENNIS J. REIMER, CHIEF OF STAFF1998WILLIAM S. COHEN, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE1997BILL CLINTON, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES1996WILLIAM J. PERRY, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE1995GENERAL GORDON R. SULLIVAN, CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE ARMY1994TOGO D. WEST, JR., SECRETARY OF THE ARMY1993BILL CLINTON, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES1992GENERAL GORDON R. SULLIVAN, CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE ARMY1991GEORGE BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES1990GENERAL COLIN POWELL, CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE ARMY1989DAN QUAYLE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES1988GEORGE BUSH, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES1987JOHN A. WICKHAM, JR., CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE ARMY1986CASPAR W. WEINBERGER, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE1985JOHN O. MARSH, JR., SECRETARY OF THE ARMY1984GEORGE BUSH, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES1983CASPAR W. WEINBERGER, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE1982SENATOR JOHN G. TOWER, CHAIRMAN OF THE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE1981RONALD W. REAGAN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES1980HONORABLE HAROLD BROWN, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE1979HONORABLE CHARLES W. DUNCAN, JR., DEPUTY SECRETARY OF DEFENSE1978GEN. BERNARD W. RODGERS, CHIEF OF STAFF1977CLIFFORD L. ALEXANDER, JR., SECRETARY OF THE ARMY1976MARTIN R. HOFFMAN, SECRETARY OF THE ARMY1975GERALD FORD, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES1974HOWARD H. CALLAWAY, SECRETARY OF THE ARMY1973ADMIRAL THOMAS H. MOORER, CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF1972GEN. WILLIAM C. WESTMORELAND, CHIEF OF STAFF1971MELVIN R. LAIRD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE1970SPIRO T. AGNEW, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES1969GEN. WILLIAM C. WESTMORELAND, CHIEF OF STAFF1968GEN. HAROLD K. JOHNSON, CHIEF OF STAFF1967STANLEY R. RESOR, SECRETARY OF THE ARMY1966HUBERT HUMPHREY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES1965GEN. EARLE G. WHEELER, CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF1964STEPHEN AILES, SECRETARY OF THE ARMY1963GEN. MAXWELL D. TAYLOR, CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF1962JOHN F. KENNEDY, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES1961LYNDON B. JOHNSON, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES1960GEN. LYMAN L. LEMNITZER, CHIEF OF STAFF1959HENRY CABOT LODGE, U.S. REPRESENTATIVE TO THE UNITED NATIONS1958NEIL H. MCELROY, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE1957GENERAL MAXWELL D. TAYLOR1956WILBUR M. BRUCKER, SECRETARY OF THE ARMY1955DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES1954ROBERT T. STEVENS, SECRETARY OF THE ARMY1953GEN. LUCIUS D. CLAY (U.S. ARMY RETIRED)1952THOMAS K. FINLETTER, SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE1951GEN. GEORGE C. MARSHALL, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE1950HONORABLE FRANK PACE, JR., SECRETARY OF THE ARMY1949HONORABLE GORDON GRAY, SECRETARY OF THE ARMY1948JAMES V. FORRESTAL, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE1947GEN. DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER, CHIEF OF STAFF1946HONORABLE ROBERT P. PATTERSON, SECRETARY OF WAR1945GENERAL OMAR BRADLEY1944LT. GEN. BREHAN B. SOMERVELL1943HON. ROBERT P. PATTERSON, UNDERSECRETARY OF WAR (JANUARY), AND GEN. HENRY H. ARNOLD, COMMAND OF ARMY AIR FORCES (JUNE)1942GENERAL GEORGE C. MARSHALL, CHIEF OF STAFF1941HENRY L. STIMSON, SECRETARY OF WAR1940LT. GEN. HUGH A. DRUM1939FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES1938HARRY H. WOODRING, SECRETARY OF WAR1937MG MALIN CRAIG, CHIEF OF STAFF1936GENERAL JOHN J. PERSHING1935FRANKIN D. ROOSEVELT, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES1934NEWTON D. BAKER, FORMER SECRETARY OF WAR1933GENERAL DOUGLAS MACARTHUR, CHIEF OF STAFF1932MG JAMES G. HARBORD (U.S. ARMY RETIRED)1931FREDERICK H. PAYNE, ASST. SECRETARY OF WAR1930PATRICK J. HURLEY, SECRETARY OF WAR1929JAMES W. GOOD, SECRETARY OF WAR1928CHARLES B. ROBBINS, ASST. SECRETARY OF WAR1927MG CHARLES P. SUMMERALL, CHIEF OF STAFF1926HANFORD MACINDER, ASST. SECRETARY OF WAR1925HONORABLE DWIGHT F. DAVIS, ACTING SECRETARY OF WAR1924GENERAL JOHN J. PERSHING1923GENERAL JOHN J. PERSHING1922JOHN WINGATE WEEKS, SECRETARY OF WAR1921NO GRADUATION CEREMONY1920GENERAL JOHN J. PERSHING1919LT. GEN. ROBERT L. BULLARD1918NEWTON D. BAKER, SECRETARY OF WAR (JUNE)1917NEWTON D. BAKER, SECRETARY OF WAR (IN APRIL AND AUGUST)1916WOODROW WILSON, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES1915HONORABLE LINDLEY M. GARRISON, SECRETARY OF WAR1914HONORABLE LINDLEY M. GARRISON, SECRETARY OF WAR1913HONORABLE LINDLEY M. GARRISON, SECRETARY OF WAR1912COLONEL GEORGE W. GOETHALS1911PROF. SAMUEL E. TILLMAN & MAJ. GEN. LEONARD WOOD, CHIEF OF STAFF1910BG WALTER HOWE * HON. JACOB M. DICKINSON, SECRETARY OF WAR1909BG HORACE M. PORTER & HON. JACOB M. DICKINSON, SECRETARY OF WAR1908WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT, SECRETARY OF WAR1907BG WILLIAM P. DUVALL1906MG HENRY C. CORBIN1905FRANKLIN MURPHY, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF VISITORS1904GENERAL JAMES R. CARNAHAN1903HON. DAVID B. HENDERSON, SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES1902THEODORE ROOSEVELT, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES1901MG JOHN R. BROOKE1900GEN. CHARLES F. MANDERSON, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF VISITORS1899MG WESLEY MERRITT (NO ADDRESS DUE TO SNOW)1898PETER S. MICHIE1897CONGRESSMAN HUGH R. BELKNAP1896CONGRESSMAN ROBERT G. COUSINS1895CONGRESSMAN SETH L. MILIKEN1894GENERAL JOHN C. BLACK A Legacy of Distinguished Service The academy's long history is reflected in the achievements of its many notable graduates, whose leadership has shaped the nation across military, public service, and private sectors. Their accomplishments highlight the enduring impact of the academy and offer a glimpse into the legacy that continues to guide today’s Corps of Cadets. Learn more about notable graduates Collectible Symbols of Tradition Pictorial postmarks capture key moments in the academy’s history, commemorating significant events, milestones, and traditions through distinctive postal artwork. These collectible marks offer a unique visual record of the academy’s legacy and connect generations through symbols that honor the Long Gray Line. Learn more about postmarks The Tradition Behind the Commission The West Point diploma has evolved over more than two centuries, reflecting the academy’s enduring standards of excellence and its commitment to developing leaders of character. Its design, craftsmanship, and symbolism offer a unique window into the institution’s past and the proud tradition each graduate joins as a member of the Long Gray Line. Learn more about the history of the diploma