WEST POINT, N.Y. (Oct. 7, 2011) — The U.S. Military Academy welcomed former Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates on Oct. 6 as the 2011 recipient of the Sylvanus Thayer Award, presented by the Association of Graduates.
The award bears the name of the academy’s fifth superintendent, known throughout West Point as "the father of the academy."
"For millions of Soldiers and their families, Dr. Gates has always demonstrated bedrock integrity, exceptional professional competence and unvarnished candor," West Point Superintendent Lt. Gen. David H. Huntoon Jr. said. "As secretary of defense, Dr. Gates was always focused on taking care of Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines–the armed forces of the United States of America. He always set the conditions for their success and never forgot their sacrifices."
Since 1958, the award has been presented to a U.S. citizen whose service and accomplishments in the national interest exemplify personal devotion to the ideals expressed in the West Point motto, "Duty, Honor, Country."
During his remarks to the Corps of Cadets and invited guests, Gates focused on the element of "Country" in that motto and the relationship the military has with society. Gates said the Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns represent the first large-scale conflicts to have been fought entirely by volunteers since the Revolutionary War.
"A tiny sliver of America has achieved extraordinary things under the most trying circumstances," Gates said. "My hope and expectations is that when all is said and done, the country’s political leadership will continue to do right by the armed forces."