VMI Hosts the 13th Annual Leadership and Ethics Conference

&emsp;&emsp;Every year, the VMI Center for Leader and Ethics (CLE) hosts a Leadership and Ethics Conference that is open to all VMI Cadets, faculty and staff, and interested adults from the immediate community. In addition to this, a diverse arrangement of military and civilian colleges, members of public and private sectors, current and previous military leaders, and nonprofit organizations are invited to offer their unique insight. Since its establishment in 2010, the VMI Leadership and Ethics Conference has created a space where attendees can stimulate their critical thinking and refine their ethical decision-making skills in an uncertain world. To accomplish this, the conference incorporates internationally recognized speakers, table group discussions, and interactive exercises that lead to important conversation regarding diverse themes of leadership and ethics in modern society. &emsp;&emsp;This year, VMI was honored to host several schools, including The Air Force Academy, The Coast Guard Academy, The Citadel, Norwich, Texas A&M, Christopher Newport University, and Virginia Tech, among many others. With the wide arrangement of attendees, you'll never know who you'll meet, be it a prior Green Beret or a prominent CEO. Given this year's topic of 'Principled Dissent,' conversation is already guaranteed, but having such a melting-pot of backgrounds and ideas, ensured that discussion was never uninteresting. This was especially the case with the head of the CLE and event organizer, COL David R. Gray, who personally guided several discussions.Attendees of the conference were given the opportunity to hear from prestigious speakers, such as Ira Chaleff, an expert on Intelligent Disobedience, Erika Cheung, a key whistle-blower in reporting the medical company Theranos, Peter Bonilla, a member of FIRE, and Rachel Denhollander, the first women to pursue criminal charges against USA Gymnastics' team doctor Larry Nassar. Upon hearing these testimonies of personal experiences in Principled Dissent, all members of the conference broke to discuss their thoughts regarding each case. VMI Cadets, who were facilitators of each group, led discussions to further delve into the topic at hand and support conversation. In addition to these prestigious speakers, members of the conference were able to join the entire Corps of Cadets in Cameron Hall to hear the words of Gen. (ret.) Robert Neller. &emsp;&emsp;In the opinion of many Cadets and visiting guests, Gen. Neller was the highlight of the conference. In Gen. Neller's words, he planned to do something that had never been done before, as Cadet Azzarrello '23, had explicitly requested. From the very beginning of his speech, the General shocked the audience by leaving the stage to speak personably and traverse the carpeted court. He then continued to offer his captive audience several stories from his time in the service, each of which was filled with personal anecdotes and appealed to the Cadets who made up the vast majority of the audience. By the end of his speech, every member of the audience was able to remember an important lesson from the esteemed man, whether it be 'not to eat the cake' or to recognize when and where dissent must be given in a military setting. This was especially important to the theme of the conference and the interest of Cadets. As this year's conference has established, there will be times where ethical dilemmas will call for dissent. However, as Gen. Neller was sure to recognize, as military leaders, the ways in which this is exercised differ greatly from the civilian world and consequences must be weighed on a different scale. His insight was particularly relevant to the Cadets who will soon encounter these situations in the service or the corporate world. By the time Gen. Neller ascended the stage at the end of his speech, the crowd had risen for a standing ovation. &emsp;&emsp;For those who attended the events, there exists a general consensus in the great success of the conference. After speaking to several members of the Corps, it was no surprise that most, if not all, expected to come away from the conference with nothing more than an opportunity to miss class. However, each Cadet was proved wrong. Every speaker and exercise allowed members of the conference to immerse themselves in topics that are not typically addressed. Every activity offered a new perception and the ability to converse with individuals of all backgrounds to gain new perceptions. Many of the scenarios were difficult to come to a conclusion. Several times throughout the conference it was brought up that you would not know what to do unless you were faced with the situation yourself. The truth is, many people don't have an immediate answer to a difficult, ethical dilemma. However, as COL Gray was sure to establish, you only need to Blink and consider, Think about the situation, Choose your course of action, and Voice your decision to find courage over comfort. It is safe to say that this experience was beneficial to all who participated in some way, shape, or form. Thanks to COL Gray, Col. Looney and all of the leadership at the Center for Leadership and Ethics, the Virginia Military Institute was able to host yet another successful Leadership and Ethics Conference. To all those who were unable to attend, I encourage you to do so next year. The opportunity to discuss unaddressed and crucial topics of modern society is one you cannot let pass you by. &emsp;&emsp;Honorable mentions of this year go to Cadets Grace Radar '24, Ellie Pickford '24, Fatoumata Diallo '23, and Lydia Stephens '23 who were all finalists in this year's poster competition depicting an analyzed example of Principled Dissent. As well as Cadets Jake Johnston '24 and Mark Shelton '24, who took second place with a poster detailing Edward Snowden's dissent in a military organization. Congratulations to everyone who participated in the competition.