U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. -- The 29th Annual National Character and Leadership Symposium Feb. 24 and 25 features nationally known speakers sharing unique insight on ethics and respect for human dignity, the 2022 symposium theme. Speakers include Dr. Ben Carson, former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; Simon Sinek, renowned author and speaker; Robert Woodson, President of the Woodson Center; Annette Gordon-Reed, author and Professor of History, Faculty of Arts & Sciences, Harvard University and other scholars, executives and athletes.
The event features Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr.; Space Force Vice Chief of Space Operations, Gen. David Thompson; Commander, U.S. Transportation Command, Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost; Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Ramón “CZ” Colón-López; and Airmen who flew evacuation missions out of Afghanistan. See the complete list of speakers here.
The two-day event provides opportunities for cadets, faculty and visiting college and university students to hear diverse speakers and join group discussions in person or through an online platform. The hybrid format ensures compliance with ongoing COVID restrictions.
Actor-author George Takei, Star Trek TV and movie series alum, speaks at a cadets-only event kick off. A Japanese-American, Takei’s book, “They Called Us Enemy,” is the story of triumph over adversity after his family was forced into a U.S. internment camp during World War II. The firsthand account earned The American Book Award and is the 2022, “One book, One USAFA,” cadet reading selection.