WEST POINT – Vice President Joe Biden will be the commencement speaker
at the graduation exercise for the Class of ’16 at the US Military
Academy at West Point. The annual ceremony this year will be held on Saturday,
May 21.
This will be Biden’s second graduation address at West Point. He
spoke to graduates of the Class of 2012.
President Barack Obama also addressed graduation ceremonies twice –
in 2010 and 2014.
Last year, Joint Chiefs of Staff Sec. Martin Dempsey delivered the commencement
address.
In 2013, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and in 2011, the commencement speaker
was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen.
Approximately 1,000 cadets will graduate this year.
The commencement will conclude a week of graduation activities. On Tuesday,
May 17 there will be a wreathe laying ceremony at the Thayer Statue followed
by the alumni review and Distinguished Graduate Awards Ceremony. Honorees
are retired Gen. Richard Cody, ret. Gen. Keith Alexander, ret. Brig. Gen.
John Bahnsen, Jr., William Foley Joseph Anderson, and Louis Gross.
On Wednesday, there will be the Dean’s Farewell and Superintendent’s
Awards Review.
Friday will see the Graduation Parade.
