Name: What Next for the U.S. Military?
Uploaded: 2026-10-13
Duration: 9 min 59 s

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is reshaping the U.S. military’s personnel policy around what he calls “warrior ethos,” an approach that he says focuses on higher standards for combat roles and a promotion system that is strictly merit-based. What does this mean for the future of the armed forces and U.S. defense more generally? Retired U.S. Army Colonel Edna Cummings, whose 25-year military career spanned leadership roles and advocacy, joins us to discuss the future of readiness, recruitment and command.

Edna Cummings, COL, U.S. Army (Ret.); Author and Six Triple Eight Gold Medal Champion
Toni Townes-Whitley, Global Tech Executive; Former Fortune 500 CEO; Nasdaq Board Director

What Next for the U.S. Military?

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Colonel Cummings, it doesn't get better. Thank you for your service to this country, to the military, to the women that have served and continue to serve. You got two army brats on stage. We don't know where this might go here. So let's, um, let's start. Let's start nice softball here, OK, Secretary Hegseth. I, it's a name, people, it's a name. Secretary Hegseth has employed a central slogan of the warrior ethos at the department in an effort to reshape military culture. From your 25 years in uniform, where does that framing strengthen? Our defenses and does it risk signaling different messages to women enlisted officers, women in service? How do you receive that framing? Oh, first of all, thank you for having me and the worry ethos is nothing new. It's been around for as long as I can remember. Very basic mission first. Don't leave a comrade behind. Don't quit. Don't defeat. Don't surrender. And each service has a warrior ethos. So that's kind of like when a toddler learns to count. That's how we teach our military personnel. Those basic tenets. And actually, Windsor Group, we include one of those tenets in our motto, mission first, people always. So the warrior ethos is nothing new. So with regards to women, I came in the army, women did push-ups on their knees because they didn't think we were strong enough to do a full prank, a full plank push-up. And now, uh, we have met the standard and exceeded the standard, and we continue to do so. So in my opinion, it's irrelevant. I love that and and the full plank we'll be doing that at the breakout for all of you just to everybody prepare now and stretch please so look let's um let's talk about diversity in the military so critics have argued that diversity initiatives have distracted some from war fighting and preparedness. But you championed the 6888, which is a unit of black women whose mission was considered essential to the World War II effort. How do you think about diversity and what it contributes to readiness and how? Well, first of all, bullets, bombs, artillery. Do not discriminate. They don't care. And so neither should we if someone is willing to die for this nation, they should be afforded the opportunity. So that's first of all. And secondly, diversity. When I joined the military, it was called affirmative action. And when I showed up, people always thought I was an affirmative action token. Here's someone who's been forced upon us. And the best way on a personal level that I counter that I showed people rather than telling them because in terms of merit I had to meet or exceed the standard and none of you would be sitting in this room if you hadn't do this hadn't had to do the same thing so we've all had to meet or exceed the standard and just be that quiet presence by action and deed instead of words so it's nothing new. Nothing new. Nothing new. Look, after a 25 year army career, you moved into advocacy, and I mean all forms of advocacy, helping the 6888 earn national recognition in an environment that some would have said was particularly challenging where you might not have had supporters or allies in this space. What did command experience that you've had with the military for over 2 decades teach you that made you an effective advocate? Are there any things you had to unlearn from the military experience to apply in this new season? Well, what I learned in the military that really helped was the ability to have a conversation in the army we have a term bottom line up front. And since I've been here I've heard that rephrase what is your ask? What do you want clear messaging and then at different levels because the average citizen may want to help you have organizations who may want to help you have strategic partners, but the ask has to be different for example, what can the average citizen do to advance your cause. Write letters. Contact your members of Congress. What can an organization do? An organization can also write letters of endorsement. What can a strategic partner do if you have a lobbyist? You can engage your lobbyist on the Hill. So same message but a different ask depending on the level of engagement. I had to unlearn, uh, quite a few things. Um, everyone doesn't appreciate me calling ma'am and sir and just to lighten up a little bit. Just, just lighten up and enjoy what you're doing and smile in the military as a woman. In the dark ages, if you smiled it meant you were flirting, so that stern approach and now, uh, it's OK to smile so I had to smile and engage and then say good morning because normally you just walk in, put your head down, but now just a little bit more collaborative and engaging. I hope everybody heard those takeaways. One, just the clarity of what are you asking for and then the military getting to that very quickly, clearly, cogently can be life or death for, for, uh, that type of service. So I love that is what this, uh, soften up a little bit. You can just a little, just a little bit you can smile and engage and, and, and be engaging. Look, I wanna go back to today's military for a minute on recruitment. And you know this is the world that you and I share, uh, having been CEO of SAIC. What we found was so many new emerging technologies coming in to military operations and, and, and into the war fight, um, cybersecurity, AI, drones, uh, all the various, uh, robotics, hypersonics. Are we recruiting the future military force that we need to engage with these new technologies, new capabilities, and then how do we retain that capability in your perspective? How do you retain that in an environment where some of the same talent has many options outside of the military? Well, first of all, the military, it's hard, it's not for everyone. Constant moving relocation traveling the things that are required by military but fortunately I am what's called an Army Reserve ambassador that's a special government employee, uh, for the Army Reserve and I actually helped the Army Reserve recruit and the talent that we're developing now is exactly what the military needs. They're smarter, they're sharper, and it's really, I think the CEO of Sam's listening to the service member. What Can the service member contribute? And so what the military has now really the best and the brightest because less than 25% of the demographic that we're after 17 to 25% are even eligible to join. And so when by the time they make uh the cut for the recruiter we have the best and the brightest and then the family support systems are very crucial employers, so all of you out here who employ veterans think about those support services for the family members and the the uh spouses who are working that have to come to work challenging at times at home, not knowing where their service member loved ones may be. And so when we work with the military in terms of recruiting, I just truly believe that we are on the right path because there's a profession of arms and we have the talent that we need in different sectors and the technology that's where it's coming from the young people and the military has a great way of listening. It may not seem like it, but they do listen to the service members in terms of technology and those tools. And we've been honored to be in the presence of some of these amazing military women, uh, in the room. Look, if you had one mantra just to close us out here about military service and leadership to pass on to the next generation, what would that message be, Colonel Cummings? That message would be give yourself a chance. You know, serve your nation because I think it makes us as citizens the more grateful. If you don't, it doesn't have to be the military, it could be public service, community service, and I like to tell just people in general, when you're having a bad day, serve, serve your community. Because there's so many opportunities now to contribute and sup support those in need and it again it doesn't have to necessarily be the military, but the military represents the nation that we're defending and supporting so by protecting and serving our citizens we are really contributing to, you know, national security. If you're having a bad day, sir, I have now just gotten the mantra from my family for the rest of this, this calendar year and all of my whining children. We are absolutely done. I know you all don't have that, but, uh, we are, if you're having a bad day, sir, listen, join me in thanking Colonel. Edna Edna Cummings here for her service. If you'd like to hear more about her story, I'm just gonna recommend her memoirs called A Soldier's Life. We thank you for your service. We thank you for your 6888 advocacy. We thank you for being here with us, and I'll pass it back to Ellie, and we can go right, thank you.