A2A young alumni had the privilege of hearing from United States Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Melissa Moore, a member of the Office of Defense Cooperation and the Spain-U.S Permanent Committee, on February 25. Dressed in her Air Force service dress uniform, Lt Col Moore provided an overview of the United States and Spain’s closely aligned defense and security relationship. She noted Spain’s long history of support to the United States dating from the American Revolutionary War, the importance of our bilateral Agreement on Defense Cooperation signed in the 1950s, and how – as NATO Allies – this cooperation and coordination continues to the present day. Lt Col Moore explained how U.S.-Spain military cooperation is mutually beneficial and the strategic importance of the two Spanish bases in Rota and Moron. Lt Col Moore also talked about her 19-year career in the Air Force, the positive experience she has had as a woman in the military, and how she and her husband, a member of the US Army, work to strike a work-life balance while raising their children. During the Q&A session, she also addressed how the military takes seriously any claims of possible gender discrimination and how opportunities for women in the military have expanded. Finally, she encouraged the students to be a “factor of change” in their schools and communities and to have the courage to challenge the status quo in order to confront future defense and security challenges.