The Naval War College, established in 1884, aims to prepare senior military officers for complex warfare challenges. It features a diverse faculty and student body, including naval officers and international military personnel. Officers undergo a crucial transition from tactical roles to strategic command positions. Historical figures like Alfred Thayer Mahan contributed significantly to its curriculum, emphasizing the importance of high-level professional education. Participation in the college often marks pivotal moments in officers’ careers as they shift focus from direct engagement to strategic leadership.
Forty years ago, I turned down promotion from assistant to associate professor at Harvard to join the strategy department of the U.S. Naval War College, in Newport, Rhode Island. My academic mentors were baffled and dismayed by such a self-willed fall from grace, but in retrospect it was one of the best professional decisions of my life.
The Naval War College, not to be confused with the Naval Academy, was established in 1884 to prepare senior officers for the higher-level problems of warfare.
When I was in Newport, roughly half of the students were naval officers at the rank of commander or captain, the other half a mix from various services at equivalent ranks.
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