Often referred to as the “Harvard of the Navy” the college has produced many of our nation’s great leaders
On Oct. 6, 1884, Secretary of the Navy William E. Chandler issued General Order No. 325 establishing “a College for an advanced course of professional study for naval officers, to be known as the Naval War College.” Founded in Newport, R.I., the Naval War College is the oldest war college in the nation
Graduates include Fleet Admiral King, Admirals Nimitz, Spruance, Fletcher, and Halsey of WWII fame, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. James Cartright, EUCOM Commander Adm. James Stavridis, and more than 160 present-day admirals and generals on active duty
Today, the U.S. Naval War College, is still located in Newport, Rhode Island, and is an educational institution within the Department of the Navy. The President of the Naval War College is accountable directly to the Chief of Naval Operation.,
Mid-grade and senior military officers from all branches of the armed services, as well as civilian government officials, are selected to attend the Naval War College.
Its principal courses of study are "Strategy and Policy", "National Security and Decision Making", and "Joint Military Operations". Students from all branches of the military and civilians work towards a Master of Arts degree in national security and strategic studies.
The mission of the Naval War College is to enhance the professional capabilities of its students to make sound decisions in the highest command management positions, and to conduct research leading to the development of advanced strategic, warfighting, and campaign concepts for the future employment of maritime, joint and combined forces.
The College of Distance Education (CDE) represents the Naval War College’s outreach program. It exist to provide executive-level education to officers of the various military services and to senior Department of Defense and other Federal employees.
The Naval War College has been accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) since 1 March 1984 to award the Master of Arts Degree in National Security and Strategic Studies to eligible resident students. Beginning in the fall of 2001, this accreditation was extended to the College of Distance Education’s (CDE) Fleet Seminar Program (FSP) in the Washington D.C. area.
