National Defense University
Encyclopedia
The National Defense University (NDU) is an institution of higher education
funded by the United States Department of Defense
, intended to facilitate high-level training, education, and the development of national security
strategy. It is chartered by the Joint Chiefs of Staff
, with Navy Vice Admiral
Ann E. Rondeau
as president. It is located on the grounds of Fort Lesley McNair in Washington, D.C.
The university's mission is to prepare military and civilian leaders from the U.S. and other countries to better address national and international security challenges through multi-disciplinary educational programs, research, professional exchanges and outreach. The school's master's program is a one-year intensive study program.
Most students are officers and selected civilians in Washington. Students take classes in advanced strategic
methods and diplomacy
. Several institute
s serve the university in developing policies of the government, while also creating simulations and war game
s to help keep the military current with specific concerns.
relied on specially-created programs to meet specific needs. They also made use of smaller training programs elsewhere. The closer integration of military forces and increasing complexity of strategy and technology necessitated the foundation of The National War College
and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces
.
To better integrate all the learning of the programs, Congress
created the National Defense University in 1976. In 1981, the Joint Forces Staff College was created, followed by the Information Resources Management College the next year. In 1984, the university created the Institute for National Strategic Studies to meet the demand for military research. Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, NDU has primarily expanded its research centers, to develop better strategy and a more comprehensive education program.
After the Goldwater-Nichols Act
and the House Armed Services Committee
Skelton Panel Report, the University decided to seek authority to grant master's degrees. In 1993, President
Bill Clinton
signed into law a bill that allowed NDU to grant the degree of Master of Science
in National Resource Strategy upon graduates of the Industrial College, and the Master of Science in National Security Strategy upon graduates of the National War College. The university is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
.
It also includes a number of special programs including Capstone, Pinnacle, Keystone, the Joint Reserve Affairs Center, the NATO Staff Officer Orientation Course, the International Student Management Office, the Secretary of Defense Corporate Fellows Program, the National Security Education Program, the Interagency Transformation Program, and the Center for Strategic Communications.
It is located in Roosevelt Hall in Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C. It was officially established on July 1, 1946 as an upgraded replacement for the Army-Navy Staff College, which operated from June 1943 to July 1946.
According to Lieutenant General Leonard T. Gerow
, President of the Board which recommended its formation,
Most mid-level and senior military officers take a course of study at the War College in preparation for higher staff and command positions.
, the Republic of China
, Japan
, and the Russian Federation
. The meetings are meant to foster collaboration and understanding.
To provide a forum for the research conducted, INSS also publishes the Joint Forces Quarterly, a magazine that covers the specific issues related to national security and military strategy. Similarly, since the institute's establishment in 1984, the fellows have published hundreds of scholarly papers under the NDU Press imprint as well as other specialized journals and fellows frequently publish in the op-ed
section of many papers.
. Capstone, Office of Reserve Affairs (ORA), College of International Security Affairs (CISA), International Student Management Office (ISMO), National Security Education Program (NSEP), Center for Technology and National Security Policy (CTNSP), Secretary of Defense Corporate Fellows Program (SDCFP), and the NATO Staff Officer Orientation Course (NSOOC).
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
funded by the United States Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
, intended to facilitate high-level training, education, and the development of national security
National security
National security is the requirement to maintain the survival of the state through the use of economic, diplomacy, power projection and political power. The concept developed mostly in the United States of America after World War II...
strategy. It is chartered by the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Joint Chiefs of Staff is a body of senior uniformed leaders in the United States Department of Defense who advise the Secretary of Defense, the Homeland Security Council, the National Security Council and the President on military matters...
, with Navy Vice Admiral
Vice Admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...
Ann E. Rondeau
Ann E. Rondeau
Vice Admiral Ann E. Rondeau is currently President of the National Defense University. She assumed the position in 2009. She was former Deputy Commander of the United States Transportation Command at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois from December 2006 to 2009....
as president. It is located on the grounds of Fort Lesley McNair in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
The university's mission is to prepare military and civilian leaders from the U.S. and other countries to better address national and international security challenges through multi-disciplinary educational programs, research, professional exchanges and outreach. The school's master's program is a one-year intensive study program.
Most students are officers and selected civilians in Washington. Students take classes in advanced strategic
Military strategy
Military strategy is a set of ideas implemented by military organizations to pursue desired strategic goals. Derived from the Greek strategos, strategy when it appeared in use during the 18th century, was seen in its narrow sense as the "art of the general", 'the art of arrangement' of troops...
methods and diplomacy
Diplomacy
Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of groups or states...
. Several institute
Institute
An institute is a permanent organizational body created for a certain purpose. Often it is a research organization created to do research on specific topics...
s serve the university in developing policies of the government, while also creating simulations and war game
Wargaming
A wargame is a strategy game that deals with military operations of various types, real or fictional. Wargaming is the hobby dedicated to the play of such games, which can also be called conflict simulations, or consims for short. When used professionally to study warfare, it is generally known as...
s to help keep the military current with specific concerns.
History
Before 1946, the U.S. MilitaryMilitary of the United States
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
relied on specially-created programs to meet specific needs. They also made use of smaller training programs elsewhere. The closer integration of military forces and increasing complexity of strategy and technology necessitated the foundation of The National War College
National War College
The National War College of the United States is a school in the National Defense University. It is housed in Roosevelt Hall on Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., the third-oldest Army post still active. It was officially established on July 1, 1946, as an upgraded replacement for the...
and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces
Industrial College of the Armed Forces
The Industrial College of the Armed Forces is a U.S. military educational institution tasked with preparing military officers and civilian government officials for leadership and executive positions in the field of national security...
.
To better integrate all the learning of the programs, Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
created the National Defense University in 1976. In 1981, the Joint Forces Staff College was created, followed by the Information Resources Management College the next year. In 1984, the university created the Institute for National Strategic Studies to meet the demand for military research. Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, NDU has primarily expanded its research centers, to develop better strategy and a more comprehensive education program.
After the Goldwater-Nichols Act
Goldwater-Nichols Act
The Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986 , , made the most sweeping changes to the United States Department of Defense since the department was established in the National Security Act of 1947 by reworking the command structure of the United States military...
and the House Armed Services Committee
United States House Committee on Armed Services
thumb|United States House Committee on Armed Services emblemThe U.S. House Committee on Armed Services, commonly known as the House Armed Services Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives...
Skelton Panel Report, the University decided to seek authority to grant master's degrees. In 1993, President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
signed into law a bill that allowed NDU to grant the degree of Master of Science
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
in National Resource Strategy upon graduates of the Industrial College, and the Master of Science in National Security Strategy upon graduates of the National War College. The university is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
The Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools is a voluntary, peer-based, non-profit association dedicated to educational excellence and improvement through peer evaluation and accreditation...
.
Colleges and Centers
The National Defense University includes the following components:- Colleges and Schools
- National War CollegeNational War CollegeThe National War College of the United States is a school in the National Defense University. It is housed in Roosevelt Hall on Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., the third-oldest Army post still active. It was officially established on July 1, 1946, as an upgraded replacement for the...
- Information Resources Management CollegeInformation Resources Management CollegeThe Information Resources Management College is a group of educators working to inform leaders of the United States from the government and the private sector. A unit of the National Defense University , it is located at Fort McNair, Washington, DC...
- Industrial College of the Armed ForcesIndustrial College of the Armed ForcesThe Industrial College of the Armed Forces is a U.S. military educational institution tasked with preparing military officers and civilian government officials for leadership and executive positions in the field of national security...
- Joint Forces Staff CollegeJoint Forces Staff CollegeThe Joint Forces Staff College located in Norfolk, Virginia, was established as the Armed Forces Staff College in 1946 and incorporated into the National Defense University in August 1981. It educates and acculturates joint and multinational warfighters to plan and lead at the operational level...
- College of International Security Affairs
- National War College
- Research Centers
It also includes a number of special programs including Capstone, Pinnacle, Keystone, the Joint Reserve Affairs Center, the NATO Staff Officer Orientation Course, the International Student Management Office, the Secretary of Defense Corporate Fellows Program, the National Security Education Program, the Interagency Transformation Program, and the Center for Strategic Communications.
National War College
The National War College (NWC) of the United States is a school in the National Defense University.It is located in Roosevelt Hall in Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C. It was officially established on July 1, 1946 as an upgraded replacement for the Army-Navy Staff College, which operated from June 1943 to July 1946.
According to Lieutenant General Leonard T. Gerow
Leonard T. Gerow
Leonard Townsend Gerow was a United States Army general.-Early life:Gerow was born in Petersburg, Virginia. The name Gerow is derived from the French name "Giraud". Gerow attended high school in Petersburg and then attended the Virginia Military Institute. He was three times elected class...
, President of the Board which recommended its formation,
Most mid-level and senior military officers take a course of study at the War College in preparation for higher staff and command positions.
College of International Security Affairs
The College of International Security Affairs (CISA) is NDU’s focal point for interagency and international security education, promoting a common understanding among agencies, nations, and military services. The College presents qualified students with a Master of Arts (M.A.) Degree in Strategic Security Studies. Four areas of concentrations are currently available within the M.A. – Counterterrorism, Conflict Management of Stability Operations, Homeland Security and Defense, and International Security Studies. The College is home to NDU’s International Counterterrorism Fellowship Program. The ICTF program is the flagship of DoD's Regional Defense Combating Terrorism Fellowship (RDCTF) program – which brings roughly 50 counterterrorism specialists to the College each year from coalition partner countries.Institute for National Strategic Studies
INSS is the primary research institution of National Defense University. Its fellows conduct research regarding national security policy and design and conduct strategic gaming exercises. Because its goals for United States strategy aim for minimal conflict, the staff frequently hosts and visits the military research institutes of other nations, most importantly those of the People's Republic of ChinaPeople's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
, the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and the Russian Federation
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. The meetings are meant to foster collaboration and understanding.
To provide a forum for the research conducted, INSS also publishes the Joint Forces Quarterly, a magazine that covers the specific issues related to national security and military strategy. Similarly, since the institute's establishment in 1984, the fellows have published hundreds of scholarly papers under the NDU Press imprint as well as other specialized journals and fellows frequently publish in the op-ed
Op-ed
An op-ed, abbreviated from opposite the editorial page , is a newspaper article that expresses the opinions of a named writer who is usually unaffiliated with the newspaper's editorial board...
section of many papers.
Special programs
NDU, as part of its mission offers several course programs for further education to selected officers and NCOsNon-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
. Capstone, Office of Reserve Affairs (ORA), College of International Security Affairs (CISA), International Student Management Office (ISMO), National Security Education Program (NSEP), Center for Technology and National Security Policy (CTNSP), Secretary of Defense Corporate Fellows Program (SDCFP), and the NATO Staff Officer Orientation Course (NSOOC).
See also
- Staff CollegeStaff collegeStaff colleges train military officers in the administrative, staff and policy aspects of their profession. It is usual for such training to occur at several levels in a career...
- Robin RaphelRobin RaphelRobin Lynn Raphel is a career diplomat who is currently the coordinator for non-military assistance to Pakistan with the rank of ambassador.. She has been the Ambassador to Tunisia and Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs during the Clinton administration. In this capacity she...
, president - Naval War CollegeNaval War CollegeThe Naval War College is an education and research institution of the United States Navy that specializes in developing ideas for naval warfare and passing them along to officers of the Navy. The college is located on the grounds of Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island...
, Newport RI - Air University (United States Air Force), Alabama
- U.S. Army War CollegeU.S. Army War CollegeThe United States Army War College is a United States Army school located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, on the 500 acre campus of the historic Carlisle Barracks...
, Carlisle, Pennsylvania - Naval Postgraduate SchoolNaval Postgraduate SchoolThe Naval Postgraduate School is an accredited research university operated by the United States Navy. Located in Monterey, California, it grants master's degrees, Engineer's degrees and doctoral degrees...
, Monterey, California - Defense Acquisition UniversityDefense Acquisition UniversityThe Defense Acquisition University is a United States military training establishment that trains and enables the 147,705 military and civilian Department of Defense personnel in the fields of acquisition, technology, and logistics, including leadership, program management and bureaucratic...
, Fort Belvoir, Virginia