Alumni Overview

SINCE ITS FOUNDING IN 1884, the U.S. Naval War College has helped prepare almost twenty-four thousand military and civilian students, faculty, and staff members for vital positions of leadership in times of both peace and war.

Distinguished Graduates

Graduation Ceremony The halls of the Naval War College have echoed not only with the footsteps of men who would go on to become some of this nation's most distinguished naval leaders—King, Nimitz, Halsey, Spruance—but with those of officers from all of the other U.S. armed forces, civilians representing more than fifteen federal executive departments and agencies, and officers from more than eighty-five of the world's navies.  The College's tradition of leadership dates from its earliest days and continues into the future: Army Captain Tasker H. Bliss, who along with Navy Captain Alfred Thayer Mahan, was one of the College's original four instructors, later became General Bliss, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army; also, many of the Naval Command College's international naval officer graduates and international alumni of the Naval Staff College have gone on to become heads of their respective nations' navies following their Naval War College studies.

Alumni Programs

As part of the College's Centennial celebration in 1984, the Dean of Students, with the support of the Naval War College Foundation, launched a campaign to re-establish contact with as many alumni of the Naval War College as could be located.  Simultaneously, a number of programs were initiated or expanded to keep alumni abreast of developments at the College.  All Naval War College alumni are eligible to receive the Naval War College Review.  Alumni, Foundation Members and Friends of the College, for whom the Foundation has current addresses, are also eligible to receive the NWC Foundation Notes.  Naval Command College and Naval Staff College graduates are sent annual updates on the programs of those two international schools, as well as reports on the status and whereabouts of their fellow alumni.  Depending on where Naval War College graduates live, they may also be able to participate in a number of alumni-related events.

  • Naval War College Alumni Conferences - Since 1984, the Naval War College has conducted several such conferences in Newport, usually in November.  Remote site conferences also have been held in Washington, DC, San Diego, and Norfolk, often in cooperation with the College of Continuing Education's Nonresident Seminar Program.
  • Evening Lecture Series - Alumni in the Newport area are invited to attend all Spruance, International, and Contemporary Civilization Series lectures.
  • National War College Security Seminars - Hosted by the National War College Alumni Association, four such seminars are held each year, two in Washington, DC, and two at other locations around the nation.  Naval War College alumni included in the Naval War College Foundation's database receive invitations to seminars held in their areas.

Alumni Update

In order to update your alumni information at the Naval War College, please click here to fill out an online form that will process your new information.  This information will be shared with the NWC Foundation unless you indicate otherwise.

Inquiries

Any Naval War College graduate or former member of the faculty or staff wishing to re-establish ties with the College or desiring to obtain information concerning the dates and locations of future alumni events may do so by writing to: Dean of Students, U.S. Naval War College, 686 Cushing Road, Newport, RI, 02841-1207, or by telephoning (401) 841-6597 (DSN 948-6597).