Type Federal staff college Website www.ndu.edu Total enrollment 4,066 (2009) | Provost John W. Yaeger Phone +1 202-685-4700 Founded 1976 | |
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President Major General Frederick M. Padilla, USMC Location Fort Lesley McNair, Washington, DC, United States Address 62, 300 5th Ave, Fort Lesley J. McNair, DC 20319, USA Subsidiaries National War College, Joint Forces Staff College Notable alumni John Michael McConnell, Shu Chin‑chiang, Cynthia Akuetteh, Benny Gantz, Robert P Jackson Similar National War College, Joint Forces Staff Coll, United States Army War, Naval War College, National Intelligence University Profiles | ||
National defense university
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 Major General Frederick M. Padilla, USMC, as president. It is located on the grounds of Fort Lesley McNair in Washington, D.C.
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The university's mission is to support the joint warfighter by providing rigorous Joint Professional Military Education to members of the U.S. Armed Forces and select interagency civilians in order to develop leaders that have the ability to operate and creatively think in an unpredictable and complex world. The school's master's program is a one-year intensive study program.
History
Before 1946, the U.S. 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 and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.
To better integrate all the education programs, Congress created the National Defense University in 1976. In 1981, the Joint Forces Staff College was created, followed by the Department of Defense Computer Institute (DODCI) in 1982, which later was renamed the Information Resources Management College. In 1984 the university created the Institute for National Strategic Studies to meet the demand for military research.
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 of the Armed Forces, 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.
Colleges and centers
The National Defense University includes: