German Naval Academy Leader Visits U.S. Naval War College

Flotilla Adm. Jens Grimm, chairman of the German Maritime Institute and head of the Mürwik Naval School, visited the U.S. Naval War College (NWC) on Friday, Jan. 16, 2025.

The school in Mürwik, Germany, is the academy where German navy officers are trained.

“It was a pleasure to welcome Admiral Grimm to the U.S. Naval War College,” said NWC President Rear Adm. Darryl Walker. “The German and U.S. militaries work together incredibly closely. Common principles and values across our respective military education programs ensure our warfighters can operate seamlessly on the battlefield together.”

Grimm, a career submariner, received a brief about the NWC before taking a tour of the campus, accompanied by Walker.

“This visit provided us another extraordinary opportunity to learn from a decorated veteran of the German Navy and a true expert in military education, share best practices and learn how we can support each other as we both prepare our military leaders for tomorrow’s challenges,” Walker said.

There have been 87 German officers who have attended the NWC through its international programs since 1956, as well as three German military personnel who have taught at the school through the faculty exchange program, including current Joint Military Operations Department faculty member Cmdr. Tilo Kalski.

Naval War College leadership engages regularly with leaders in military education from allied and partner nations. Vice Adm. Ishimaki Yoshiyasu, president of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) Command and Staff College, visited the NWC in September.

That engagement followed Walker’s attendance at the 7th Annual International Symposium on Security and Defense in Peru, where he met with Rear Adm. Kurt Ludwig Bottger Garfias, president of Peru’s Escuela Superior de Guerra Naval, as well as Rear Adm. Omar Yesid Moreno Oliveros, director of education for the Colombian Navy, and Vice Adm. D. Juan Carlos Romay, then-director of education for the Argentine Navy, among others.

Romay, an NWC alumnus, has since been nominated to serve as the chief of general staff of the Argentine Navy, the top officer in the branch.

Founded in 1884, NWC informs today’s decision-makers and educates tomorrow’s leaders by providing educational experiences and learning opportunities that develop their ability to anticipate and prepare strategically for the future, strengthen the foundations of peace, and create a decisive warfighting advantage.