Newport, R.I. – Rear Admiral Darryl L. Walker relieved Rear Adm. Peter A. Garvin as the president of the U.S. Naval War College (NWC) during a change of command ceremony held onboard Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island, August 9.
Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro, an alumnus of NWC and recipient of the college’s Distinguished Graduate Leadership Award, presided over the change of command ceremony and served as guest speaker.
“Rear Adm. Garvin, as the 58th President of the Naval War College, has been steadfast in his devotion to this institution, empowering the students, faculty, and staff to pursue their research passions, provide support to our Fleet, Combatant Command, and national leaders, as well as engage with the global maritime community,” said Del Toro. “As I said in my speech on Maritime Statecraft at Harvard University last fall, I expect our Admirals and Generals to be skilled warfighters, but I demand that they be strategic thinkers. The Naval War College is vital to ensuring that this is so.”
In his remarks, Garvin highlighted the ways NWC continuously applies the original vision of its founder and first president, Rear Adm. Stephen B. Luce, to contemporary and future challenges, developing strategic-minded warfighting leaders who can out-think, out-decide, and out-fight any adversary.
“As we have done for 140 years, we teach tomorrow’s naval leaders, joint professionals, and international partners the enduring principles of war and strategy – and we do it incredibly well,” Garvin said. “What we face today is increasingly more volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous. We need to be fluent and agile from seabed to space and everywhere in between.”
Attributing a leader’s ability to out-think to educational rigor, Garvin highlighted the college’s dynamic and continuously adaptive curriculum, especially the introduction of NWC’s new Perspectives on Modern War (PMW) course. PMW was developed and introduced to help students synthesize information across all core and elective courses, meaningfully connecting their academic and operational experiences with current and emerging security issues.
During Garvin’s tenure, the college also successfully executed multiple critical research and analysis efforts, including two Chief of Naval Operations Futures wargames; planning assistance to U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) following October 2023 Hamas attacks against Israel; and the largest, most complex Global series wargame ever conducted in support of U.S. Pacific Fleet (PACFLT).
“From wargames on tile floors, our Center for Naval Warfare Studies has progressed to high-technology wargames using the latest in modeling and simulation and command visualization tools, enabling, as the U.S. Indo-Pacific commander stated – a step-change in our capability,” Garvin stated. “Likewise, the examination of current operational challenges studied by our Maritime Advanced Warfighting school and the applied research performed in the Strategic and Operational Research department informs fleet commanders’ actions, plans, and how our naval forces are postured for the future.”
Garvin also emphasized how NWC has contributed to maintaining and strengthening relationships with America’s partners and Allies, especially through the 2023 International Seapower Symposium (ISS). ISS brought together 174 delegates from 91 countries, including 75 international heads of navies, to discuss global maritime challenges and the solutions needed to address them.
The college also co-hosted the first ever Indo-American War College Conference alongside the Indian Naval War College in Goa, India. The event, a part of NWC’s Regional Alumni Symposium series, brought together more than 120 participants from 17 countries, including 7 of the last 11 Indian Chiefs of the Naval Staff.
“The Naval War College is a critical component of the Navy’s effort to facilitate maritime statecraft and enhance strategic relationships,” Garvin said. “The impact and influence of this institution is real, it is tangible and I dare say, indispensable.”
Walker thanked Garvin and outlined his priorities as president moving forward.
“I am truly honored and humbled to return to this great institution, this time not as a student, but instead as its 59th president,” said Walker. “Inspired by the example set by Rear Adm. Garvin and this proven team, I will continue to focus on the most effective ways we can educate the next generation of strategic thinkers, conduct relevant research, and facilitate the strongest possible relationships with our nation’s partners and Allies to dominate the strategic challenges of tomorrow.”
Walker is a 2002 graduate of NWC and most recently served as Deputy Commander of Joint Force Headquarters-Cyber (Navy), United States 10th Fleet in Fort George Meade, Maryland.
Garvin has been nominated and confirmed for appointment to the grade of vice admiral, with assignment as president, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
For imagery of the ceremony and other information about NWC, visit the college’s Flickr page and follow its social media accounts on Facebook, X and Youtube.
NWC delivers excellence in education, research, and outreach, informing today’s decision-makers and educating tomorrow’s leaders. The college provides educational experiences and learning opportunities that develop students’ ability to anticipate and prepare strategically for the future, strengthen the foundations of peace, and create a decisive warfighting advantage.