President’s Spotlight: The International Military Fellows Program 2026 – 2027

Through the end of my time here at the U.S. Naval War College, I’m regularly highlighting someone or something that’s caught my attention over the previous couple of weeks. It might be a person – student, faculty or staff – who deserves recognition, or it might be an occasion I want to draw more attention to. These short ‘President’s Spotlight’ pieces will be posted about once every two weeks.

As we settle into the rhythm of a new academic year here at the U.S. Naval War College (NWC), I want to take this edition of my spotlight series to highlight an exceptional avenue for continuing the professional growth of our international partners: The International Military Fellow Program (IMFP).

Our core mission at the NWC is clear: educate tomorrow’s leaders, inform today’s decision-makers, and engage with allies and partners on all matters of naval power in order to preserve the peace, respond in crisis, and win decisively in war. For a small number of high-achieving international graduates of the Naval Command College (NCC), Naval Staff College (NSC), or Maritime Security and Governance Staff Course (MSGSC), the learning and collaboration do not stop at graduation.

For one academic year, these elite graduates are integrated into a rigorous post-graduate environment designed to further enrich their strategic insight, leadership qualities, and institutional ties. The impact of this unique opportunity can be found in the numbers. Between 2010 and 2026, at least 43 NCC, NSC, or MSGSC graduates completed the IMFP. More than 63 percent of those alumni have gone on to serve as strategic leaders in their home countries, including one Head of Service.

This year we are proud to welcome four exceptional officers to the program: Capt. Sergio Donadio from the Argentine Navy (NCC ’26), Capt. Roberto Gonzalez from the Peruvian Navy (NCC ’26), Cmdr. Nicolas Boisier from the Chilean Navy (NCC ’26), and Cmdr. Octavio Barocio (NSC ’26) from the Mexican Navy.

Building on a robust foundation of studying strategy, warfare, maritime security, decision making, and operational art in a demanding academic environment that values global partnerships and trust, our fellows directly contribute to the NWC’s world-leading instruction, research, and engagement.

Assisting our faculty, they act as subject matter experts supporting lectures, panels, table-top exercises, and institutional events, bringing vital, real-world perspectives to our curriculum. Beyond the classroom, fellows conduct in-depth research into pressing security topics and execute directed research projects assigned by their home services, providing key insights into key maritime security challenges faced by the world’s navies. They also forge deeper connections with NWC faculty, regional study groups, and the wider U.S. Navy through conferences and symposia. Throughout this journey, each fellow is paired with an academic mentor from our world-leading faculty – experts in maritime security, operational warfare, and strategic thinking – who empower them through mentorship, advocacy, and guidance.

Programs like the IMFP ensure that our international partners emerge better prepared to lead and navigate today's complex global security environment, joining an elite community of NWC alumni whose impact reaches across the globe.

– Rear Adm. Darryl Walker,
President, U.S. Naval War College