Secretary of War Visits U.S. Naval War College, Announces Reforms to Ensure Senior Service Colleges are ‘Teaching Victory’

The Honorable Pete Hegseth, U.S. Secretary of War, visited the U.S. Naval War College (NWC) in Newport, Rhode Island, on Nov. 9, 2026, to announce a comprehensive overhaul of the Department of War’s Professional Military Education (PME) system.

“The fundamental duty of the Armed Forces of the United States of America is to assure America’s victory in war,” he said. “Victory: Our ultimate screening criteria. It is the unsparing standard against which every regulation, every doctrine, every budget dollar, and every academic syllabus should be judged.”

The announcement comes as a result of a review of curriculum at military service schools directed by Hegseth in March. That review was led by Under Secretary of War for Personnel and Readiness Anthony Tata, who accompanied the Secretary to Newport, and was conducted by the purpose-formed Senior Service College Task Force.

“The primary task of our senior service colleges, like this one … must be teaching victory,” Hegseth told the nearly 700 students, faculty and staff gathered in the war college’s Spruance Hall. “The deliberate, uncompromising task of forging senior military leaders who are intellectually, ethically and operationally prepared to decisively deter – but if necessary, defeat – our enemies in unforgiving combat.”

The overhaul, as described in a memorandum issued by the Secretary the day of his address, includes 33 implementation requirements, including:

• Warfighters in the Classroom: Establishes elite "Warfighter Chair" positions at all senior colleges, filled by high-performing O-5 and O-6 commanders fresh from operational deployments to inject real-time combat lessons.
• Faculty Accountability: Eliminates lifetime tenure and emeritus status for newly hired civilian faculty, shifting instead to three-year, performance-based contracts evaluated on teaching effectiveness and national security research.
• Rigorous Governance Oversight: Mandates the Under Secretary of War for Personnel and Readiness to directly track all tasked requirements to guarantee rapid execution.
• Mandatory Wargaming and Exams: Replaces subjective seminar grading with rigorous, standardized end-of-course wargames and comprehensive exams to test tactical and strategic mastery.

The Secretary credited the Naval War College with executing two super intelligence-enhanced wargames this year.

“This was a truly extraordinary opportunity for our students, faculty and staff to hear from the man at the very top of our Department of War,” said Rear Adm. Darryl Walker, NWC president. “The Naval War College is here to educate and train military officers to take command and lead our forces to victory on the battlefield. Secretary Hegseth’s clear vision, priorities and direction have guided – and will continue to guide – our programs and curriculum to ensure our graduates meet the high standards necessary to win on the front lines.”

Established 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 hedge aggressively, innovate continuously, fight distributively, delegate confidently, and command with clarity within complex battlespaces.