U.S. Naval War College Celebrates November Graduation
Newport, R.I. - The U.S. Naval War College (NWC) celebrated its fall 2021 graduation in a ceremony Nov. 9 for 49 U.S. military officers who earned graduate diplomas in the areas of national security and strategic studies.
The class gathered in Spruance Auditorium and heard remarks from Rear Adm. Shoshana S. Chatfield, Naval War College president.
“My charge to you as you return to the operational positions throughout the world is to pack this education, experiences and relationships into your seabag as you go,” said Chatfield. “Utilize these new tools to analyze problems, analyze how we are prepared to meet them, develop and assess solutions, build winning teams.”
She explained how education in Newport provided a small part in their pursuit of learning and how they will need to continue to grow in their personal and professional development.
“Your academic year here in Newport is only a small slice of the continuum of learning that you are expected to achieve in your professional career,” said Chatfield. “You must continue to invest in personal and professional development for yourself and for those you lead.”
Chatfield awarded Professor Emeritus to retired U.S. Ambassador John A. Cloud in recognition of his ten years of dedicated service as an NWC National Security Affairs professor. He delivered the graduation address.
“I want to congratulate all of the graduates for successfully receiving your master's degree from the U.S. Naval War College,” said Cloud. “I appreciate the hard work that was required to complete this program. I'm certain that what you have learned here and the new colleagues you have made will serve you well during the remainder of your government and military careers and beyond.”
The top students in the intermediate class and senior class were recognized as NWC’s honor graduates. Col. Thomas M. Siverts, U.S. Marine Corps, from the College of Naval Warfare and Lt. Cmdr. Muhammad Kurqan, U.S. Navy, from the College of Naval Command and Staff received the honors.
Kurqan discussed his Naval War College experience.
“As Admiral Turner relayed to the 1972 War College class on the day of invocation, the purpose of this institution is not to prepare us for our next tour of duty,” said Kurquan. “Rather, it is learning how to make good decisions. We have learned to improve our reasoning, logic and analysis not to memorize data.”
He told the graduating class that we learned just as much from each other as we learned from the instructors.
The graduates included members of the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Army Reserve and Army National Guard and represented both the intermediate and senior in-residence classes – the College of Naval Warfare and the College of Naval Command and Staff. Graduates earn a Master of Arts degree in national security and strategic studies or defense and strategic studies.
Established in 1884, U.S. Naval War College is the oldest institution of its kind in the world. More than 75,000 students have graduated since the first class of nine students in 1885, and about 300 of today’s active-duty admirals, generals and senior executive service leaders are alumni.
You can watch the graduation on NWC’s You Tube channel here: November Graduation Ceremony