U.S. Naval War College Honors 108 Students in International Programs Pinning Ceremony

The U.S. Naval War College International Programs Department held a pinning ceremony for 108 students in its Naval Command College and Naval Staff College programs Sunday night, May 31, 2026, at Salve Regina University’s historic Ochre Court.

“Congratulations to the international students on their pinning ceremony last Sunday, the first of a number of events that signal the completion of a rigorous year of military research and study that has made both the U.S. and its vast network of allies and partners even more capable and formidable,” said Rear Adm. Darryl Walker, president of the Naval War College. “With the relationships and shared understanding of doctrine, strategy and tactics that we’ve developed together going back to last August, we are better prepared to fight alongside one another as a unified, combined force in pursuit of common goals.”

Each year, the college welcomes between 100 and 150 foreign officers to the U.S. from around the world to study strategy, warfare, decision making, and operational art. Since creating a program for international officers in 1956, the NWC has more than 5,500 international alumni from 145 countries worldwide, with about 10 percent of the graduates going on to become the head of their respective country’s navy or other service branch.

The 11-month in-residence Naval Command College (NCC) and Naval Staff College (NSC) programs provide military education for senior-level and mid-career international officers, respectively.

At the Sunday night pinning ceremony, 47 officers from 44 countries – including the U.S. – in the NCC program were pinned, marking their completion of the curriculum, while seven earned their master’s degree. Another 61 officers from 47 countries were pinned from the NSC program, with 15 earning their master’s degree.

“I also want to recognize the International Programs faculty and staff for their hard work on another successful academic year,” Walker said. “None of this would be possible without their incredible expertise and dedication to constructing a military education program that’s wide-ranging, meaningful and relevant, with long-lasting benefits for all involved.”

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.