National War College (Washington, D.C.)

 university, NRHP - National Register of Historic Places, 1907_construction, Beaux-Arts (architecture), New Deal Depression Relief Project [1933-1945], U.S. National Historic Landmark

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The mission of the National War College is to prepare future leaders of the Armed Forces, State Department, and other civilian agencies for high-level policy, command, and staff responsibilities. To do this, NWC conducts a senior-level course of study in national security policy and strategy for selected U.S. and foreign military officers and federal officials.

The curriculum emphasizes the joint and interagency perspective. Reflecting this emphasis, 75 percent of the student body is composed of equal representation from the land, air, and sea (including Marine and Coast Guard) Services. The remaining 25 percent are drawn from the Department of State and other federal departments and agencies. In addition, international fellows from a number of countries join the student body.

The Commandant, a military officer of two-star rank, occupies a nominative position that rotates among the Army, Navy, and Air Force. As joint sponsor of the National War College, the Department of State nominates a foreign service officer with Ambassadorial rank to serve as the Commandant's International Affairs Adviser.

During the 1930s, extensive renovations and infrastructure improvements were made to the site by the Civil Works Administration (CWA) and the Works Progress Administration (WPA). These were both New Deal programs that provided work for unemployed people who were struggling to find jobs during the Great Depression.