WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - In a major move to restore a culture of accountability and warfighting excellence, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has directed the comprehensive overhaul of the Department's Professional Military Education system.
Following a rigorous review by the Senior Service College Task Force, the Secretary directed immediate, systemic reforms across all Senior Service Colleges and Intermediate Level Education institutions. The directive reverses decades of academic drift, eliminating ideological distractions in favor of joint warfighting mastery, decision-forcing rigor, and competitive wargaming. Under these new guidelines, the Department will evaluate military schools by a singular, uncompromising standard: 'Does this program forge leaders who will win America's wars?'
Hegseth spoke to about 700 students and faculty members of the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, Monday. The college offers graduate-level education in naval strategy and organization.
Hegseth reminded the service members of the importance of their ongoing military education.
'Our adversaries are studying every day, preparing for the moment,' he said. 'They will challenge you and try to kill you and break our national will and our national power. You must be smarter than they are. You must be bolder than they are, and you must be more lethal than they are.'
After the speech, the War Department issued an eight-page memorandum that mandates reforms across the professional military education.
The Department's comprehensive implementation plan lays out immediate directives to restructure how future military commanders are trained and evaluated.
'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.
'Mandatory Wargaming and Exams' replaces subjective seminar grading with rigorous, standardized end-of-course wargames and comprehensive exams to test tactical and strategic mastery.
'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.
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