USMC War College (MCWAR)

Here our students wrap up studies of Thucydides and the Peloponnesian War by playing the game Polis -- thanks to our experts Jim Lacey and Matthew Jones. Marine Corps University United States Marine Corps Andrew Nicholson Kevin Kratzer Scott Pontzer Rolando Machado Jr., MBA, RBLP-T Scott Stewart

Last week our students made the annual trek to Philadelphia to dive into the Constitution--line by line. This comes after studying 17th and 18th century social & political philosophy and a class on the Federalist Papers (the arguments surrounding the 1787 Constitutional Convention). So many of us swear to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States".....yet, so few of us spend time trying to grasp its meaning and implications. Many thanks to Bruce MacKay and Vance Skarstedt, Ph.D. for helping us understand the finer points. In addition to studying at the renowned National Constitution Center, we also enjoyed a tour of Independence Hall from the National Park Service and visited the Museum of the American Revolution among other sites. Also included were some Philadelphia "musts": A run to the "Rocky Statue" and some cheesesteaks! Marine Corps University United States Marine Corps Tammy Schultz Kevin Heaton Brian Carthon;Nick Disney;Rhett Hansen;Kevin Kratzer;Scott Gurley;Ashley Lish;Rolando Machado Jr., MBA, RBLP-T;Andrew Nicholson;Scott Pontzer;Scott Stewart;Henry Y.;William Ryerson;

Wargaming Open House! Last week, MCWAR students not only got their first taste of the wargames they will play throughout the year as part of the curriculum, but also got to continue "breaking the ice" with their classmates around a unique activity. In the afternoon, the gloves came off, and students signed up to compete against each other in their game of choice. Getting to preview each game helped overcome one of wargaming's downsides--the time it takes to learn a new game. Marine Corps University United States Marine Corps Matthew Jones William Ryerson Benjamin Miller Tim Barrick

Congratulations to these sharp students who demonstrated great communication & teamwork, combined with creative and critical thinking skills! Marine Corps University United States Marine Corps Tammy Schultz

This week we are excited to welcome our Marine, Joint, Interagency, and International students for Academic Year 2025! Marine Corps University United States Marine Corps

Congratulations to MCWAR class of 2024 Distinguished Graduates! From left to right: LTC John Collins, LtCol Colin Culkin, LtCol Anton Semelroth, LtCol Jordan Gwiazdon, Lt Col Christopher "Creole" Martinez. These students excelled across all areas of MCWAR's curriculum, including writing, thinking, briefing, and wargaming. Marine Corps University United States Marine Corps

Congratulations to MCWAR Class of 2024! As we get ready for the graduation ceremony tomorrow, we've been able to have some moments of reflection and fun to commemorate this year of rigorous learning and growth. Marine Corps University United States Marine Corps

And the winner is.... LTC Derek Di Bello! Congrats to Derek for winning the year-end wargaming tournament, and thanks to Matthew Jones and Col William Ryerson for hosting a great learning event to close out the academic year. Here, Derek is receiving the highly coveted wargaming trophy, presented by our Director, Col Brian Sharp. Marine Corps University United States Marine Corps

The two, the proud…

Here at MCWAR, we are privileged to host International Military Students (IMS) who enrich our seminar and class discussions with their unique and valuable perspectives. So many times we get stuck in our way of thinking about things, and an IMS's opinion, question, or critique provides a breath of fresh air. This year, we had Colonel Faisal al Mahmoud (United Arab Emirates), Lieutenant Colonel Lars Jansen (Norway), Lieutenant Colonel Panya Japrung (Thailand), Colonel Ryosuke "Matz" Matsuda (Japan), and Captain Alex Soares (Brazil). As a student, these warrior-scholars are usually on the receiving end, but last week we flipped that on its head. Each student presented their classmates with an in-depth discussion on their respective nation's strategic challenges, national security cultures, and way ahead. Having just returned from overseas trips, the US MCWAR students were able to dive deep in comparing and contrasting issues facing partners across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and South America. Marine Corps University United States Marine Corps Tammy Schultz