By Kenneth A. Stewart

The first cohort of Strategic Studies students are pictured in the NPS Flag Garden, March 9. After a long hiatus following the Cold War, the Navy has once again turned to NPS to educate board-selected officers to receive the 2301P Naval Strategist performance code.

"The Navy has P-coded billets for O5s and O6s designed to give these folks insight into how strategy is made so that when these folks are running the Navy, or advising our civilian leaders, they will be qualified to contribute to the discussion," said NPS School of International Graduate Studies (SIGS) Dean Dr. Jim Wirtz. "It is really designed to give people something more than just operational experience."

The 15-month program allows students to focus on maritime strategy. Courses include forays into American national security, defense policy, economics, international relations, comparative politics and regional area studies.

NPS student Lt. Jason Rogge is one of the new strategic studies students attending NPS.

"My hope is that the Navy continues to support the program and keeps it alive, the Navy really needs people that are able to deal with these issues. As we go forth and interact with different nations, these are things that we will need to know. NPS is a great place to get this knowledge," he said.

Strategic Studies students pictured from left to right are: Lt. Jason Rogge, Army Capt. Betsy DeSitter and Indonesian Navy Lt. Cmdr. Aminuddin Albek.