WARRIOR DIPLOMACY

The complexities of modern day U.S. national security challenges require solutions that extend far beyond the borders of the nation. While this is certainly no recent trend, the rapid globalization of today’s society has only expanded the need for a global approach to the intricate security challenges of the day.

This requirement means that officers must be astute leaders not only within the confines of their direct commands, but savvy diplomats as well. Across the services, certainly in the Foreign Area Officer and Civil Affairs communities, but throughout ship and squadron leadership as well, officers are placed into positions where their skills in respectful diplomacy are equally critical to their knowledge of their ship’s weaponry. Once reserved for the FAO community, in the modern Armed Forces, warrior diplomacy is required at many levels.

Students in the Naval Postgraduate School’s various national security studies programs are well-prepared to answer this call. Each program focuses on a specific region on the global stage, or in specific capacity-building areas, but each program is also grounded in a common thread ... warrior diplomacy. Students understand the cultural nuances of the regions in which they will represent the nation, and their interactions with these communities are enriched with a deep understanding of the underlying histories and factors that define their counterparts’ cultures.

Not only do NPS security studies empower graduates to excel in their leadership roles around the world, the students themselves are innovators through detailed research. Cmdr. Dan Straub, for example, was compelled to examine the complex and critical implications of privatization. For his doctoral thesis research, he studied one of the few security arenas where privatized security has yet to be utilized—peacekeeping operations under the auspices of the United Nations. The intricacies of legitimacy and ethical justice only begin to scratch the surface of Straub’s work, which has been well-received in strategic circles.

With an ongoing focus on the latest developments in nations and governments across the world, NPS students are well positioned to continue providing a bounty of knowledge, driving not only their own leadership development, but providing a strong foundation for solutions to the global challenges of the future.

More Information ...

National Security Affairs doctoral student Cmdr. Dan Stroub explores the murky waters of utilizing privatization companies in U.N. peacekeeping operations. view story

NPS professor examines the evolving militarization of Asian nations space aspirations in latest book, “Asia’s Space Race.” view story

University-developed certificate program fills much-needed gaps in education provided to civil affairs officers. view story