Washington, D.C.
National Defense University (NDU) held its 2026 graduation ceremony for the university's four Washington, D.C.-based colleges on Thursday, 11 June 2026 at 10:00 a.m. in front of historic Roosevelt Hall at Fort Lesley J. McNair. The ceremony was broadcast live via DVIDS.
The keynote speaker was the 22nd Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine, USAF. General Christopher Mahoney, USMC, 13th Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also attended.
In his opening remarks, NDU's 18th President Vice Admiral Peter A. Garvin, USN, recognized the “unwavering commitment, unshakeable dedication, and unmatched professionalism” demonstrated by the Class of 2026. He told the students, “You are the right leaders, at the right time in history.”
VADM Garvin emphasized that, “Here at the National Defense University, we do not education for the sake of education. We educate to guarantee national security, or even more directly, we educate in order to fight and win. Every seminar, every reading, and every wargame has been laser-focused on one objective: building, expanding, and sustaining our cognitive warfighting advantage against any would-be adversary.”
In his keynote address, Gen. Caine told the graduating class, "You are now vital translators between grand strategy developed by political leaders and policymakers and the realities of achieving those objectives through the use of military force and the risks that accompany it."
"Never forget that responsibility," Gen. Caine said. "We owe it to our leaders to ensure they have clarity and understanding of those risks. ... Your nation is relying on you to be deliberate, thoughtful, creative, cunning, entrepreneurial, and innovative."
The University's four north campus colleges conferred certificates and master's degrees on approximately 567 JPME students and 28 students who completed CIC's non-JPME master's program. Degrees were conferred upon the students by VADM Garvin, VCJCS Mahoney, NDU Provost Dr. James Lepse, and the Commandants and Chancellors of the colleges:
Norfolk, Va.
The 2026 graduation ceremony for NDU's Norfolk, Va.-based Joint Forces Staff College (JFSC) will be held in-person at the college at Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads, Norfolk on Friday, 12 June 2026 beginning at 9:00 a.m. JFSC Commandant Maj Gen. Thomas D. Crimmins, USAF ANG, will confer master's degrees on approximately 43 Joint Advanced Warfighting School (JAWS) students. The keynote speaker is Maj Gen. Peter G. Bailey, USAF, Deputy Director, Joint Concepts Doctrine and Education, Joint Staff J7.
Fort Bragg, N.C.
CISA conferred master’s degrees on approximately 47 graduates of its Joint Special Operations Master of Arts (JSOMA) program at Fort Bragg, N.C. on Thursday, 4 June 2026 at 10:00 noon. The keynote speaker was Brigadier General Kirk Brinker, USASOC DCG.