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Defense Strategy Online

The Department of Distance Education (DDE) at the U.S. Army War College offers two courses related to defense strategy: the Defense Strategy Course (DSC) and the Defense Strategy Foundation Course (DSFC).

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Defense Strategy Course

The U.S. Army War College has offered the Defense Strategy Course (DSC) a nonresident course, to U.S. Army Active and Reserve Component officers since 1984. This course is a four-month online Distance Education program offered twice each year. Regular Army (RA), Army Reserve (USAR), Army National Guard (ANG) and Army Civilian Career Management Activity (ACMMA) boards select ten Regular Army officers, 10 Army National Guard officers, 10 Army Reserve officers, and 10 CP60/Army Civilians for each course. ( Please contact the relevant component POC, below, to request consideration for enrollment). For ATRRS, the school code is 217 and the course # is DSC. Officers enrolling in the Defense Strategy Course must:

• Be a Captain/O-3 or higher, either serving in a 3-Star or higher staff position or designated by their component's FA59 proponent, OR
• Be a Major/O-4 or Lieutenant Colonel/O-5 having completed Intermediate Level Education (ILE) Common Core / equivalent schooling, AND
• Not be enrolled in, or have completed, a Senior Service College Program (MEL-1)

Historical Background of the DSC:

In 1984, Former Secretary of Army Marsh tasked the Army Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations (DCSOPS), LTG William R. Richardson, to develop a non-resident course of instruction at the U.S. Army War College develop a correspondence course of instruction for Active Army and Reserve Component officers on Geo-Politics. The Defense Strategy Course was duly established and the Army designed DSC as a continuing education program for MEL-4 qualified Field Grade Officers. It has continued to provide this service for more than 34 years and has over 4,500 graduates.

Purpose of the Defense Strategy Course:

To improve student understanding about the role of the Department of Defense in the development of National Security Policy and Strategy (NSPS) within the contemporary international environment. The DSC includes four blocks of instruction totaling 16 lessons. Each lesson takes approximately 10-15 hours to complete (on a weekly basis). Of note, there is also an orientation block, with prerequisite assignments which are due prior to course start.

• Block 1, Foundations of Strategy, provides an understanding of how and why the strategic level of defense enterprise is different, and how to communicate to its leaders.
• Block 2, Strategic Theory, examines classical thinking about strategic theory, military schools of strategic thought, and who strategic thinkers apply theory to practice.
• Block 3, Strategy in Practice, reviews the Strategy Formulation Framework, international relations, civilian control of the military, the DoD strategy development process, and the processes involved in execution of Title 10 responsibilities.
• Block 4, Contemporary Strategic Challenges, addresses the current strategic environment and the role of the combatant command and component commands.

Evaluation Criteria:

Students are evaluated based on weekly online discussion posts, check-on-learning quizzes, and four strategic document assignments.

Course Completion Recognition:

No formal Military Education Level is awarded for completion of the Defense Strategy Course, nor does it provide graduate or undergraduate college credits. No formal academic evaluation report is written upon completion of the course. However, all students who complete the course will receive a Certification in Strategy and Policy Development signed by the Commandant of the U.S. Army War College. Army officers may also include this course on their Officer Record Briefs (ORBs) as a school completed, using the MILPO code designation WUI.

Upcoming Course Dates:

• DSC 25-02 dates (14 Jul - 02 Nov 2025)
• DSC 26-01 dates (12 Jan - 02 May 2026)
• DSC 26-02 dates (13 Jul - 01 Nov 2026)

Interested Army officers may request consideration for enrollment as follows:

Regular Army: Your branch manager should contact the Active Duty DSC quota manager.

Army National Guard: Through Command Channels to:

Army Reserve: Through Command Channels to:

Army Civilian Career Management Activity: Through Command Channels to:

POCs for Defense Strategy Course (for matters other than enrollment):

• LTC Tim Martin, Course Director, Defense Strategy Course
  timothy.s.martin7.mil@army.mil
• Ms. Cathy Zimmerman, Program Assistant, Defense Strategy Course
  catherine.zimmerman@armywarcollege.edu
  catherine.m.zimmerman6.civ@army.mil

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Defense Strategy Foundation Course

The Defense Strategy Foundation Course (DSFC) is a 12-week online program of study for GS 14 and 15 level civilians from the Department of Defense's Defense Senior Leader Development Program (DSLDP). This course is only for selectees to the DSLDP Program. DSFC is a prerequisite for all DSLDP students attending Senior Service College. The DSFC focuses on the National Security Strategy policymaking process and the relationship of the national instruments of power to defense strategy.

The Purpose of the Defense Strategy Foundation Course:

To improve student understanding about the role of the Department of Defense in the development of National Security Strategy within a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous international environment. The DSFC is divided into four sections of 10 lessons, each requiring approximately 7 to 10 hours to complete.

• Section 1, Course Introduction, is designed to prepare students for taking the course using an online format and to introduce them to the concept of critical thinking.
• Section 2, War and Military Strategy, examines classical thinking about strategic theory, the military schools of strategic thought, the international system, strategy formulation framework and states and strategy.
• Section 3, The Department of Defense, reviews traditional American perspectives on Defense and the role of the DoD, civil control of defense, the interagency framework, and homeland security.
• Section 4, Policy Development and Security Environment, examines uses of history in policy making, globalization/economic development, the current strategic environment (both opportunities and threats), cultural relations and dimensions, multinational operations, centers of gravity analysis and Strategy at the Combatant Command Level.

Evaluation Criteria:

Successful completion of the course includes participation in online forums (threaded discussions) and a written essay.

Course Completion Recognition:

No formal Military Education Level is awarded for completion of the Defense Strategy Foundation Course, nor does it provide college course credits. All students who complete the course will receive an Army War College Certificate signed by the Commandant of the U.S. Army War College.