How does the National Defense University differ from service-specific war colleges?

The primary distinction between the National Defense University (NDU) and service-specific war colleges lies in their educational focus and organizational structure. While institutions such as the U.S. Naval War College, the U.S. Army War College, the Air University, and the Marine Corps War College are linked to their respective military branches, the NDU is designed to provide a joint educational program.1

This joint approach promotes an in-depth understanding of military subjects as they relate to multiple branches of the armed forces, rather than focusing on the specific doctrine of a single service. Under the direction of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the NDU serves as a primary research and policy-development institution for the Department of Defense. Its mission is to prepare military and civilian leaders to address security threats through a curriculum that integrates military strategy, foreign culture, strategic thinking, and technology.12