One Hundredth Anniversary of the Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy: A Tribute in Three Verses

Authors

• Gregory D. Foster, Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, National Defense University

Abstract

This article commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy and places the school’s development within the broader history of U.S. national security, professional military education, and the profession of arms. Founded in 1924 as the Army Industrial College in response to mobilization challenges revealed by World War I, the institution later became the Industrial College of the Armed Forces before adopting its current name in 2012. The article traces this evolution alongside major changes in U.S. defense organization, strategy, civil-military relations, and the international security environment. It also introduces a Joint Force Quarterly special feature centered on ethics and the profession of arms, reflecting National Defense University efforts to integrate ethics, civil-military relations, and professional responsibility into military education. Framing the past, present, and future as distinct strategic eras, the author highlights both continuity and change in the role of military force and raises broader questions about the future relationship among the state, the military, and national security professions.