6 National Security Course Programs in North America

The Reserve Component National Security Course (RCNSC) is a two-week seminar offered to senior officers and non-commissioned officers (E8-E9) of the U.S. Reserve Components, allied officers, and select civilians working in national security.

The Homeland Defense Fellowship is a resident, 14-week course designed for students to understand national security more broadly, work across international and interagency boundaries, and think critically about strategic homeland defense and security issues.

PEL’s goal is to foster a community of rising U.S. government leaders with the awareness and skill-set to respond to the dangers posed by Weapons of Mass Destruction. Members are early to mid-career professionals drawn from across the government — both civilian and military — whose work responsibilities are related to national security and who want to learn more about WMD. Competitively selected for their leadership potential from a large number of applicants, PEL members promise to be leaders in their respective organizations.

The CAPSTONE General and Flag Officer Course was created in 1982 with participation on a voluntary basis. The Goldwater-Nichols DoD Reorganization Act of 1986 subsequently mandated that all newly selected general and flag officers attend CAPSTONE. The course objective is to make these individuals more effective in planning and employing US forces in joint and combined operations. The CAPSTONE curriculum examines major issues affecting national security decision making, military strategy, joint/combined doctrine, interoperability, and key allied nation issues.

The Keystone Course will educate Command Senior Enlisted Leaders (CSELs) currently serving in or slated to serve in general or flag officer level joint headquarters or Service headquarters that could be assigned as a joint task force. CSELs will have an opportunity to visit and receive briefings at the National Defense University,

The PINNACLE curriculum helps prepare prospective joint/combined force commanders to lead joint and combined forces, building upon the progression of knowledge imparted first by CAPSTONE and then by the Joint Flag Officer Warfighting Course. The course is conducted through classroom interactive seminars guided by retired three- and four-star and equivalent interagency senior mentors, reinforced by video teleconferences with commanders in the field and high-level guest speakers.