Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy

09/03/2026

ES Professor writes on Asymmetric Financial Warfare. Professor William Jannace, NSIB, Eisenhower School/National Defense University coauthored an article entitled, “The Seventh Domain of Warfare: Fighting Asymmetric Financial Warfare Against State and State-Supported Non-State Actors,” exploring the evolving threats and potentially new responses demanded of the financial services industry that a financially integrated world with an increasingly technologically sophisticated digital ecosystem, being exploited by State and Non-State Actors poses to the industry and the US .

The U.S. government continues to evolve its current defenses and approach to this new threat landscape-taking a “whole-of-government “ approach entailing public-private partnerships, greater data sharing and coordination and expanded use of data analytics. While this is taking place, the financial services industry has been subject to a comprehensive system of regulation and required to adhere to a traditional proactive-reactive approach (i.e., KYC, surveillance and monitoring, escalation, reporting, and remediation). The growing evolving threats to the US financial system increasingly necessitate a rethinking of this approach due to the lack of latency between threat and exploitation. While making the financial services industry a pillar of this whole government approach raises issues, its growing vulnerability and susceptibility to malign state and non-state actors warrants revisiting the traditional approach. Whether it be cyber, AI-enabled cyber, kinetic or a hybrid threat, they all fall increasingly under the Seventh Domain of Warfare-no time to waste, as in every conflict the enemy gets a vote and is casting it increasingly more frequently and in a sophisticated manner-the nature of war may endure but 21st century technology has certainly changes its character.

https://www.gfmi.com/articles/the-seventh-domain-of-warfare-fighting-asymmetric-financial-warfare-against-state-and-state-supported-non-state-actors/

08/28/2026

ES Professor published on Operationalizing Economic Statecraft.

Dr. Anita Kellogg recently authored "Operationalizing Economic Statecraft: A New Imperative for the Pentagon" in War on the Rocks. In this article, she argues that the increasing use of economic statecraft in conflict means that combatant commanders can no longer ignore this dimension of warfare. Instead, they need tools to help assess the risks of an adversary using supply chain chokeholds to affect mission operations.

This "will require greater technological sophistication to assess mission risk, novel mitigation strategies, and deeper cooperation between the private sector and the defense enterprise." It also necessitates a whole-of-government approach with the development of institutional architecture to coordinate responses to these economic threats. Weaponized economic interdependence is now found on the battlefields of Ukraine and Iran, as well as being a core component of increasing geopolitical competition. The U.S. needs to respond by operationalizing economic statecraft into the way it wages war and military actions.

https://warontherocks.com/operationalizing-economic-statecraft-a-new-imperative-for-the-pentagon/

Editor’s note: This article is the sixth in an 11-part series examining how the United States should organize, lead, and integrate economic statecraft

08/20/2026

ES New Strategic Presence Elective. This past academic year, the Eisenhower School introduced a new elective, "Strategic Presence: Leading with Influence in National Security," developed to fill an important need in the curriculum: helping senior leaders strengthen their ability to communicate, connect, and influence at the strategic level.

Although designed and led from the Eisenhower School, the elective was open to students across National Defense University's North Campus, bringing together leaders from the Eisenhower School, National War College, the College of Information and Cyberspace, and the College of International Security Affairs. That cross-college composition became one of the course’s greatest strengths, creating a rich learning environment shaped by diverse service, agency, functional, and international perspectives.

Strategic presence is more than public speaking. It is the ability to show up with credibility, clarity, emotional intelligence, humility, confidence, and purpose — especially in complex national security environments where leaders must influence across services, agencies, allies, partners, industry, and other key stakeholders.

Throughout the course, students examined how strategic leaders build trust, shape narratives, communicate with impact, lead difficult conversations, and align message with mission. They practiced translating expertise into influence and presence into strategic effect.

This work directly supports the broader aims of professional military education and national security leadership. The National Security Strategy and National Defense Strategy call for leaders who can think clearly, communicate effectively, build partnerships, strengthen deterrence, and advance national objectives in increasingly complex strategic environments. Strategic presence is essential to that work.

What made this inaugural course especially meaningful was the caliber of the students. They brought candor, courage, reflection, and lived experience into every discussion. Their willingness to challenge themselves and one another demonstrated the kind of professional growth that prepares leaders not only to understand strategy, but to lead it.

At NDU, developing strategic leaders means preparing them to operate with insight, influence, and purpose. Strategic Presence contributes to that mission by helping students lead with credibility, communicate with impact, and build the trust required to move people, organizations, and missions forward.

Bravo Zulu to this outstanding group of leaders for helping bring this new course to life.

08/13/2026

ES Biotech Industry Study Visits Biotech Firms in Argentina.
As part of the field studies, students from the Industry Study visited Argentina, exploring a biotech ecosystem focused on industrial scale, manufacturing, and applied innovation across Buenos Aires and Rosario.

Students began their engagements at (Institute of Biotechnological Research), where they examined core biotech research, graduate training, and technology transfer. The cohort then visited the (FAN), a public-private platform advancing biomedicine and national nanotechnology applications.

At , a pioneer in Argentina’s biopharmaceutical sector, students observed industrial-scale production of recombinant proteins and biosimilars, along with insights into regulatory strategy and global market reach.

The group also engaged with , a startup advancing automated bioprocessing technologies, and , which supports early-stage biotech innovation through incubation and acceleration.

Students visited , one of the first mRNA vaccine manufacturing facilities in Latin America, and , a supplier to the USDA Vaccine Bank and one of the world’s top veterinary vaccine manufacturers. At , they observed advanced cell culture bioprocessing, including monoclonal antibody (biosimilar) production, along with industrial operations, quality systems, and export capabilities.

In Rosario, the students engaged with a diverse set of organizations advancing applied biotechnology and industrial scale-up. These included , developing enzymes for industrial applications; , an applied research institute focused on technology transfer and industrial platforms; , a leader in diagnostic solutions across Latin America; and the (PTR), a hub for technology-based companies operating under a university-industry-government model.

They also visited , a leading molecular biology and biotechnology research institute bridging basic science and applied innovation, and , a company specializing in sterilization, infection control, and biotechnology manufacturing.

At , the level of integration was particularly striking. Everything from research and development to manufacturing occurs under one roof. The company designs and builds its own equipment, including robotics, and has developed spin-off companies within its ecosystem. It is a powerful example of resilience and true independence in biotechnology.

Across Argentina, a clear pattern emerged: a strong emphasis on scale and production. The country is leveraging scientific expertise to build manufacturing capacity and compete in global biotech markets.

Argentina reinforces critical insights:
Innovation must scale to matter.
Biomanufacturing capacity is essential to translating discovery into strategic advantage.
Competitive advantage in biotechnology depends not only on innovation, but on the ability to integrate, scale, and sustain it. National Defense University

08/10/2026

Who: Calling ALL ICAF/Eisenhower School Softballers, family members, and spectators­­

What: Softball Doubleheader between ICAF/ ES Alumni and current ES 2027 Varsity Team

Fun, food and fellowship with ICAF/ES Alumni (Note: a 1986 ICAF grad is playing again this year)!
Free lunch provided by the ICAF/ES Alumni Association
Photo opportunity with Clawz and ES Commandant Brig Gen. Kirsten Aguilar
When / Where: 09-1330, 12 SEP 2026 / Ft. McNair Softball Field (park at the gym: 69 5th Ave. SW, Washington D.C.)

Why: To humble / prepare the ES 2027 Varsity team to Defeat NWC and bring Home the Championship Trophy!

Contact Jeff Curry Alumni Team Coordinator at [email protected] to play, cheer, or for any additional info.

08/07/2026

Welcome Class of 27 to the Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy (ES)!

We were honored to officially kick off the academic year with this week's NDU Convocation Ceremony and ES Welcome. A special thank you to NDU President, Admiral Peter A. Garvin, and Senior Vice President, Ambassador Roxanne Cabral for leading the Convocation ceremony and inspiring our incoming national security professionals.

ES Commandant USAF Brig Gen Kirsten G. Aguilar and Dean of Students, USAF Col Ernesto “Pong” DiVittorio followed that ceremony with an in-depth discussion for ES students on what to expect and how to succeed at ES this academic year.

The Eisenhower School develops strategic leaders who integrate strategy, resources, industry, and warfighting capability to deliver a decisive advantage. Throughout this academic year, military officers, government civilians, private sector fellows, and our international partners will dive deep into evaluating the defense industrial base to provide realistic policy options with strategies to execute them in line with national security priorities. By analyzing industry, technological advances, joint logistics, supply chains, and evolving global developments, the school creates the leadership of the next generation of joint warfighters equipped to tackle the complexities of the 21st century.

These incoming students follow in the footsteps of a truly distinguished lineage. Our renowned alumni include U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower himself, as well as international heads of state like current President of Latvia, Edgars Rinkēvičs, and former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS), General John W. Vessey. They join a legacy of generals and admirals, ambassadors, and top leaders in private industry who have all walked these halls to advance our global security.

Here is to a rigorous, challenging and rewarding year ahead!

07/30/2026

ES Dean’s Brown Bag Faculty Lunch on Emerging Autonomous Military Technology. The Eisenhower School was honored to host Lt Col Erik Lin-Greenberg, PhD during a stellar faculty professional development session focused on his book The Remote Revolution: Drones and Modern Statecraft.

As a leading expert on autonomous systems and emerging military technologies, Lt Col Lin-Greenberg provided a masterclass on how the affects escalation and the dynamics of modern statecraft. Our faculty engaged in a robust exchange on the moral hazard posed by remote operations and their implications for future confrontations.

The Eisenhower School at National Defense University is dedicated to integrating this level of scholarly research and operational expertise into our mission of developing future strategic leaders.

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07/27/2026

ES Finance Industry Study Visits Vietnam’s Financial Sector. The National Defense University, Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, Finance Industry Study students and faculty went on a two-week journey through three of the world's most consequential financial ecosystems, grounded in a simple conviction that tomorrow's national security leaders must understand global finance as a primary arena of strategic competition. In Palo Alto, a round table at Stanford University hosted by Ernestine Fu Mak and Joe Addiego of Brave Capital, followed by a meeting on Silicon Valley’s Sand Hill Road with The Abelian Group, deep tech venture capital DCVC, the battery innovator Amprius, and the Defense Innovation Unit, drove home a critical point that American technological leadership is not guaranteed. It is built through the deliberate alignment of private capital and public purpose, and the students will one day have the authority to either accelerate or obstruct that alignment.

In Vietnam and Singapore, the students were hosted by Sam Van, CEO of SRO Partners and co-author of “40 Years of Innovator,” whose deep regional expertise and extensive network opened doors that few could. Under his guidance, the students encountered finance at two very different stages of development, with national security implications impossible to ignore. Meetings in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City with FIIN Group CEO Hieu Nguyen, State Bank of Vietnam representatives, Techcombank Việt Nam's Alex Macaire, and leaders from SSI - Saigon Securities Incorporation, Baker & McKenzie LLP, and Variens & Company, alongside exchanges with U.S. Embassy and Consulate officers, revealed a country modernizing rapidly while navigating relationships with competing great powers. A lunch at KOTO, a social enterprise training at-risk youth in hospitality skills, reminded the students that financial development is ultimately measured in the lives it shapes. In Singapore, meetings with CVC Capital, A&O Shearman, Warburg Pincus, and Temasek offered a masterclass in what it looks like when finance and statecraft are fully integrated, when sovereign wealth, legal architecture, and long-term investment strategy are wielded as instruments of national power. The students returned home with a clear understanding of how the global financial system actually works, who the key actors are, what drives the decisions, and where the leverage points lie. In a world where financial power is increasingly inseparable from strategic power, that knowledge is not merely useful; it is essential.

07/17/2026

ES Biotech Industry Study Visits Boston Firms. As part of the Class of 2026's field studies, students from the Biotechnology Industry Study visited Boston, a critical hub in the U.S. biotech ecosystem.

Over three days, the Biotech team engaged across the full innovation pipeline, from discovery to translation to scale. Students visited Ginkgo Bioworks, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Mass General Brigham, meeting leaders driving cutting-edge research, venture creation, and clinical application.

What stood out most was the density of connections. Universities, hospitals, startups, and investors operate in close proximity, creating a powerful feedback loop that accelerates discovery and commercialization.

At Ginkgo Bioworks, the group observed a platform approach to biology that is redefining how innovation scales. At MIT, students saw how basic research connects directly to real-world application. At Mass General Brigham, the Biotech team explored how clinical systems integrate with research to bring therapies closer to patients.

The visit to Boston reinforced central insights:
The United States leads the world in innovation.
Translating, scaling, and integrating innovation for strategic impact remains a key challenge.
Special thanks to our hosts:
Ginkgo Bioworks – David Borhani, Senior Director at Ginkgo Bioworks, Inc.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) – Dr. Christopher Love, Dr. Mark Bathe, Dr. Kevin Esvelt, Joost Bonsen
Mass General Brigham– Andrew Chase, VP of Research Management & Finance

National Defense University

07/14/2026

ES Transportation & Logistics Industry Study Visits CA Ports, Port Hueneme, and DLA Indo-Pacific. The Eisenhower School Transportation and Logistics Industry Study (TLIS) completed a two-week field study across Los Angeles, Port Hueneme, San Diego, and Hawaii, providing students direct engagement with the public and private sector organizations that enable global mobility, sustainment, warehousing, and supply chain resilience in support of national security. Transportation and logistics are the foundation of global movement and military readiness. Force projection, sustainment, humanitarian response, and economic stability cannot occur without the ability to move personnel, equipment, fuel, materiel, and supplies where and when they are needed. The study highlighted how commercial and military transportation networks remain essential to national security and contested logistics operations across the globe. Throughout the trip, students examined the critical role of ports, rail, intermodal transportation, infrastructure modernization, warehousing, energy distribution, and military-commercial partnerships in supporting U.S. strategic objectives and global logistics operations.

Key engagements included:
• University of Southern California, Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach operations, including terminal and harbor discussions focused on maritime commerce, containerized logistics, warehousing capacity, and infrastructure challenges.
• Alameda Corridor East grade separation projects and Metrolink's Central Maintenance Facility, highlighting the importance of rail modernization, freight mobility, and transportation infrastructure investment.
• Port Hueneme engagements with port leadership, G&W Rail, Fathomwerx, and U.S. Navy representatives discussing military-civilian integration, strategic sealift, and operational partnerships.
• Port of San Diego and SANDAG discussions focused on regional freight movement, border infrastructure, resiliency, and cross-border transportation challenges in the San Diego–Baja California region.
• San Diego International Airport operations and logistics discussions examining aviation infrastructure and passenger/cargo mobility.
• Indo-Pacific sustainment engagements in Hawaii with Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Indo-Pacific, DLA Distribution Pearl Harbor, DLA Energy, 8th Theater Sustainment Command (8th TSC), U.S. Air Force A4, and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command J4 leaders, providing students an integrated understanding of theater sustainment, warehousing operations, fuel distribution, contested logistics, materiel readiness, and supply chain support to joint operations across the Indo-Pacific.

The Transportation and Logistics Industry Study is designed to expose future senior leaders to the complexities of the commercial transportation and logistics sector and its indispensable role in supporting national security, force projection, and contested logistics operations around the globe.