US Naval Institute

The United States Naval War College was founded on this day in 1884 in Newport, Rhode Island, making it the oldest institution of its kind devoted to naval strategy and education. An anniversary note circulating online is drawing attention to the school's long history and its role in training US Navy officers.

The US Naval Institute's Proceedings magazine has published a piece titled 'How to Lose a Thermonuclear War' in its October 2026 issue (Vol. 152, No. 10). The essay, appearing in the influential naval affairs journal, examines pathways to failure in a nuclear conflict. Such contrarian titles are a staple of Proceedings, where military writers use loss scenarios to critique doctrine and warn about strategic vulnerabilities in deterrence planning.

The US Naval Institute's October 2026 Proceedings examines how the strategic environment is shifting: fewer boomer submarines and missile tubes at a time when the United States faces more nuclear-armed adversaries than during the Cold War. The debate touches on whether the Navy can balance fleet modernisation, arms control constraints and deterrence against peer competitors while force structure grows tighter.

The Baltimore Banner reports that military colleges will not grant tenure to civilian faculty members. The decision affects instructors at institutions such as the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, and has drawn attention to job security for civilian academics teaching at military institutions. Critics are expected to question the implications for academic freedom and faculty retention.