For nearly a century, U.S. military advantage has depended on partnerships between the armed forces and civilian research universities. The 2018 National Defense Strategy acknowledged that professional military education had stagnated and emphasized the need for broader intellectual exposure. At traditional higher-ed institutions, officers sit alongside diplomats, technologists, journalists, entrepreneurs and public servants. It will simply remove an American military presence from classrooms and networks that other nations value. But dismantling long-standing partnerships in the name of a culture war risks eroding the very ecosystem that has sustained American defense innovation for generations.

Source: Washington Post March 04, 2026 20:16 UTC