10 U.S.C. § 2165 (ARMED FORCES)
§ 2165. National Defense University: component institutions
(a) In General.—
There is a National Defense University in the Department of Defense.
(b) Component Institutions.—
The National Defense University consists of the following institutions:
(1) The National War College.
(2) The Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy.
(3) The Joint Forces Staff College.
(4) The Institute for National Strategic Studies (including a Center for Strategic Deterrence and Weapons of Mass Destruction Studies).
(5) The College of Information and Cyberspace.
(6) The College of International Security Affairs.
(7) Any other educational institution of the Department of Defense that the Secretary considers appropriate and designates as an institution of the university.
[(c) Repealed. Pub. L. 109–364, div. A, title IX, § 904(b)(2)(B), Oct. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 2353.]
(d) Source of Funds for Professional Development Education Operations.—
Funding for the professional development education operations of the National Defense University shall be provided from funds made available to the Secretary of Defense from the annual appropriation “Operation and Maintenance, Defense-wide”.
(e) Acceptance of Faculty Research Grants.—
(1) The Secretary of Defense may authorize the President of the National Defense University to accept qualifying research grants. Any such grant may only be accepted if the work under the grant is to be carried out by a professor or instructor of one of the institutions comprising the University for a scientific, literary, or educational purpose.
(2) A qualifying research grant under this subsection is a grant that is awarded on a competitive basis by an entity referred to in paragraph (3) for a research project with a scientific, literary, or educational purpose.
(3) A grant may be accepted under this subsection only from a corporation, fund, foundation, educational institution, or similar entity that is organized and operated primarily for scientific, literary, or educational purposes.
(4) The Secretary shall establish an account for administering funds received as research grants under this subsection. The President of the University shall use the funds in the account in accordance with applicable provisions of the regulations and the terms and condition of the grants received.
(5) Subject to such limitations as may be provided in appropriations Acts, appropriations available for the National Defense University may be used to pay expenses incurred by the University in applying for, and otherwise pursuing, the award of qualifying research grants.
(6) The Secretary shall prescribe regulations for the administration of this subsection.
(f) Cooperative Research and Development Agreements.—
(1) In engaging in research and development projects pursuant to subsection (a) of section 4001 of this title by a contract, cooperative agreement, or grant pursuant to subsection (b)(1) of such section, the Secretary may enter into such contract or cooperative agreement or award such grant through the National Defense University.
(2) The National Defense University shall be considered a Government-operated Federal laboratory for purposes of section 12 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3710a).
(Added and amended Pub. L. 105–85, div. A, title IX, §§ 921(a)(1), 922(a), Nov. 18, 1997, 111 Stat. 1862, 1863; Pub. L. 105–261, div. A, title IX, §§ 904, 905(a), Oct. 17, 1998, 112 Stat. 2093; Pub. L. 106–398, § 1 [[div. A], title IX, § 913(b)], Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1654, 1654A–230; Pub. L. 107–107, div. A, title V, § 527(c)(1), Dec. 28, 2001, 115 Stat. 1102; Pub. L. 109–163, div. A, title V, § 522(a), Jan. 6, 2006, 119 Stat. 3240; Pub. L. 109–364, div. A, title IX, § 904(b)(2), Oct. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 2353; Pub. L. 112–81, div. B, title XXVIII, § 2861(b), Dec. 31, 2011, 125 Stat. 1701; Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title II, § 214(a), title XVI, § 1648(a), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2048, 2606; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title XVIII, § 1841(e)(1), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4244; Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title IX, § 912, Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 365; Pub. L. 119–60, div. A, title V, § 554(a), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 877.)
heading: Editorial Notes
heading: Amendments
text: 2025—Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 119–60 inserted “(including a Center for Strategic Deterrence and Weapons of Mass Destruction Studies)” after “The Institute for National Strategic Studies”.
2023—Subsec. (b)(6), (7). Pub. L. 118–31 added par. (6) and redesignated former par. (6) as (7).
2021—Subsec. (f)(1). Pub. L. 116–283 substituted “section 4001” for “section 2358”.
2016—Subsec. (b)(5). Pub. L. 114–328, § 1648(a), substituted “College of Information and Cyberspace” for “Information Resources Management College”.
Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 114–328, § 214(a), added subsec. (f).
2011—Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 112–81 amended par. (2) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (2) read as follows: “The Industrial College of the Armed Forces.”
2006—Subsec. (b)(6), (7). Pub. L. 109–364, § 904(b)(2)(A), redesignated par. (7) as (6) and struck out former par. (6) which read as follows: “The Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies.”
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 109–364, § 904(b)(2)(B), struck out heading and text of subsec. (c). Text read as follows: “Funds available for the payment of personnel expenses under the Latin American cooperation authority set forth in section 1050 of this title are also available for the costs of the operation of the Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies.”
Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 109–163 added subsec. (e).
2001—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 107–107 added subsec. (d).
2000—Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 106–398 substituted “Joint Forces Staff College” for “Armed Forces Staff College”.
1998—Subsec. (b)(7). Pub. L. 105–261, § 904, added par. (7).
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 105–261, § 905(a), added subsec. (c).
1997—Subsec. (b)(6). Pub. L. 105–85, § 922(a), added par. (6).
heading: Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
heading: Change of Name
text: Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title XVI, § 1648(b), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2606, provided that: “Any reference in any law, regulation, document, record, or other paper of the United States to the Information Resources Management College shall be considered to be a reference to the College of Information and Cyberspace.”
Pub. L. 112–81, div. B, title XXVIII, § 2861, Dec. 31, 2011, 125 Stat. 1701, provided that:
“(a) Redesignation.—
The Industrial College of the Armed Forces is hereby renamed the ‘Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy’.
“(b) Conforming Amendment.—
[Amended section 2165(b)(2) of this title.]
“(c) References.—
Any reference to the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in any law, regulation, map, document, record, or other paper of the United States shall be deemed to be a reference to the Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy.”
Pub. L. 106–398, § 1 [[div. A], title IX, § 913(a), (c)], Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1654, 1654A–230, provided that:
“(a) Change in Name.—
The Armed Forces Staff College of the Department of Defense is hereby renamed the ‘Joint Forces Staff College’.
“(c) References.—
Any reference to the Armed Forces Staff College in any law, regulation, map, document, record, or other paper of the United States shall be considered to be a reference to the Joint Forces Staff College.”
heading: Effective Date of 2021 Amendment
text: Amendment by Pub. L. 116–283 effective Jan. 1, 2022, with additional provisions for delayed implementation and applicability of existing law, see section 1801(d) of Pub. L. 116–283, set out as a note preceding section 3001 of this title.
heading: Effective Date of 2001 Amendment
text: Pub. L. 107–107, div. A, title V, § 527(c)(2), Dec. 28, 2001, 115 Stat. 1102, provided that: “Subsection (d) of section 2165 of title 10, United States Code, as added by paragraph (1), shall become effective beginning with fiscal year 2003.”
heading: Mission of the Center for Strategic Deterrence and Weapons of Mass Destruction Studies
text: Pub. L. 119–60, div. A, title V, § 554(b), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 877, provided that:
“The mission of the Center for Strategic Deterrence and Weapons of Mass Destruction Studies established under such paragraph [probably should be “subsection (a)”] shall be to—
“(1) prepare national security leaders to address the challenges of strategic deterrence and weapons of mass destruction through education, research, and outreach activities throughout the Federal Government;
“(2) develop leaders with an understanding of strategic deterrence and the implications of weapons of mass destruction;
“(3) in accordance with guidance provided by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, develop and provide appropriate curricula, learning outcomes, and educational tools relating to strategic deterrence and weapons of mass destruction for use at institutions that provide joint professional military education;
“(4) serve as the primary institution within the Department of Defense for the study of strategic deterrence and weapons of mass destruction education in joint professional military education;
“(5) design, develop, and implement studies and analyses to enhance understanding of—
“(A) strategic deterrence;
“(B) the threat of weapons of mass destruction to the security of the United States and globally; and
“(C) responses to prevent, mitigate, or eliminate the threat in accordance with Department and national security policies and strategies; and
“(6) provide expert support on strategic deterrence and weapons of mass destruction issues to the Secretary of Defense and other Federal Government leaders.”
heading: Center for the Study of Chinese Military Affairs
text: Pub. L. 106–65, div. A, title IX, § 914, Oct. 5, 1999, 113 Stat. 721, provided that:
“(a) Establishment.—
The Secretary of Defense shall establish a Center for the Study of Chinese Military Affairs as part of the National Defense University. The Center shall be organized under the Institute for National Strategic Studies of the University.
“(b) Qualifications of Director.—
The Director of the Center shall be an individual who is a distinguished scholar of proven academic, management, and leadership credentials with a superior record of achievement and publication regarding Chinese political, strategic, and military affairs.
“(c) Mission.—
The mission of the Center is to study and inform policymakers in the Department of Defense, Congress, and throughout the Government regarding the national goals and strategic posture of the People’s Republic of China and the ability of that nation to develop, field, and deploy an effective military instrument in support of its national strategic objectives. The Center shall accomplish that mission by a variety of means intended to widely disseminate the research findings of the Center.
“(d) Startup of Center.—
The Secretary of Defense shall establish the Center for the Study of Chinese Military Affairs not later than March 1, 2000. The first Director of the Center shall be appointed not later than June 1, 2000. The Center should be fully operational not later than June 1, 2001.
“(e) Implementation Report.—
(1) Not later than January 1, 2001, the President of the National Defense University shall submit to the Secretary of Defense a report setting forth the President’s organizational plan for the Center for the Study of Chinese Military Affairs, the proposed budget for the Center, and the timetable for initial and full operations of the Center. The President of the National Defense University shall prepare that report in consultation with the Director of the Center and the Director of the Institute for National Strategic Studies of the University.
“(2) The Secretary of Defense shall transmit the report under paragraph (1), together with whatever comments the Secretary considers appropriate, to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives not later than February 1, 2001.”