DOD chooses UNC Chapel Hill, Virginia Tech as fellowship hosts

The U.S. Department of Defense has selected the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Virginia Tech as the first two universities to host its revamped Senior Service College Fellowship for senior military officers. The announcement on July 22, 2026, marks the initial step in a sweeping overhaul of professional military education ordered by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who earlier this year severed the department's fellowship partnerships with several Ivy League institutions.

The 10-month fellowship program serves as an alternative to traditional war colleges, preparing officers for strategic leadership roles with a curriculum focused on national security, artificial intelligence, public policy, and global security. Officials stated that additional university partners will be announced in the coming weeks. The changes apply to personnel beginning their studies in the 2026-27 academic year, with the next fellowship class scheduled to start in late July 2027.

Secretary Hegseth initiated the restructuring, arguing that many existing programs had strayed from their core purpose of military readiness. A memorandum he issued in February directed the department to end 93...