Former U.S. Rep. Randy Forbes has been appointed Naval War College Foundation Senior Distinguished Fellow at U.S. Naval War College (NWC), joining the faculty of the school in Newport, Rhode Island, effective February.

Forbes represented Virginia's 4th congressional district 2001-17 and served as chairman of the House Armed Services Committee's Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, where he was tasked with ensuring service members have all needed equipment, facilities, and training. Forbes' position was central in developing the nation's long-term strategies to meet the country's future security needs.

"Mr. Forbes will collaborate with our faculty and students and share his expertise in areas such as naval mission and force structure, strategy and policy, civilian-military relations, and the role of Congress in national security affairs," said Lewis Duncan, NWC provost. "He will also provide student lectures, be a guest speaker in appropriate elective courses, and participate in symposia and conferences."

"Mr. Forbes' work as a representative focused on many of the same issues we discuss and research here at the college," added Duncan. "We are excited about the opportunities for collaboration between our scholars and Mr. Forbes, with shared expectations of tremendous value to us and to him. Having him as a Senior Distinguished Fellow will benefit our curriculum, our wargames, and our students' research projects. His contributions to the college also will directly serve our core mission of defining the future Navy, as directed by CNO (Chief of Naval Operations) Adm. John Richardson.

Forbes is also former chairman of the Subcommittee on Readiness. His other assignments included the Committee on Education and the Workforce, Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on the Constitution, and Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.

Forbes has been in public service since 1990 when he was first elected to Virginia's House of Delegates.

NWC is an upper-level professional military education institution which includes a one-year resident program which graduates 600 resident students each year, and a multifaceted distance education program which graduates more than 1,000 students per year. Its missions include educating and developing leaders, helping define the future of the Navy, supporting combat readiness, and strengthening maritime international partnerships. Students earn Joint Professional Military Education (JPME) credit and either a diploma or a master's degree in national security and strategic studies or defense and strategic studies.

Established in 1884, U.S. Naval War College is the oldest institution of its kind in the world. More than 50,000 students have graduated since its first class of nine students in 1885, and about 300 of today's active-duty admirals, generals, and senior executive service leaders are alumni.

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