On November 1st, 1904, the first War College class of six captains and three majors of the Army and Marine Corps convened. Now, all services are represented and no more than 60% of class graduates are Army. Since its establishment in 1901, the school has closed twice, for World War I and II, and moved twice, from Ft. McNair to Ft. Leavenworth (1950) and then to Carlisle Barracks (1951). Since that first class of 9 graduates, the current resident class averages 380 graduates. A two-year non-resident course was established in 1970 and also averages 380 officers now, serving predominantly in the Army Reserve and National Guard. The curriculum evolved from preparing and mentoring the General Staff to academic and historical studies of war, to understanding post-World War II lessons and pre-empting the Cold War environment, and now is a graduate-level college focused on the strategic level of war to prepare senior leaders. Some notable USAWC graduates are:
 

Key Leaders

• Gen. Andrew P. Poppas, Class of 2012, Commanding General, U.S. Army Forces Command
• Gen. James E. Rainey, Class of 2012, Commanding General, Army Futures Command
• Gen. Randy A. George, Class of 2011, 41st Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army
• Gen. Bryan P. Fenton, Class of 2010, Commander of U.S. Special Operations Command
• Gen. James J. Mingus, Class of 2010, Vice Chief of Staff of the Army
• Lt. Gen. Thomas Carden, Class of 2009, Deputy Commander, U.S. Northern Command
• Gen. Christopher G. Cavoli, Class of 2009, Commander U.S. European Command
• Gen. Michael E. Langley, Class of 2007, Commander U.S. Africa Command
• Lt. Gen. Thomas Bussiere, Class of 2007, Commander, Air Force Global Strike Command
• General Anthony J. Cotton, Class of 2005, Commander U.S. Strategic Command

Notable Graduates

• Gen. Charles R. Hamilton, Class of 2012, National Guard Bureau 2023 - 2024
• Lt. Gen. Jon A. Jensen, Class of 2009, National Guard Bureau 2024
• Lt. Gen. Maria R. Gervais, Class of 2008, Deputy Commanding General of and Chief of Staff of the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command 2021- 2024
• Lt. Gen. Scott A. Spellmon, Class of 2007, Chief of Engineers and Commanding General of the United States Army Corps of Engineers 2020 - 2024
• Lt. Gen. Steven L. Basham, Class of 2007, Deputy Commander, U.S. European Command 2022 - 2024
• Lt. Gen. Jody J. Daniels, Class of 2006, Chief of Army Reserve and Commanding General, U.S. Army Reserve Command 2020 - 2024
• Lloyd James Austin III, Class of 1997, Former Assignment: 28th Secretary of Defense 2021 - 2025
• Lt. Gen. A.C. Roper, Class of 2010, Deputy Commander, United States Northern Command 2021 - 2024
• Gen. Joseph M. Martin, Class of 2008, 37th Vice Chief of Staff of the Army 2019 - 2022
• Gen. Paul M. Nakasone, Class of 2007, Commander, U.S. Cyber Command 2018 - 2024
• Gen. Theodore D. Martin, Class of 2007, Commandant of the United States ACGC and Commanding General of Fort Leavenworth 2021 - 2022
• Lt. Gen. Scott D. Berrier, Class of 2006, Director Defense Intelligence Agency 2020 - 2024
• Gen. James H. Dickinson, Class of 2005, Commander of United States Space Command 2020 - 2025
• Gen. Stephen J. Townsend, Class of 2003, Commander of the United States Africa Command 2019 - 2022
• Gen. Robert B. Abrams, Class of 2003, Commander of US Forces Korea 2018 - 2021
• Mr. Robert Wilkie, Class of 2002, Sec. Department of Veterans Affairs 2018 - 2021
• Gen. James C. McConville, Class of 2002, 40th Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army 2019 - 2023
• Army Gen. Joseph L. Votel, Class of 2001, Commander of US Central Command 2016 - 2019
• Army Gen. Raymond A. Thomas III, Class of 2000, Commander of US Special Operations Command 2016 - 2019
• Gen. Joseph Dunford, Class of 1999, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 2015 - 2019
• Gen. Vincent K. Brooks, Class of 1999, Commander of United States Forces Korea 2016 - 2018
• Gen. Todd Semonite, Class of 1999, Commander of Army Corps of Engineers 2012 - 2016
• Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, Class of 1998, Commander U.S. EUCOM and SACEUR 2016 - 2019
• Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, Class of 1997, Commander of International Security Assistance Force 2009 - 2010
• Gen. Herbert J. Carlisle, Class of 1997, Commander of Air Combat Command 2014-2017
• Gen. Raymond Odierno, Class of 1995, Chief of Staff of the Army 2011-2015
• Gen. Victor Renuart, Class of 1992, Commander of Northern Command 2007-2010
• Gen. Donn Starry, Class of 1966, Commander of Readiness Command 1981-1983
• Gen. Bernard Rogers, Class of 1960, Supreme Allied Commander Europe 1979-1987
• Gen. Walter Kerwin, Class of 1957, Vice Chief of Staff of the Army 1974-1978
• Gen. Creighton Abrams, Class of 1953, Chief of Staff of the Army 1972-1974
• Gen. William Westmoreland, Class of 1951, Chief of Staff of the Army 1968-1972
• Gen. J. Lawton Collins, Class of 1938, Chief of Staff of the Army 1949-1953
• Gen. Matthew Ridgway, Class of 1937, Chief of Staff of the Army 1953-1955
• Gen. Omar Bradley, Class of 1934, First Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 1949-1953
• Gen. George Patton, Class of 1932, Commanding General of the US Third Army 1944-1945
• Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, Class of 1928, President of the United States 1953-1961
• Gen. William Pratt, Class of 1917, Chief of Naval Operations 1930-1933
• Gen. Malin Craig, Class of 1910, Chief of Staff of the Army 1935-1939
• Lt. Gen. John A. Lejeune, Class of 1910, Commander of the Marine Corps 1920-1929
• Gen. John Pershing, Class of 1905, Commander of the American Expeditionary Force 1917-1918
• Gen. Tasker H. Bliss, Class of 1905, First President of the Army War College and Chief of Staff of the Army 1917-1918