1. (a) Joint Professional Military Education.— Joint professional military education consists of the rigorous and thorough instruction and examination of officers of the armed forces in an environment designed to promote a theoretical and practical in-depth understanding of joint matters and, specifically, of the subject matter covered. The subject matter to be covered by joint professional military education shall include at least the following:

   1. (1) National Military Strategy.
   2. (2) Joint planning at all levels of war.
   3. (3) Joint doctrine.
   4. (4) Joint command and control.
   5. (5) Joint force and joint requirements development.
   6. (6) Operational contract support.

2. (b) Other Definitions.— In this chapter:

   1. (1) The term “senior level service school” means any of the following:

      1. (A) The Army War College.
      2. (B) The College of Naval Warfare.
      3. (C) The Air War College.
      4. (D) The Marine Corps War College.
      5. (E) The Space Force Senior Level Education Program.

   2. (2) The term “intermediate level service school” means any of the following:

      1. (A) The United States Army Command and General Staff College.
      2. (B) The College of Naval Command and Staff.
      3. (C) The Air Command and Staff College.
      4. (D) The Marine Corps Command and Staff College.
      5. (E) The Space Force Intermediate Level Education Program.
   3. (3) The term “joint intermediate level school” includes the National Intelligence University.

(Added Pub. L. 108–375, div. A, title V, § 532(a)(2), Oct. 28, 2004, 118 Stat. 1897; amended Pub. L. 112–81, div. A, title V, § 552(a)(2), Dec. 31, 2011, 125 Stat. 1412; Pub. L. 112–239, div. A, title VIII, § 845(c), Jan. 2, 2013, 126 Stat. 1848; Pub. L. 118–159, div. A, title V, § 554, Dec. 23, 2024, 138 Stat. 1896; Pub. L. 119–60, div. A, title V, § 552(a), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 877.)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2025—Subsec. (b)(1)(E). Pub. L. 119–60, § 552(a)(1), added subpar. (E).

Subsec. (b)(2)(E). Pub. L. 119–60, § 552(a)(2), added subpar. (E).

2024—Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 118–159 substituted “National Intelligence University” for “National Defense Intelligence College”.

2013—Subsec. (a)(6). Pub. L. 112–239 added par. (6).

2011—Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 112–81 added par. (3).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Professional Military Education: Report; Definition

Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title V, § 559D, Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 1743, provided that:

1. “(a) Report.—

   1. “(1) In general.— Not later than July 1, 2022, the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report setting forth the results of a review and assessment of the definition of professional military education in the Department of Defense and the military departments as specified in subsection (c).

   2. “(2) Elements.— The report under this subsection shall include the following elements:

      1. “(A) A consolidated summary of all definitions of the term ‘professional military education’ used in the Department of Defense and the military departments.
      2. “(B) A description of how such term is used in the Department of Defense in educational institutions, associated schools, programs, think tanks, research centers, and support activities.

      3. “(C) An analysis of how such term—

         1. “(i) applies to tactical, operational, and strategic settings; and
         2. “(ii) is linked to mission requirements.
      4. “(D) An analysis of how professional military education has been applied and linked through all levels of Department of Defense education and training.
      5. “(E) The applicability of professional military education to the domains of warfare, including land, air, sea, space, and cyber.

      6. “(F) With regards to online and virtual learning in professional military education—

         1. “(i) an analysis of the use of such learning; and
         2. “(ii) student satisfaction in comparison to traditional classroom learning.
2. “(b) Definition.— Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 27, 2021], the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Secretaries of the military departments, using the report under subsection (a), shall standardize the definition of ‘professional military education’ across the military departments and the Department of Defense.”

Executive Documents

Change of Name

National Defense Intelligence College changed to National Intelligence University by Department of Defense Instruction 3305.01 on Feb. 9, 2011.