Staff Rides & Field Trips - American Grand Strategy

AGS takes learning beyond the classroom.

What is a Staff Ride?

"The staff ride was created in the wake of the Napoleonic Wars by Prussians, the perfectors of European military strategy. They would walk battlefields of previous wars, observe the terrain and have officers research and take the roles of various commanders and political leaders on all sides. An officer would present their character's personal history, plans for the conflict and actions during it. The other participants then adopt their characters’ roles and counter or question the presenter’s arguments in order to point out disagreements, mistakes or good strategies. Staff rides are invaluable because they help the participants understand not just who fought where and when, but what was planned, what ended up occurring, why those events occurred, and how they fit into the broader geopolitical context."

- AGS Alumnus Adam Lemon '17

Dr. Peter Feaver discusses the terrain on the staff ride to Pearl Harbor.

AGS Field Trips

Beyond staff rides, AGS takes learning outside the classroom through national security related field trips. Capitalizing on Duke's strategic location and AGS's partnership with the Counterterrorism and Public Policy Fellowship program, recent trips have included Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro, NC and the Navy SEAL base in Little Creek, VA.

From closed door Q&As and riding white caps in CRRCs with SEAL Team 10, to target practice and parachute simulations with officers at Bragg, AGS field trips provide civilian students with unparalleled opportunities to experience and develop a deeper understanding of the U.S. national security arena.