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Their commitment to exceptional teaching and innovative research brings intellectual rigor as well as practical experience into our classrooms and game rooms at the Naval War College. The spirit of LT McCarty Little is embodied in our faculty of prominent scholars and leading practitioners from around the world. The chairman maintains close relationships and partnerships with peers and senior leadership in support of the Naval War College mission, educating future leaders and helping to define the future Navy. The Wargaming Chairman provides overall leadership and management for all aspects of wargaming operations including internal and external generated requests, curriculum support, long-range departmental goals, and faculty recruitment and development. It wasn’t until 1960 that the name “War Gaming Department” was used, forming its own department and establishing the chairman position. Until 1960, wargaming at the Naval War College was separated into tactics, strategy, and education each led by a separate director. Since William McCarty Little’s retirement, the War Gaming Department at the Naval War College has had 103 directors or chairmen. McCarty Little Hall was named in his honor in 1999.Ĭheck out these links to view some of his writings: He remained on the faculty continuing to develop naval wargaming until he retired in January 1915. In 1903, Congress recognized his unparalleled contributions to the Naval War College by a special act that promoted him from lieutenant to captain and permanently assigned him to the faculty of the Naval War College.
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He introduced war gaming to the College in 1886 and went on to become the College’s and the U.S. He offered his unpaid services as a volunteer staff member to Admiral Luce in the first year of operation and established the College’s first small library. As a lieutenant who lost the sight of one eye, he had been forced to leave the active service.
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William McCarty Little (1846-1915) served the Naval War College for thirty years and made a lasting contribution.
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