Throughout the history of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, leading officers and strategists have advocated for formal colleges and schools for naval officers but have also made the case that true naval professionalism requires a career-long dedication to learning and to self-improvement. This was the impetus behind the very founding of the U.S. Naval Institute by officers who believed that the Navy's lack of support for their education meant they needed to create their own organization for self-study and cooperative learning. Naval luminaries like admirals William Sims and Ernest King continued to campaign for self-study and the personal pursuit of professional knowledge during the twentieth century, distributing lists of suggested books for officers to read and promoting their ideas widely through speeches and published works. While recommending that officers read broadly in pursuit of individual knowledge is an important part of creating a truly educated and professional Fleet and Fleet Marine Force, it is also important for leaders in the sea services to offer mentorship and create opportunities for discourse that encourages group learning. Developing the Naval Mind serves as a how-to manual and syllabus for leaders to create and lead wardroom, ready room, and work center discussion groups across the fleet to create a more educated and professionally engaged Navy and Marine Corps. “For anyone interested in a ... general and down-to-earth guide to how develop a naval mind, then the Armstrong and Freymann volume is very reader-friendly, clear, sensible and logical and so highly recommended.” — The Naval Review “ Developing the Naval Mind  is an important, thoughtful volume designed for officers of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps but also serves Sailors and Marines of all ranks as a compendium on developing professionalism and skills needed to rise through the ranks. Likewise, it can also serve the officers and enlisted men of our other sea services, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine, but also is valuable to officers and enlisted men of the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force, as well as the U.S. Space Force.” — Naval Historical Foundation “ Developing the Naval Mind not only serves as a traditional how-to manual and syllabus for leaders to create and lead discussions – but paints a very real scenario of future demise and failure, should Navy’s fail to listen, speak and learn . . . these tragic lessons need learning and reflecting upon today, which is the intent behind this excellent book.” — The NAVY Magazine " Developing the Naval Mind stands as an exceptional introduction to a field that often seems impenetrable to outsiders. Moreover, with easily accessible language and concision, Armstrong and Freymann go beyond simply "provid[ing] resources to of­ficers, Sailors, and Marines who desire to learn in the fleet," because they do so for would-be civilian navalists as well ." — Naval War College   CDR Benjamin "BJ" Armstrong, USN, is a former search and rescue helicopter pilot and associate professor of war studies and naval history at the U.S. Naval Academy. He is the author or editor of four books and several dozen articles on naval history and strategy, and the recipient of the Alfred Thayer Mahan Award for Literary Achievement and the Lyman Book Award from the North American Society of Oceanic History.