Essay Contests
The U.S. Naval Institute Essay program is being revitalized and will be fully described within the next 60 days. Please return to this page for more details.
Past contests have been organized and operated as described below:
Vincent Astor Memorial Leadership Essay Contest
$1,500 First Prize, a Naval Institute gold medal, and life membership in the Naval Institute
$1,000 Second Prize, a silver medal, and a one-year membership in the Naval Institute
$500 each Two Third Prizes, each including a bronze medal and a one-year membership in the Naval Institute
| Maximum Length: 2,500 words |
| Topic: Any subject relating to leadership in the sea services |
| Open to: U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard officers, regular and reserve, in pay grades O-1, O-2, and O-3, and officer trainees within one year of receiving their commissions |
| Published: June Proceedings (first-prize winner) |
| Deadline: 15 February 2007 |
Naval Intelligence Essay Contest
$1,000 First Prize, five-year membership in the Naval Intelligence Professionals, one to three Naval Institute Press books, publication in U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings, and a one-year membership in the U.S. Naval Institute
$500 Second Prize, and one-year membership in the Naval Intelligence Professionals and the U.S. Naval Institute
| Maximum Length: 2,500 words |
| Topic: The development of Maritime Headquarters and Maritime Operations Centers (MHQ/MOC), new OPNAV direction to expand dramatically bandwidth afloat, and the continued high demand for timely, precise tactical and operational level intelligence to support the entire spectrum of warfare from major combat operations to irregular warfare, all suggest the need for new models and measures for optimizing fleet intelligence. Therefore, the theme for the 2007 Naval Intelligence Essay Contest is: What is the most effective way to measure and expand Navy/Joint Intelligence Capability, balance "reachback," and meet the increasing demands in the fleet for tactical and operational/planning level intelligence? |
| Open to: Any military or civilian author |
| Published: February 2008 Proceedings |
| Deadline: 1 August 2007. E-mail submissions must be dated no later than 1 August; mail submissions must be postmarked no later than 1 August. |
| Cosponsors: Naval Intelligence Foundation, Naval Intelligence Professionals, U.S. Naval Institute. Underwritten in part by the Inman Foundation. |
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Direct entries to: Naval Intelligence Essay Contest, Naval Intelligence Professionals, P.O. Box 11579, Burke, VA 22009-1579. Entries submitted electronically should be sent to: navintproessays@aol.com.
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Enlisted Essay Contest
$1,500 First Prize, and a one-year membership in the Naval Institute
$1,000 Second Prize, and a one-year membership in the Naval Institute
$500 Third Prize, and a one-year membership in the Naval Institute
| Maximum Length: 2,500 words |
| Topic: Any subject relevant to military service |
| Open to: Active, reserve, retired, and former enlisted personnel of all service branches and countries |
| Published: February Proceedings |
| Deadline: 1 October 2007 |
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Arleigh Burke Essay Contest
$5,000 First prize, a Naval Institute gold medal, and life membership in the Naval Institute
$3,000 Second Prize, a silver medal, and a one-year membership in the Naval Institute
$1,000 Third Prize, a bronze medal, and a one-year membership in the Naval Institute
| Maximum Length: 2,500 words |
| Topic: Any subject relating to the mission of the Naval Institute: "To advance professional, literary, and scientific understanding of sea power and other issues critical to national defense." |
| Open to: Any military or civilian author |
| Published: May Proceedings |
| Deadline: 1 December 2006 |
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Essay Contest Guidelines
Submit entries electronically to: essays@usni.org. Note the title of the essay contest in the subject line of your email. In the body of the email include the title of your essay, your name, address, telephone number, and a biography of 50 words or less. Because essays are judged without knowing the author's identity, your attached essay's cover page should include the title of your essay as noted in the email and the word count (excluding text within graphic elements or footnotes), but not your name.
If you would prefer to submit your essay by regular mail, follow the directions above, except include the personal information required (essay title, name, address, etc.) on a cover sheet attached to the front of your essay. Mail two typewritten, double-spaced copies on letter-size paper, approximately 8-1/2 x 11" (and, if available, an IBM-compatible disk with software specified) to: [Contest Name], U.S. Naval Institute, 291 Wood Road, Annapolis, MD 21402-5034.
Your submission must be an original analytical and/or interpretive work not currently submitted or previously published elsewhere. You are encouraged to submit photographic and/or graphic elements to support your essay. Minimum acceptable size of photographs is 5" x 7"; transparencies must be in 35mm format (no glass transparencies); digital images must be no less than 300 dpi.
Your submission must be postmarked, or your email dated, on or before the contest deadline.Top prize winners are published in our monthly professional magazine, Proceedings. We encourage writers to browse Proceedings to get a sense of appropriate essays for our readership. The Naval Institute offers contest awards, not scholarships.
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