To help celebrate 125 years as the sea services’ "premier forum for thoughtful dialogue,” the Naval Institute asked some of its members and readers to answer the question: What does the Naval Institute mean to you as a person and/or to the military profession? Throughout the anniversary year, we will publish some of these testimonials that we have been delighted to receive.
Colonel Harry G. Summers, Jr., U.S. Army (Retired)
Tasked by the Army Chief of Staff to write a teaching text for the Army War College on what went wrong in Vietnam, my attention was called to an article, "The Role of Doctrine in Naval Warfare," in the March-April 1915 Proceedings, by Lieutenant Commander (later Commodore) Dudley Knox. Written before America's entry into World War I, it nevertheless shed powerful light on the fundamental doctrinal errors that led to grief a half century later in Vietnam.
Any publication with such a lasting impact was worth a subscription, even for an Army officer. In the nearly 20 years that followed I certainly got my money's worth. Not only did I profit from the wisdom of its contributors, but I also was invited to write occasional articles and reviews for Proceedings and to participate in several Naval Institute symposia on military strategy in general and on the Vietnam War in particular.
Today, when the very nature of future conflict is murky and confused and "we are as uncertain of our bearings as a vessel in a fog," Commander Knox's words come echoing through the years. "Both ashore and afloat," he told the readers of Proceedings, "we imperatively need first of all a conception of war. Once this is created we will be enabled to proceed, with our eyes open and our course well marked, toward a coherent comprehensive scheme of naval life." In 1998, as in 1915, the Naval Institute can be counted on to provide the forum for discussion of just such a conception of war and in so doing continue to keep our eyes open and our course well marked.
Colonel Summers is a syndicated columnist for The Los Angeles Times, editor of Vietnam magazine, and a prolific author whose books include the award-winning On Strategy and On Strategy II.
Vice Admiral Alexander J. Krekich, U.S. Navy
Ever since I first became a member, I have found the Naval Institute a vital part of our naval profession. Without this organization to further our education and provide an open forum for the free exchange of ideas, our business could not be considered a true "profession." Through the Naval Institute we stay abreast of maritime trends and explore new ideas. Other professions have their journals, reviews, papers; we have our Proceedings.
Within the recent pages of Proceedings are contributors of all rates and ranks offering their ideas of where the naval service is or ought to be headed. Nowhere else—other than in the magazine and through the essay contests sponsored by the Naval Institute—do we have the opportunity to forward diverse opinions, push the envelope, and speak plainly about the profession of sailoring. I agree with a recent contributor who said that we must not ever let the pages of Proceedings become devoid of vigorous and provocative—but thoughtful and well-conceived-ideas.
I also enjoy Naval History magazine and the superb books published by the Naval Institute Press. The magazine is a wonderful collection of interesting articles about our heritage, and the Naval Institute Press is my favorite source for works on all things of the sea.
Vice Admiral Krekich is Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet. A 1964 Naval Academy graduate, he commanded both the George Washington Battle Group and Cruiser-Destroyer Group Two.