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.
Admiral Jay Johnson, U.S. Navy
In today's communications-intensive environment, the contributions of the United States Navy to the enhancement of global security through forward presence are especially important, and we count on the Naval Institute to document these efforts—and to help us chart the way to the future. The global reach of the magazine recently was brought home to me when I saw a translation of my November 1997 Proceedings article in the French Navy's professional journal, Cols Bleus. The true value of the Naval Institute is its proven ability to generate thoughtful discussion about important naval issues. Through its symposia, magazines, and books, the Naval Institute serves as a marketplace of ideas for the international community of naval professionals.
For 125 years, the Naval Institute has been a central clearinghouse for naval history, strategy, tactics, and opinion. Sailors and maritime enthusiasts worldwide have traded ideas through the Naval Institute, sparking lively debate and educating generations of navalists. The Naval Institute is a kind of naval Internet—a purpose it has served since long before the dawn of the computer age.
Admiral Johnson has served as the 26th Chief of Naval Operations since 1996.
Admiral Frank B. Kelso II, U.S. Navy (Retired)
A military organization cannot permit dissent from its orders and mission, so it tends to discourage free discussion in favor of accomplishing the mission. The Naval Institute provides a vehicle to allow such discussion without disruption of morale and mission accomplishment. The Naval Institute permits all—seaman to admiral to concerned civilian—to voice their opinions and views in an independent arena.
An organization functions better if there is agreement, and it is worth the effort to try for agreement and understanding. Proceedings' pages are a ready forum to convince others of your position. I believe we are better with this forum than without it.
Over the years, reading Proceedings often has given me an appreciation of how others think and particularly how they view the issues of the day. Listening to your critics is smart even if it hurts. You can change if your opposition can convince you that your ideas are wrong—or you can learn what must be done to convince others to accept your ideas. If you are right, your ideas will stand.
Admiral Kelso was Chief of Naval Operations from 1990 to 1994.
Admiral E. R. Zumwalt, Jr., U.S. Navy (Retired)
For nearly half of its 125 years, I have used the U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings. As a midshipman at the U.S. Naval Academy from 1939-1942, the articles in Proceedings helped mold my planning for the career pattern best suited for me.
As a junior and middle-grade officer, I benefited from the diverse views of authors and actively participated in the debates that many articles generated. I wrote three articles during this period, one of which, "The Course Ahead for Destroyers" (Proceedings, November 1962), I later used as the basis for the Hi-Lo mix policy developed during my term as Chief of Naval Operations.
While Chief of Naval Operations and in the years that followed, I relished reading about the controversy that my policies initiated.
For the last 23 years, Proceedings has been my best source of information on the Navy of the future and its deepest thinkers—allowing me to continue projecting my own thoughts about that future through discussion with some of the magazine's contributors.
Admiral Zumwalt was Chief of Naval Operations from 1970 to 1974.