2025 CNO Naval History Essay Contest - Midshipmen and Cadets

The Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) announces the 2025 CNO Naval History Essay Contest commemorating the Navy's 250th anniversary. Participants are invited to submit their essays no later than 30 April 2025. This contest represents an excellent opportunity to engage in the rich legacy of naval history. The Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) is the lead for the contest and the U.S. Naval Institute is supporting it.

The Challenge

The Chief of Naval Operations invites essay submissions that draw on insights from naval history to address the serious challenges confronting today's Navy.

In a globalized world where 90% of international trade by volume and a significant proportion of global communications rely on the seas and undersea cables, the importance of navies, sea control, and strategic partnerships with allies and partners has increased, underscoring the critical role of maritime power in maintaining global economic stability and security.

Areas of Historic Interest:

1. Historic Approaches in Countering Disruptions to Rule of Law in the Maritime Domain:

Current Day Context: Potential adversaries' increasing opposition to the rules-based global order poses a serious threat to the security and prosperity that benefit all who rely on the stability upheld by these rules.

2. Historic Approaches in Addressing Change in Maritime Philosophes, Techniques, and Capabilities:

Current Day Context: The rapid growth of unmanned systems and artificial intelligence (AI) advancements are revolutionizing decision-making processes and autonomous naval operations, impacting all aspects of planning and warfare, from force structure to combat strategy.

3. Historic Approaches in Addressing Maritime Competition:

Current Day Context: China's emergence as an important economic and maritime competitor underscores the need for the United States to develop integrated, multi-domain operational concepts and capabilities that leverage the unique strengths of our maritime Services: Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Merchant Marine, and the complete Joint warfighting ecosystem.

The U.S. Navy faces a major transformation fueled by a shifting strategic environment and technological advancements.

CNO's Intent: Navigation Plan 2024 emphasizes that strategic agility stems from proactive and practical thinking and that there is no time to waste. This essay contest aims to harness the collective expertise and intellectual engagement of the U.S. maritime services community, including the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine, as well as cadets and midshipmen. The goal of this essay contest is to examine and reflect on historic approaches to similar conditions and stimulate discussion and insights on achieving and maintaining maritime superiority in the context of renewed great power competition.

Eligibility 

        (1) Students enrolled at the United States Naval Academy, United States Coast Guard Academy, the United States Merchant Marine Academy, and the State Maritime Academies or

        (2) Students enrolled in an Official Naval ROTC Program.

Submission Guidelines

• Word Count: 3,000 words maximum (excludes endnotes/footnotes).
• All entries must include either enumerated footnotes or enumerated endnotes; a bibliographic list of sources at the end of the essay is not permitted as a substitute for the footnotes or endnotes.
• Submit essay by 30 April as a Word document online at: www.usni.org/cnonhessaycontestprofessional
• Include word count on title page of essay but do not include author name(s) on title page or within the essay.
• Note: Essays must be the author's original work, neither previously published (online or in print) or currently under consideration for publication elsewhere, nor previously submitted to the CNO Naval History Essay Contest.
• Entrants may submit multiple essays, but the judging panel will select only one winning essay per entrant.
• The short biography should detail the author's eligibility for the contest.

Prizes

$4,000 — First Prize

$2,000 — Second Prize

$1,000 -- Third Prize

a.  Invitational travel orders to the 2025 CNO Naval History Essay Contest Awards Reception (to be determined) to meet the CNO and potentially present their papers.

b.  Winners will be published in Naval History magazine or Proceedings and online with the Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC). Other essays may be published in Naval History or Proceedings and/or online by NHHC.

c. Copper sheathing from USS CONSTITUTION (provided by NHHC)

d. Recognition on NHHC's website.

e.  A one-year Naval Institute membership and a one-year subscription to Naval History magazine (courtesy of the Naval Institute).

Judging

Essays will be judged on the following criteria:

    a.  Relevance to the topic:  Applying lessons from naval history to establishing and maintaining maritime superiority in an era of great power competition;

    b.  Readability;

    c.  Thoroughness of research;

    d.  Quality of insights based on historical events; and

    e.  Uniqueness/novelty of ideas presented.

All essays are judged in the blind. A six-person panel will select the winning essays. We will notify you via email if your essay is selected for a prize or for publication.

Note: For non-winning essays, since we receive so many submissions (more than 100 per month!), notification of acceptance on one of our platforms may take 4-6 months.

For more details about the contest, please visit https://www.history.navy.mil/get-involved/essay-contest.html. 

For questions, please contact Steve A. Hill, NHHC:  email: Stephen.a.hill6.civ(AT)us.navy.mil.

For advice and guidance on writing essays, please email: essayquestions(AT)usni.org.