The Challenge

The Nation’s adversaries and competitors are proving to be formidable in the digital battlespace—using online platforms, social media, malicious code, disinformation, and cyberattacks to undermine elections, steal intellectual property, spy on governments, sow discord, and weaken alliances. Participants can choose to answer one of the following questions or write on another information warfare topic that interests them.

  • How might the opening salvoes of the next war begin in the information space,and what should be done now to defend against those attacks? How might our adversaries be planning to win without fighting by using information warfare?
  • What specific information warfare technologies (offensive and defensive) should the U.S. military be investing in now?
  • How can the military recruit, educate, train, and retain the information warriors it needs to prevail in the information environment?
  • Are there any recent case studies (that went well or poorly) that can provide lessons to guide strategy, operations, tactics, or acquisition over the next 3 to 5 years?
  • How will electronic warfare and emissions control play a role in the future of naval warfare?

Submission Guidelines

  • Open to all contributors -- active-duty military, reservists, veterans, and civilians.
  • Essays must be no more than 2,500 words, excluding end notes and sources. Include word count on title page of the essay.
  • Essays are judged in the blind. Do not include author name(s) on title page or within the essay.
  • Submit essay as a Word document at www.usni.org/iwessay no later than 30 November 2022.
  • Essay must be original and not previously published (online or in print) or being considered for publication elsewhere. 

First Prize: $5,000

Second Prize: $2,500

Third Prize: $1,500

Selection Process

The Proceedings staff members will evaluate every essay and screen the top essays to a special Essay Selection Committee of at least six members who will include two members of the Naval Institute’s Editorial Board and four subject matter experts.

Announcement of the Winners

The winning essays will appear in the June 2023 Proceedings. The authors will be recognized during the Institute's 150th Annual Meeting being held at the Jack C. Taylor Conference Center.

Selected Submissions

PRIZE
TITLE
NAME
First Prize
Lieutenant Commander Adam Reiffen, U.S. Navy
Second Prize
Lieutenant Commanderr Eric Seligman, U.S. Navy Reserve
Third Prize
Lieutenant Commander Greg Porter, U.S. Navy
Sponsored by
Booz Allen Hamilton logo
Booz Allen Hamilton

Previous Winners