The news on the essay-contest front remains very positive. These contests are generating interest around the world in the Naval Institute and providing great content for Proceedings and the USNI Blog. We received 120 entries in the General Prize Essay Contest. The Editorial Board will judge this contest on 3 March. The winners will be recognized at our Annual Meeting on Thursday, 28 April, in Washington, D.C., and have their essays published in the April Proceedings.
Three other essay-contest deadlines are coming up in the next 60 days:
• Emerging & Disruptive Technologies Essay Contest, sponsored with support from Leidos—29 February—see ad, page 3.
• Enlisted Prize Essay Contest, sponsored with support from Textron Systems—31 March—see ad, page 71.
• NPS Foundation/U.S. Naval Institute Annual Essay Contest—31 March—see ad, page 81.
Help us achieve one of our goals—to increase the “dare” factor on the pages of Proceedings—by entering one of these essay contests.
We have an extraordinary conference in store for you with WEST 2016; “How Do We Make the Strategy Work?” is scheduled for 17-19 February at the San Diego Convention Center. Keynote speakers include Admiral James G. Stavridis, USN (Ret.), Dean, the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, and former Supreme Allied Commander, Europe (2009-2013); Admiral Michael S. Rogers, USN, Director, National Security Agency, Chief, Central Security Service, and Commander, United States Cyber Command (invited); Admiral Harry B. Harris Jr., USN, Commander, U.S. Pacific Command; Admiral Philip S. Davidson, USN, Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command; and Admiral Scott H. Swift, USN, Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet.
The 19 February Luncheon Town Hall moderated by Admiral Stavridis will include Admiral John Richardson, USN, Chief of Naval Operations; General Robert B. Neller, USMC, Commandant, U.S. Marine Corps; and Admiral Charles D. Michel, USCG, Vice Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard.
The conference will also include Admiral Thomas B. Fargo, USN (Ret.), former Commander U.S. Pacific Command and Chairman of the Board, Huntington Ingalls Industries, in a conversation with Admiral Tomohisa Takei, Chief of Staff, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.Panel discussions will focus on:
• “How Do We Execute the Strategy?” - Features Navy and Marine Corps Type Commanders
• “How Do We Deliver the Capabilities to the Warfighters When They Need It?” - Features the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard Systems Commanders
• “What are the Gaps and Seams in Cyber Security?” - Features currently serving cyber experts
• “Defense Innovation Agenda: What’s Missing?” - Features industry leaders.
Attendees can also sit in on engagement theater sessions that will cover a host of topics, including information warfare, a programmatic and operational discussion of the MH-60R/S helicopter and Fire Scout unmanned aerial vehicle, an update on the SeaRAM Anti-Ship Missile System Integration, and a conversation with junior officers and sailors on innovation and entrepreneurship. In between keynotes and panels, I encourage you to check out the more than 100 industry and military exhibits that highlight innovation and industry products.
WEST 2016 is cohosted by the Naval Institute and AFCEA International. To view the full program and to register, go to www.westconference.org.
On the evening of Thursday, 18 February, the Naval Institute will host a Member event at the Ultimate Skybox in San Diego, guaranteed as ever to be an extremely popular social and networking occasion. For details and registration, go to www.usni.org/memberevent.
I look forward to seeing you in San Diego!
Peter H. Daly, VADM, USN (Ret.)
Life Member and Member since 1978