It’s the final month of a very long year, but Proceedings and the Naval Institute have a lot to celebrate going into the holidays. To begin with, despite the headwinds of COVID-19, we are finishing strong. Print advertising across the publishing industry was hit hard by the pandemic, but demand for online advertising has grown. In terms of mission accomplishment, we received record numbers of article and essay submissions this year; we published more Proceedings and Naval History content than ever before; and our online page views grew by 40 percent, thanks to you.
This was the first year for the Naval Institute–CIMSEC Fiction Contest. Expecting to receive 30 to 40 entries, we were shocked and pleased to see 122 in our inbox! The winning essay, “Crowdfunded” by Sergeant Major Mike Burke, U.S. Marine Corps (Retired) and Major Nick Nethery, U.S. Army, begins on page 68. Second prize went to Michael Barretta, and Hal Wilson won third prize. All three winners will be published online in Proceedings and by CIMSEC this month. Special thanks to military fiction authors Larry Bond, Ward Carroll, August Cole, Kathleen McInnis, Peter Singer, and David Weber for judging the finalists. On the topic of reading fiction, check out “Reading Literary Fiction Boosts Leadership Qualities” (pp. 72–74) by Emanuele Castano.
Also in this issue are the winning entries in this year’s Naval Institute Photo Contest, beginning on page 58. Lieutenant Commander Ian Starr, U.S. Coast Guard, took first prize with the stunning image of a bald eagle perched on the bridge wing of the Coast Guard cutter Alex Haley (WMEC-39) near the Aleutian Islands in March. We liked it so much we put it on the cover! Lieutenant Commander Samuel Blase, U.S. Coast Guard, took second prize, and Steve Footer took third.
Last month, I mentioned the American Sea Power Project, which will begin in January and play out in 2021 and 2022. The rise of China and Russia has brought the need for naval and maritime power back to center stage. What does the United States require in naval power, and how can we engage the public in a conversation about this vital topic? So far, ten recognized historians, strategists, and navalists have signed on to write installments, including Professors Jim Holmes, John Mauer, and Aaron Friedberg and the Honorable Bob Work and Seth Cropsey. As important as their articles will be to this project, perhaps more vital will be the dedicated Comment and Discussion section where our readers will engage. Your thoughtful participation will be key.
Most months, I highlight several feature articles, but this month I want to draw your attention to a few departments and commentaries. Need to Know, by long-time contributor Scott Truver (pp. 10–11), provides “the gouge” on hypersonic missiles—a growing threat faced by naval forces. Retired Navy Captain Tom Beall’s “Honor Bound: Guarding Detainees at Guantanamo” (p. 54) is about how the prison guard force at Guantanamo Bay applied the Navy’s core values in the face of challenging duty that required impeccable conduct. Lest We Forget, by Denis Clift (p. 94), is an exciting excerpt about the Gemini space program from astronaut Walter M. “Wally” Schirra’s oral history. Finally, Asked & Answered (p. 96) has eight great responses to the question: What was your best career moment? One of mine was being part of the mission to rescue a Russian seven-man submersible stuck on the ocean floor off the coast of Kamchatka when I was a naval attaché serving in Russia in 2005. From time to time it’s important to reflect on those moments and remember why we do what we do in the Sea Services.
