Strategic Planning Begins
My first months as CEO have involved a lot of listening, asking questions, more listening, and even more learning. We are planning to incorporate much of what we have learned into our next strategic plan. A key tenet I hope to incorporate into that plan is adapting to changes in how our readers consume information so our rich content can be accessed and delivered in ways that continue to exceed expectations. The new USNI News Sea Scroll is but one example. We will keep you informed as we progress with our strategic planning efforts which will include member input as a critical component.
Meanwhile, our Jack C. Taylor Conference Center continues to serve as an outstanding venue for conferences and meetings. Recently, it was used by Lockheed Martin to host Navy Surface Warfare leaders in conjunction with the Naval Academy’s ship selection event in February. We were also proud to have Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Lisa Franchetti host her retired four-star conference in the center in April.
Annual Meeting and Awards Presentation
Our 151st Annual Meeting will take place on Wednesday, 8 May, at the Jack C. Taylor Conference Center in Annapolis. After an update on the state of the Institute, we will recognize our 2023 Leadership, Information Warfare, and General Prize Essay Contest winners, as well as our Proceedings, Naval History, and Naval Institute Press Authors of the Year. Commandant of the Marine Corps General Eric Smith will be the featured speaker. A reception on the Topside Terrace will follow for all guests. Those unable to attend in person will be able to view a livestream of the event. To register, go to www.usni.org/events.
Naval Institute Press
The United States is in the midst of a new Cold War with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)—and currently losing. That claim is at the core of Michael Sobolik’s new book, Countering China’s Great Game: A Strategy for American Dominance. In it, he challenges conventional wisdom about the U.S.-China rivalry, arguing that exploiting weaknesses in the Belt and Road Initiative offers the surest path to successfully undermining the CCP’s global grand strategy.
USNI News ‘Sea Scroll’ Newsletter
Now in its fourth month, the USNI News newsletter—“Sea Scroll”—is sent exclusively to Naval Institute members every Thursday. A complement to daily USNI News reporting, “Sea Scroll” includes analysis and “reporter’s notebook” tidbits that might not make it into a formal news story. If you are enjoying “Sea Scroll,” tell a shipmate about it and encourage them to join at www.usni.org/join. If they use the code “Join10” at checkout, they will receive 10 percent off the price of membership!
