Military Reading Lists

"It is critically important for our Navy to be a learning organization – one whose people always read, critically think, and seek professional and warfighting excellence in everything they do – so we can remain the world’s premier warfighting force."

— Adm. Lisa Franchetti, Chief of Naval Operations

The following Naval Institute Press books appear in the CNO's Professional Reading Library:

• War Transformed
• Learning War
• China as a Twenty-First Century Naval Power
• Red Star Over the Pacific, Second Edition
• The Bluejacket's Manual, 26th Edition
• The Chief Petty Officer's Guide, 2nd Edition
• The Citizen's Guide to the U.S. Navy
• Command at Sea, 7th Edition
• Developing the Naval Mind
• Dictionary of Modern Strategy and Tactics
• Dictionary of Naval Abbreviations
• Division Officer's Guide, 12th Edition

Each Marine shall read a minimum of five books from the “Commandants Choice” or “Grade Level” sections each year. The Grade Level titles are separated into five levels for both enlisted Marines and officers. These levels coincide with specific ranks and Marines should attempt to read all titles within their level prior to proceeding to a higher level. 

In addition to the reading list, Marines are highly encouraged to incorporate periodicals into their reading regimens. Scholarly and professionally oriented articles published by independent magazines and journals foster innovation, PME development, critical study of the profession of arms, and serious discussion regarding topics of interest to the Marine Corps. Professional publications inform debate on current, topical issues of relevance to the Marine Corps and promote intellectual growth of the individual Marine.

The following Naval Institute Press books appear in the Marine Corps Commandant's Professional Reading List:

Commandant's Choice

• First to Fight
• Women at War

Innovation

• Assault from the Sea
• Learning War

Leadership

• The Leader's Bookshelf

Strategy

• Fleet Tactics and Naval Operations
• Red Star Over the Pacific

Commandant's Professional Reading List (Foundational)

• Assault from the Sea
• At the Water's Edge
• The Blitzkrieg Legend
• Fields of Fire
• First to Fight
• Fleet Tactics and Naval Operations
• Into the Tiger's Jaw
• The Leader's Bookshelf
• My Men are My Heroes

Welcome to the 2022 Coast Guard Reading List, the annual collection of recommendations from your shipmates to support your continuous professional and leadership development. The year's list focuses on the theme “connecting individual purpose to the Coast Guard’s purpose.” This theme means different things to different people, which you’ll see reflected in the eclectic selections featured. Submissions were solicited from the Leadership Diversity Action Councils (LDACs) across the Coast Guard. The list goes beyond the traditional reading list and includes a variety of suggestions for you to read, listen to and watch.

The following Naval Institute Press books appear in the Coast Guard Leadership Development List:

• None listed at this time.

This series consists of specialized books that have been published by the Naval Institute Press for over 100 years. They have been prepared and updated by naval professionals and meet the exacting standards that sailors have long expected from the U.S. Naval Institute.  Books such as Division Officer’s Guide, Command at Sea, Naval Shiphandling, to name a few have long been recognized “in the fleet” as important “how to” guides for virtually all ranks and all three sea services. 

• The Bluejacket's Manual
• The Chief Petty Officer's Guide
• The Citizen's Guide to the U.S. Navy
• Command at Sea
• Developing the Naval Mind
• Dictionary of Modern Strategy and Tactics
• Dictionary of Naval Abbreviations
• Division Officer's Guide
• Dutton's Nautical Navigation
• Farwell's Rules of the Nautical Road
• Fighting the Fleet
• Naval Ceremonies, Customs, and Traditions
• Naval Innovation for the 21st Century
• The Naval Officer's Guide
• Naval Officer's Guide to the Pentagon
• Naval Shiphandler's Guide
• NavCivGuide
• Newly Commissioned Naval Officer's Guide
• Operations Officer's Guide
• Petty Officer's Guide
• Principles of Naval Weapon Systems
• A Sailor's History of the U.S. Navy
• Saltwater Leadership
• Shiphandling Fundamentals for Littoral Combat Ships and the New Frigates

Marines of all ranks have depended on books in this series for their professional development. Like their Blue & Gold counterpart, Scarlet & Gold series books such as The Marine Officer’s Guide and the Handbook for Marine NCO’s have been prepared by professionals for today’s Marines.

• Handbook for Marine NCOs
• Marine Officer's Guide
• Marine Maxims
• On the Corps

Welcome to the CSAF Leadership Library. This is a new way of looking at the traditional reading list – a fluid set of media that I have personally explored – that changes and evolves as novel ideas are published, recorded, and debated.

The Leadership Library will have periodic additions as I come across media and ideas I’d like to share to generate dialogue. My aim is that this Leadership Library sparks conversations for you with fellow Airmen, with your family, and with your friends.

Sincerely,

CHARLES Q. BROWN, JR.
General, U.S. Air Force
Chief of Staff

The following Naval Institute Press books appear in the Air Force Chief of Staff's Reading List:

• None listed at this time.

The Army List is compiled for leaders. The Chief of Staff of the Army (CSA) views it as a pillar for his leadership development efforts. Titles are included that will provoke critical thinking about Professional soldiering and the unique role of land power; analysis and reflection on the past and the future; and a deep understanding of the Army and the future of the profession of arms in the 21st Century.

The following Naval Institute books appear in the U.S. Army Chief of Staff's Professional Reading List:

• None listed at this time.

This reading list has been constructed to support the renewal of our commitment to our Profession of Arms and the development of Joint Force 2020. The books selected capture the values and ethos of our military profession, promote innovative thinking to prepare for the operational realities of an uncertain future, and provide insights into the foundations of our service cultures.

The following Naval Institute books appear in the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Professional Reading Program:

• None at this time.

The NSSI Space Professional Reading List is recommended reading for U.S. Department of Defense and international partner space professionals.

According to NSSI, these works provide a launching point for expanding existing knowledge, developing professional skills, and challenging conventional thinking about the profession. The recommended reading also introduces students and space professionals to the insights of NSSI educators and their recommendations for lifelong learning.

“For the past 15 years the National Security Space Institute has released a Space Professional Reading List, designed to challenge Space Professionals to think critically about their profession,” said U.S. Space Force Col. Kenneth Klock, Commandant of NSSI. “The 2024 list continues that theme, but I believe it’s the most dynamic, thought-provoking ever.  From irregular warfare to great power competition, from doctrine to theory, and from commercial space to Sun Tzu, there’s something here for everyone. As the NSSI’s motto states, ‘Victory Begins In the Mind.’ I encourage readers to delve into these suggested readings and plant those seeds of victory.”

The following Naval Institute books appear on the 2024 Space Professional Reading List:

• Sun Tzu in Space
• Fight for the Final Frontier