Marines

Leadership Communication Skills Center


Marine Corps University Communications Style Guide

APPENDIX C: ARTICLE SUBMISSION GUIDELINES FOR SELECTED MILITARY AND DEFENSE PERIODICALS AND ESSAY CONTESTS

Table 50. List of selected military and defense periodicals

Name of periodical

Description

Air & Space Power Journal

This professional journal of the U.S. Air Force publishes a range of articles regarding all issues of air and space power. Feature manuscripts are around 3,000–5,000 words, and commentary articles are shorter (1,500–2,500 words) and cover more timely subjects of interest to the military community.

Defense One

Defense One is a widely read blog that accepts shorter submissions (800 words) for concise, well-argued commentaries examining topics that are currently trending or speculate on the future of U.S. defense and national security.

The Diplomat

The Diplomat is an online magazine that publishes well-written and researched articles, usually from academics or practitioners giving “quality analysis and commentary” on domestic and security issues mostly in the Asia-Pacific region.

Expeditions with MCUP

Expeditions is Marine Corps University Press’s digital-only journal. It features all the same rigor as print journals but can be published in half the time. Most articles can be posted within 4–6 weeks of acceptance. These articles are based on more timely topics and should follow the same guidelines as JAMS.

Joint Force Quarterly

This quarterly magazine is published by National Defense University and publishes longer manuscripts (2,500–5,500 words) that explore a range of national security issues.

Journal of Advanced
Military Studies
(JAMS)

JAMS is a scholarly open access journal published twice a year (spring and fall) by Marine Corps University Press. Each peer-reviewed volume is topical, focusing on national security and international relations issues, and articles must be at least 4,000 words, including footnotes, and formatted according to CMOS. Calls for submissions can be found on the press acquisitions website.

Journal of Military History

This quarterly journal publishes scholarly articles and book reviews covering military history (all regions) since 1937.

Marine Corps History (MCH)

MCH is a scholarly open access journal published twice a year (summer and winter) by Marine Corps University Press. Each peer-reviewed volume focuses on all topics within the long history of the Corps: Civil War, Spanish-American War, Banana Wars, WWI, WWII, Korea, Cold War, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, women and minorities in the military, and focus on some aspect of the Corps either directly or indirectly, including foreign marines and joint operations. Articles must be at least 4,000 words, including footnotes, and formatted according to CMOS. Calls for submissions can be found on the press acquisitions website.

MES Insights

MES Insights is published by Marine Corps University Press for MCU’s Middle East Studies program. Article submissions are accepted throughout the year for six bimonthly issues published in February, April, June, August, October, and December. In line with Middle East Studies’ mission, MES Insights accepts articles on topics related to the broader Middle East including South and Central Asia, North and Sub-Saharan Africa including East Africa and the Red Sea region, the Black Sea region, and the Eastern Mediterranean. Articles should be 1,500–2,500 words, including endnote citations, and formatted according to CMOS. Authors are encouraged to send a short proposal before submitting a full article. Submissions can be sent to christopher.anzalone@usmcu.edu.

Military History Magazine

This magazine is a more popular and accessible publication highlighting a range of articles about key conflicts, military personnel, major battles, and book reviews.

Military Review

Military Review “provides an established and well regarded Army forum to stimulate original thought and debate on topics related to the art and science of land warfare.”

Naval History

Naval History is a paid publication by the U.S. Naval Institute and looks for well-
written, professional manuscripts—about 3,000 words.

Naval War College Review

The Naval War College Review is “a forum for discussion of public policy matters of interest to the maritime services.”

Parameters

Parameters is the Army War College’s refereed journal on the art and science of all issues related to military and national security affairs.

PRISM

PRISM is a security studies journal published by National Defense University (NDU) that examines complex military and global security issues from the strategic to the tactical level.

U.S. Naval Institute
Proceedings

Proceedings is a journal from the U.S. Naval Institute and accepts submissions for feature articles, leadership articles, and articles discussing Navy-specific issues. It also publishes short opinion pieces (500–650 word) for comment and discussion, and book reviews.

Royal United Services
Institute Journal

The RUSI Journal is a UK-based independent think tank that publishes timely commentary articles covering a wide range of national and global security conflicts and issues.

Seapower

Seapower magazine is published by the Navy League of the United States. The magazine publishes a wide range of defense topics such as defense strategies, foreign policy, maritime issues, national security, and “defense research, development and procurement.”

Small Wars Journal

Small Wars Journal is a widely read, popular online magazine that highlights timely and trending military issues focused on interstate conflict, insurgencies, and small/proxy wars. If a piece is accepted, it is usually not peer reviewed or edited prior to publication.

Strategic Studies Quarterly

SSQ publishes articles on “strategic issues of current and continuing interest to the U.S. Air Force, the larger U.S. Defense community, and our international partners.” Articles: 5,000–15,000 words; commentary: 1,500–2,500 words

The Strategy Bridge

The Strategy Bridge is an academically rigorous online journal that focuses on developing contributions to the fields of strategy, national security, and military affairs. Publication submissions can include analytical and argumentative essays, reflections, book reviews, and even fictional works between 1,000 and 2,000 words.

War on the Rocks

War on the Rocks is a popular, widely read defense blog that acts as a “platform for analysis, commentary, debate and multimedia content on foreign policy and national security issues through a realist lens.”

 

Please use the website links in table 51 for the most updated information on contest topics and deadlines.

 

Table 51. List of selected military and academic essay contests

Name of contest

Contest information

Deadline (approx.)

Secretary of Defense National Security Essay Competition

Guidelines: submissions should address any “aspect of US National Security strategy addressing the coherent employment of diplomatic, informational, military, and economic instruments of power to achieve strategic ends.” (8,000 words)

Eligible: professional military education students

Why submit? Professional recognition; publication in Joint Force Quarterly

March

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) National Defense and Military Strategy Essay Competition

The CJCS competition has two categories: the strategic research essay and strategy article.

Strategic research essay guidelines: 5,000 words; in-depth research paper on general defense or military topic.

Strategy article guidelines: maximum 1,500 words. Should be a “scholarly but tightly focused research paper;” regular course papers may lend themselves to this format.

Eligible: professional military education students

Why submit? Professional recognition; publication in Joint Force Quarterly

March

CNO Naval History Essay Contest

Guidelines: essays should apply lessons learned throughout naval history to establishing maritime superiority in the current national security environment; 3,000 words (excludes notes)

Eligible: active, reserves, retired, and civilian personnel who work for U.S. sea Services.

Why submit? 1st place: $5,000

May

Gen Robert E. Hogaboom Essay Contest

 

 

Guidelines: essays must take a unique approach to different aspects of leadership; 1,500–2,000 words

Eligible: all active, retired, and reserve military personnel; multiple entries permitted

Why submit? 1st place: $3,000 and plaque

September to January

“Bobby R. Inman Award” for Student Scholarship

Guidelines: any well-researched topic related to national security and intelligence

Eligible: undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at an accredited U.S. higher education institution

Why submit? 1st place: $5,000

June

The Leatherneck Writing Contest

Guidelines: usually topics include Marines’ experience with leadership, current events, or history; maximum 2,000 words

Eligible: Marines

Why submit? 1st place: $1,000 and plaque

 

March 31st

LtCol Earl “Pete” Ellis Annual Essay Contest

Guidelines: usually topics include a focus on innovation and future warfare; 2,000–3,000 words

Eligible: civilian and military writers; multiple entries allowed

Why submit? 1st place: $2,500 and plaque

August-
October

LtGen Bernad E. “Mick” Trainor Military Writing Award

Guidelines: usually topics in innovative solutions to warfighting challenges; 2,000–2,500 words

Eligible: civilian and military writers

Why submit? Winner receives $1,000 and plaque

April to July

MajGen Harold W. Chase Essay Contest

Guidelines: essays must challenge conventional Marine Corps “directive, policy, custom, or practice”; 1,500–2,000 words

Eligible: all active, retired, and reserve military personnel; multiple entries allowed

Why submit? Top three receive the Boldness & Daring Award; 1st place: $3,000 and plaque

January – April

Naval Intelligence Essay Contest

Guidelines: TBA: topics usually involve naval intelligence; 2,500 words (excludes notes)

Eligible: active-duty military, reservists, veterans, and civilians

Why submit? 1st place: $5,000

31 July

 

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