army essay competition

• Senior Fellows
• Research Fellows

Submission Guidelines

• Media Inquiries
• Commentary & Analysis

Upcoming Events

• Past Events
• October 2021 War Studies Conference
• November 2020 War Studies Conference
• November 2018 War Studies Conference
• March 2018 War Studies Conference
• November 2016 War Studies Conference
• Class of 1974 MWI Podcast
• Urban Warfare Project Podcast
• Social Science of War
• Urban Warfare Project
• Project 6633
• Shield Notes
• Rethinking Civ-Mil
• Book Reviews

Select Page

Essay Contest Call for Submissions: Solving the Military Recruiting Crisis

MWI Staff | 07.19.23

Update: We’re thrilled to announce that the US Army’s Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) has joined the Modern War Institute in organizing this essay contest and evaluating submissions. In addition to the top essays being published by the Modern War Institute, authors of the best submissions will have an opportunity to discuss their ideas with TRADOC senior leaders. TRADOC will also review all essays to evaluate their contributions to resolving the military recruiting crisis.

Essay requirements and the submission deadline remain the same, and authors who have already submitted their entries should not resubmit.

“Credible defense begins with our ability to steadily attract and retain the men and women who would assume the initial burden of a fast breaking war.” More than forty years ago, Vice Admiral Robert B. Pirie, Jr. eloquently described why recruiting was a national security issue.

This year, the Army will again fail to meet recruiting goals after falling fifteen thousand short last year. Likewise, the Navy anticipates falling six thousand sailors short of its target. The Air Force has issues too , with Secretary Frank Kendall acknowledging in March that his service would fall 10 percent short this year. Except for the two smallest services—the Marine Corps and Space Force—the United States’ armed forces continue to face recruiting woes.

With this serious issue as a backdrop, the Modern War Institute and the US Army’s Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) are launching an essay contest that seeks to explore the problem and identify solutions that could help the services address it.

Essay Prompt

Essays must answer the following prompt: What novel approaches can the United States military employ to solve the recruiting crisis?

This topic is broad. Essays might address new incentives, lessons from other countries or uniformed services, the impact of telework, messaging and marketing, how to resolve tensions created by years of recruiting shortfalls, ideas from labor economics or other academic fields, historical perspectives on recruiting challenges and solutions, or other ideas related to recruiting. Essays can take any form, to include speculative fiction. However, because of length limits, we strongly encourage authors to clearly articulate one idea or concept in their responses to the prompt.

Your ideas will inform internal conversations and workshops in support of the Modern War Institute’s human resources research theme. Based on the ideas presented in their essays, authors may be invited to contribute to future MWI publications or events on this topic.

Eligibility

• Essays will be accepted from any person in any field, and submissions from non-US participants are welcomed.
• Up to two people may coauthor an essay entry.
• Participants may submit only one entry to the competition.
• Essays must be original, unpublished, and not subject to publication elsewhere.
• Essays will not exceed 1,500 words.
• Use the standard submission guidelines for the Modern War Institute.
• Email your entry to [email protected] with “ Recruiting Essay Competition ” in the subject line. Once submitted, no edits, corrections, or changes are allowed.
• Submission deadline: essays will be accepted until 11:59 PM EDT on September 3, 2023.

Selection Process

Submissions will be reviewed and evaluated by a team from the Modern War Institute and TRADOC. Submissions will be assessed based on how well and creatively they address the topic of the contest and provoke further thought and conversation, as well as their suitability for publication by the Modern War Institute (e.g., style, sources, accessibility, etc.). Evaluation criteria include:

• Does the essay clearly define a problem and present a solution?
• Does the essay show thoughtful analysis?
• Does the essay inject new provocative thinking or address areas where there needs to be more discussion?
• Does the essay demonstrate a unique approach or improve current initiatives?
• Does the essay take lessons from history and apply them to today’s challenges?
• Is the essay logically organized, well written, and persuasive?

Winning Submissions

The top three essays will be announced publicly and will be published by the Modern War Institute. Depending on the evaluation of the Modern War Institute editorial team, revisions may be required before publication.

Additionally, the authors of the top submissions with senior leaders from TRADOC and the US Army’s Recruiting Command. Furthermore, TRADOC will review all essays to support the Army’s recruiting efforts.

Image credit: Spc. Kelsea Cook, Indiana National Guard

Although I am not much of an essay writer, perhaps the thesis, etc.. that I provide below will allow someone — who is a decent essay writer — to develop and provide a good essay for this competition. Here goes:

First, the essay prompt/question: "What novel approaches can the United States military employ to solve the recruiting crisis?"

Next, the proposed answer to this such essay prompt/question:

In order for the United States military to solve its current recruiting problems, the United States military must become able — in some way, shape or form — to better assure potential military recruits — and their families and friends — that they (these potential military recruits) will now (a) be less likely to be used to prosecute unnecessary, improper, ill-advised and/or ill-conceived and executed engagements and wars and, thus, will now (b) be less likely to find themselves in a position to be badly injured and/or killed in such unnecessary, improper, ill-advised, etc., engagements and wars.

(Herein to note that this such thesis and approach takes direct aim at the our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan of late and, thus, potentially gets directly to the/a true "root cause" of our current recruiting problems?)

It is not so much the fact that potential military recruits — and their families and friends — are unlikely to join/want their children and friends to join because they understand that these children and/or friends might get seriously injured and/or kill while engaged in our military profession.

Rather it is the fact that these such potential military recruits — and their families and friends — are unlikely to join/want their children and friends to join because they see the trend (think Iraq, Afghanistan, etc.) wherein these such injuries and deaths were/are incurred in what now is considered to be unnecessary, improper, ill-advised and/or ill-conceived and executed engagements and wars.

(Herein, it will be important to address the "common nature" of these such unnecessary, improper, Ill-advised, etc., engagements and wars — this being — that they were ultimately undertaken to achieve "revolutionary" political, economic, social and value "change" in the states and societies of the world — that is — states and societies in the world who are most different from ultra-modern "us.")

Bottom Line Thought — Based on the Above:

Today's recruiting problems, thus I believe, can be traced to the fact that our potential military recruits — and their families and friends — :

a. Do not agree with the "transformative" political objective of the United States post-the Old Cold War and/or:

b. Do not agree with the manner (war; military engagement) in which the U.S. has chosen to pursue this such — "transformative" — post-Cold War political objective.

B.C I believe after reading this long-winded comment. That you have a problem with Americas terrible policy and foreign policy decisions. You of course would be correct. For the same reasons they can't figure out foreign policy, our leaders can't figure out Retention and Recruitment problems. In both cases the American people are becoming aware that little of the decisions being made are done to benefit the country as a whole. Instead, they are to line the pockets of certain individuals and companies. For example, the Ukraine conflict, Billions of taxpayer dollars for no strategic goal or benefit. This coming off the back side of 20 years of Iraq and Afghanistan which obviously served little purpose at this point. Where is Kurdistan? Was Dick Chaney ever charged? There are many more such examples. But to your original point, I would believe that contest submissions would need to limit the material to only what the military itself could do to correct the recruitment shortfalls.

Don't worry. I wrote a very direct but elligent version of thus. You're welcome. Shoot me an email if you want it, [email protected]

Bring back the 6 month active duty with 4 years active reserve and free college education.

So, when it is time to combat, they will retreat with the excuse that I got in to get the college, not to go to war. My father (RIP) lived this cluster, and it was ridiculous seen young men and women played the Army. My son and I did active duty, did the required services, and every time that we hear the national anthem "of the land of the brave", we meant it. We never embrace college free benefits to defend our nation. and money

If you would like access to at least 250 papers on this topic get with the Sergeants Major Academy. Class 73 wrote a lot on this topic between white paper, capstone papers, and possibly a focus papers.

Leave a reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

The articles and other content which appear on the Modern War Institute website are unofficial expressions of opinion. The views expressed are those of the authors, and do not reflect the official position of the United States Military Academy, Department of the Army, or Department of Defense.

The Modern War Institute does not screen articles to fit a particular editorial agenda, nor endorse or advocate material that is published. Rather, the Modern War Institute provides a forum for professionals to share opinions and cultivate ideas. Comments will be moderated before posting to ensure logical, professional, and courteous application to article content.

Announcements

• We’re Looking for Officers to Join the Modern War Institute and the Defense and Strategic Studies Program!
• Call for Applications: MWI’s 2024–25 Research Fellows Program
• Join Us Friday, April 26 for a Livestream of the 2024 Hagel Lecture, Featuring Secretary Chuck Hagel and Secretary Jeh Johnson
• Announcing the Modern War Institute’s 2023–24 Senior and Research Fellows

Army Strategist Association

ASA ANNUAL ESSAY CONTEST 2021 Polish off that old (or recent) BSAP essay, grad-seminar paper, or new commentary piece you want to share across our community while earning positive recognition and an opportunity to discuss your paper with senior Army Strategists.  This is a great way to publish, influence senior leaders, and earn $400.  Essay submissions are due by Friday, 30 July 2021.  We expect to announce winners at AUSA in October 2021. We are looking for 2,000-4,000 word essays on national security issues affecting the Army. Submissions should go to Ellen Toner ( [email protected] ; 703-517-3482); AUSA will use a blind judging panel. 

AUSA-ASA Essay Award Winners

Publications are linked to the AUSA website

2020 1st Place: LTC Benjamin J. Fernandes, M1 – Revolutionize, Don’t Upgrade 2nd Place: LTC Marc Vielledent, Beware of Ostracizing Allies: Trust Initiatives Can Backfire 3rd place: MAJ John Dzwonczyk, Using the Military to Win the Narrative: Ancient Lessons for Modern Competition

1st place: MAJ Claude A. Lambert, Commercial Unmanned Aerial Systems: A Chemical and Biological Warfare Delivery Threat? 

2nd place: MAJ Robert Behrman, Reserve Component Employment Below the Threshold of Armed Conflict 

3rd place: LTC Alex Carter, Why We Struggle to Understand Stakeholders and Why It Matters 

1st Place: MAJ Stephan Pikner, Training the Machines

2nd Place: LTC Jim Cahill,  Developing Situational Understanding

3rd Place: MAJ Kyle D. Packard,  Security Force Assistance Brigades

Follow us to stay up to date!

Winners of the 2022 Essay Competitions

By NDU Press Joint Force Quarterly 107

Download PDF

NDU Press and the NDU Foundation Congratulate the Winners of the 2022 Essay Competitions

NDU Press hosted the final round of judging on May 12–13, 2022, during which 31 faculty judges from 18 participating professional military education (PME) institutions selected the best entries in each category. There were 97 submissions in this year’s three categories—the second most entries ever. First Place winners in each of the three categories appear in the following pages.

Secretary of Defense National Security Essay Competition

The 16 th annual competition is intended to stimulate new approaches to coordinated civilian and military action from a broad spectrum of civilian and military students. Essays address U.S. Government structure, policies, capabilities, resources, and/or practices and provide creative, feasible ideas on how best to orchestrate the core competencies of our national security institution.

1 st Place Jeffrey D. Graham, Department of State National War College “Building an Enduring U.S.-India Partnership to Secure a Free, Open, and Prosperous Indo-Pacific Region”

2 nd Place Lieutenant Colonel Steven J. Curtis, USA U.S. Army War College “A New Character: Rethinking Intelligence for 2035”

3 rd Place Lieutenant Colonel Kevin J. Consedine, USA U.S. Army War College “Be All You Can Be . . . Like Your Parents”

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Strategic Essay Competition

Strategic Research Paper

1 st Place Lieutenant Colonel Ryan Tate, USA U.S. Army War College “Transparent Cyber Deterrence”

2 nd Place Commander Von P.H. Fernandes, USN; Lieutenant Colonel Nita McQuitery, USAF; Major Lucas Hoffman, USA; and Major Ashley Gunn, USAF Joint Forces Staff College–Joint and Combined Warfighting School “The World in 90 Minutes or Less: Rocket Logistics and Future Military Operations”

3 rd Place Lieutenant Commander Stephanie Pendino, USN; Major Robert K. Jahn, Sr., USA; and Mr. Kirk Pedersen, Defense Intelligence Agency Joint Forces Staff College–Joint and Combined Warfighting School “Declaratory U.S. Cyber Deterrence: Bringing Offensive Capabilities into the Light”

Strat egy Article

1 st Place Captain Kimberly Sandberg, USN; Captain Kevin Pickard, Jr., USN; Lieutenant Colonel Jay Zwirblis, USAR; and Lieutenant Colonel Speight H. Caroon, USAF Joint Forces Staff College–Joint and Combined Warfighting School “Health Diplomacy: A Powerful Tool in Great Power Competition”

2 nd Place Major Lim Wonho, Republic of Korea Air Force Air Command and Staff College “Implications of South Korea’s Growing ‘Middle Power Identity’ in the East Asia Policy”

3 rd Place Captain Jonathan J. Park, USAF Marine Corps University–Expeditionary Warfare School “Traumatic Brain Injuries: Improving the U.S. Military’s Diagnoses Process”

Joint Force Quarterly M aerz Awards

In its 7 th year, the JFQ Maerz Awards, chosen by NDU Press staff, recognize the most influential articles from the previous year’s four issues. Five outstanding articles were chosen for the Maerz Awards, named in honor of Mr. George C. Maerz, former NDU Press managing editor.

Forum Daniel E. Rauch and Matthew Tackett “Design Thinking,” JFQ 101 (2 nd Quarter 2021)

JPME Today Anand Toprani “Hydrocarbons and Hegemony,” JFQ 102 (3 rd Quarter 2021)

Commentary Montgomery McFate “The Myths of Lyme Disease: Separating Fact from Fiction for Military Personnel,” JFQ 100 (1 st Quarter 2021)

Features Brent D. Sadler “Avoiding Great Power Phony Wars,” JFQ 102 (3 rd Quarter 2021)

Recall Frank G. Hoffman “Wartime Innovation and Learning,” JFQ 103 (4 th Quarter 2021)

Joint Doctrine Michael Clark, Erik Jorgensen, and Gordon M. Schriver “Read the Manual: Reversing the Trends of Failure in NATO Humanitarian Interventions with Airpower,” JFQ 103 (4 th Quarter 2021)

Distinguished Judges

Thirty-one senior faculty members from 18 participating PME institutions took time out of their busy schedules to serve as judges. Their personal dedication and professional excellence ensured a strong and credible competition.

• 10.00am - 5.30pm
• Chelsea, London

Announcing the Leadership Essay Prize winners

The Centre for Army Leadership (CAL) and the National Army Museum (NAM) proudly announce the winners of the Leadership Essay Prize 2024.

In the second year of the CAL X NAM Essay Prize, we asked for short essays exploring the theme of   Unsung Army Leaders .

The competition was open to everyone, military and civilian. We asked to hear unique perspectives, drawn from personal experiences of leadership, whether that was a leader in the entrant's own life or a historical role model.

Winners were given the opportunity to publish their work as an article in the NAM Muster magazine, as a NAM Research Paper, a CAL Occasional paper or a CAL Leadership Insight.

Essay prize results

Leadership essay prize 2024 (junior category).

Awards for the junior category were presented by Brigadier Justin Maciejewski (Retd), Director of the National Army Museum.

OCdt Luke Clark - 'Remembering Sir Dighton Macnaghten Probyn (1833-1924): The Quiet Power of Effective Leadership and His Relevance Today'

Luke is an Officer Cadet with Bristol University Training Corp. He is studying for MEng Engineering Mathematics at the University of Bristol and is in his second year. 

Miss Rebecca Jean Grant - 'Unsung Army Leaders: Royal Corps of Army Music: Heard but Not Seen'

Rebecca is serving with the Royal Corps of Army Music (RCAM). Rebecca completed her British Army basic training in 2023 and is currently studying the euphonium at the Royal Military School of Music. 

Leadership Essay Prize 2024 (Main Category)

Awards for the main category were presented by Major General Zac Stenning OBE, Commandant of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and Director of Leadership.

Second Runner-up 

Shahriar Sabet - 'Sir Percy Sykes: A Legacy of Unsung Leadership'

Shahriar holds a PhD in International Relations and an MA in Middle East Politics from Durham University and has focused academically and professionally on the Middle East.

First Runner-up 

Capt George Linfield-Brown - 'Navigating No Man’s Land: Female Doctors at War'

George is a doctor and commissioned officer in the Royal Army Medical Corp. He is currently undertaking postgraduate anaesthetics training at Joint Hospital Group South. In his spare time, George is an active member of the Army Medical Services polo team and is committed to increasing inclusion within the sport.

 2Lt Alec Cadzow - 'Man Cool: The Dale McCallum Leadership Story'

Alec is currently serving as a Platoon Commander in 1st Battalion, The Scots Guards. Outside of the Army, he is a keen writer, having several opinion articles published online.

Entry requirements

This category was open to writers aged 22 and over. Essays were no longer than 3,000 words, excluding notes and bibliography. Essays that exceeded the word limit were not accepted. Authors included a 200-word abstract and a short biographical note including their full name, rank/grade (if applicable), and basic information about their professional experience.

This category was open to young writers between the ages of 16 and 21. Essays were no longer than 2,000 words, excluding notes and bibliography. Essays that exceeded the word limit were not accepted. Authors included a short abstract and a biographical note with their full name, age at time of submission, and any other relevant information.

About the National Army Museum

Established in 1960 by Royal Charter, the National Army Museum is the United Kingdom’s leading authority on the history and traditions of the British Army. It explores the impact that soldiers from Britain, Ireland and the Commonwealth have had throughout the world, from the 17th century to the present day. Through its world-class collections, the Museum safeguards and shares the stories and values of ordinary people who have been called upon to bear extraordinary responsibilities on behalf of others.

About the Centre for Army Leadership

The Centre For Army Leadership (CAL) exists to champion leadership excellence. It is the guardian of the Army Leadership Doctrine and acts as the Army’s leadership conscience, calibrating thinking across multiple sectors and, through the CAL Research Institute, ensuring conceptual rigour.

Our persistent engagement seeks to stimulate debate, awareness and critical thinking. We are committed to the betterment of the Whole Army – all ranks, Regular and Reserve, and civil servants, through-life – and altruistically, of our wider society.

We are a small and highly dedicated team and we are based at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in Camberley.

Explore further

Press releases

Explore more stories from the National Army Museum's press release archive.

Sandhurst, officers and the role of history

The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst has trained the Army’s officers since 1802. For generations, its officer cadets have endeavoured to live up to the academy’s motto: ‘Serve to Lead’.

Explore the stories of our Army: its importance to the nation, its triumphs and disasters and, above all, the service of its soldiers.

Join the conversation

"First time @NAM_London today. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Thought the presentation & interpretation made the subject accessible..."

Sign up to the National Army Museum newsletter

Be the first to hear about our latest events, exhibitions and offers. Simply enter your email address below to start receiving our monthly email newsletter.

To find out more about how we collect, store and use your personal information, read our Privacy Policy .

• About the museum
• Get involved
• Donate online
• Birthday Parties
• Templer Study Centre
• Picture Library
• Museums liaison
• Museums training programme
• Regimental and Corps Museum networks
• Terms of use
• Privacy and cookies
• Accessibility

National Army Museum, Royal Hospital Road, London, SW3 4HT Registered Charity Number: 237902