The Challenge

The Sea Services have a rich history. There is much to be learned from history on multiple fronts—people, battles, strategy, tactics, leadership, values, traditions. While the CNO invites you to write on a naval historical topic of your choice, your essay should relate in some way to establishing and maintaining maritime superiority in today’s environment. The essay should provide your readers with a lesson learned from history that can be applied to today.

Prizes

(Two categories)

Professional Historians

U.S. and international professional historians (historian jobs including history museum curators, history teachers/professors, PhDs, published history authors).

$5,000 — First Prize

$2,500 — Second Prize

$1,500 — Third Prize

Rising Historians

U.S. Sea Service-wide active, reserve, retired, and civilians not included in above.

$5,000 — First Prize

$2,500 — Second Prize

$1,500 — Third Prize

All winners will be recognized by the CNO at the plenary session of the McMullen Naval History Symposium, U.S. Naval Academy, September 2017. First Prize Winners will be published in Naval History magazine and online with the Naval History and Heritage Command. Other essays may be published in Naval History or Proceedings or online by the Naval History and Heritage Command.

Judging

This contest is judged in the blind. The Judging Committee will be comprised of senior staff from the U.S. Naval Institute, U.S. Naval Academy, Naval War College, Naval History and Heritage Command, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, and one distinguished naval historian from outside the Navy.

Submission Guidelines:

  • Word count: 3,500 words maximum (excludes footnotes/endnotes/sources)
  • Email essays to [email protected] by 30 June 2017
  • Include CNO Naval History Essay Contest on subject line of email
  • Include word count on title page of essay but do not include your name on title page or within essay
  • Provide separate attachment to include biography and complete contact information— i.e., work, home, and cell phone numbers; and home mailing address

Note

Your essay must be original, not been previously published (online or in print) or being considered for publication elsewhere.

Deadline:

30 June 2017

Selected Submissions

CATEGORY
PRIZE
TITLE
NAME
Professional Historian
First Prize
Lieutenant Commander Joel Holwitt, U.S. Navy
Professional Historian
Second Prize
Trent Hone
Professional Historian
Third Prize
Ryan Wadle
Rising Historian
First Prize
Lieutenant John Miller, U.S. Navy
Rising Historian
Second Prize
Lieutenant Colonel James W. Hammond III, U.S. Marine Corps (Retired)
Rising Historian
Third Prize
Lieutenant (junior grade) Daniel Stefanus, U.S. Navy
Sponsored with
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Previous Winners

2020 CNO Naval History Essay Contest Supported by General Dynamics

CATEGORY
PRIZE
TITLE
NAME
Professional Historian
Winner
Commander Joel Holwitt, U.S. Navy
Rising Historian
First Prize
First Lieutenant James Winnefeld, U.S. Marine Corps
Rising Historian
Second Prize
Lieutenant George Hageman, U.S. Navy
Rising Historian
Third Prize
Lieutenant Commander Andrew Rucker, U.S. Navy

2019 CNO Naval History Essay Contest Sponsored with General Dynamics

CATEGORY
PRIZE
TITLE
NAME
Professional Historian
First Prize
Commander Joel Holwitt, U.S. Navy
Professional Historian
Second Prize
Salvatore R. Mercogliano
Professional Historian
Third Prize
Commander Joel Holwitt, U.S. Navy
Rising Historian
First Prize
Lieutenant Commander Jeff Vandenengel, U.S. Navy
Rising Historian
Second Prize
Lieutenant Commander Ryan P. Hilger, U.S. Navy
Rising Historian
Third Prize
Lieutenant Philip D. Mayer, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy

2018 CNO Naval Hisory Essay Contest Sponsored with General Dynamics

CATEGORY
PRIZE
TITLE
NAME
Professional Historian
First Prize
Rear Admiral James Goldrick, Royal Australian Navy (Retired)
Professional Historian
Second Prize
Commander Joel Holwitt, U.S. Navy
Professional Historian
Third Prize
Lieutenant Colonel Frank G. Hoffman, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve (Retired)
Rising Historian
First Prize
Lieutenant Robert E. Swain III, U.S. Navy
Rising Historian
Second Prize
Vice Admiral James R. Fitzgerald and Rear Admiral Richard F. Pittenger, U.S. Navy (Retired)
Rising Historian
Third Prize
Achieving Dominance in the Cyber Domain: Lessons from Rickover’s Development of the Nuclear Navy
Lieutenant G. Creigh Greensmith, U.S. Navy