For this 12 months’s contest, 117 essays have been submitted — 67 within the Rising Historian class, 13 within the Skilled class, and 37 within the Midshipmen/Cadet Historian class.
The CNO Naval Historical past Essay Contest originated in 2017 started underneath then CNO Adm. John Richardson to additional understanding of how classes from historical past can inform the Navy’s manner forward. The aim of the competition is to leverage the information and creativity of present and former uniformed and civilian members of the U.S. maritime companies, the Service provider Marines, {and professional} historians to broaden and deepen the Navy’s warfighting information by making use of classes from historical past to assist guarantee maritime superiority in an period of nice energy competitors.
“Our Navy’s story is ever-growing, and our fleet’s legacy shines vibrant. This endeavor is personally vital to me,” mentioned Kacher who can also be the creator of a number of Naval Institute Press books. “I’m a Sailor by commerce, however my writing life – which is a vocation – began with a contest just like this. That was the gateway for me to discover, assume, be taught and write. And I couldn’t be extra grateful for this custom that we’ve – began almost a century in the past – that also offers a venue to have fun unbiased thought. I need to reward all of the contestants for having the braveness to put in writing and submit an essay. All of the members confronted the author’s best adversary – the clean web page … Your submissions and efforts have super worth to the fleet. We could not be capable of predict the longer term. We don’t know what competitors or battle tomorrow could carry, however the rigorous examine and reflection can guarantee we’re higher ready for no matter challenges stay forward.”
Earlier years of the competitors had solely two classes: Skilled and Rising. This 12 months’s contest expanded the competitors to incorporate a Scholar Historian class.
Award recipients have been as follows:
Skilled Historian award recipients
- First place: Mr. Andrew Blackley; “A Double-Edged Sword: The Legacy Bases of the Central Pacific,” Impartial scholar and 2nd place Skilled Historian class recipient in 2022
- Second place: Cmdr. Jeff Vandenengel, “Combating Sail and Submarines”
Blackley’s first-place Skilled Historian Class essay inspired leaders to think about the forward-looking strategic dilemma Adm. Chester Nimitz’ provided in 1944 concerning remaining WWII-constructed island bases and airfields within the Pacific Theater. The legacy bases of the Central Pacific, whereas supporting defensive and offensive help that gave america the benefit in the course of the Second World Struggle, additionally present a method for forces to maneuver in both path and the potential for new aggressors to using them to claim dominance within the Indo-Pacific space.
Rising Historian award recipients
- First Place: (co-authors) Maj. Ryan Ratcliffe, U.S. Marine Corps, and Dr. Douglas Bryant; “Studying from Historical past within the Making: Combining Classes from Ukraine and Naval Historical past to Attain Maritime Superiority”
- Second Place: Cmdr. Richard O. Morgan, U.S. Naval Reserve; “Disruptive Applied sciences and Nice Energy Battle: The Maritime Propeller Case Examine”
- Third Place: Lt. Vince Kindfuller, U.S. Navy; “Rekindling Innovation in Naval Workout routines: Classes from the Interwar Fleet Issues, 1923-1940”
Within the Rising Historian Class, Ratcliffe’s first-place entry assesses present and historic conflicts as an instance whereas deterrence ought to stay a core tenet of the nationwide protection technique, investing in warfighting capabilities that cement our tactical benefit – notably within the maritime area – should take priority.
Midshipmen/Cadet Historian award recipients
- First Place: Midshipman 1/C Liam Nawara, U.S. Naval Academy; “Classes for a Wartime U.S. Navy: STUFT Vessels within the Falklands Struggle”
- Second Place: Midshipman 1/C Nels J. Waaraniemi, U.S. Naval Academy; “The Invasion that By no means Was: Operation Causeway and its Classes”
- Third Place: Midshipman 3/C Pierre S. Briand, College of Southern California, NROTC; “Rivalry and Confusion at Leyte: Classes for Sea Management within the Pacific”
Nawara’s profitable Scholar Historian Class essay seems at how the Royal Navy needed to depend upon transformed business “ships take up from commerce (STUFT)” vessels for navy use in 1982 after divesting their warfare belongings the earlier 12 months. Nawara suggests the U.S. Navy may face the same functionality hole in future conflicts, and analyzes the British use of those vessels to supply challenges and success the U.S. would possibly face endeavor a business vessel conversion program.
Naval Historical past and Heritage Command (NHHC) manages the annual essay contest on behalf of the CNO, supported by the U.S. Naval Institute – which has been operating essay contests since 1878.
“Historical past just isn’t a group of nostalgia to be pulled out for anniversaries. Historical past in its true kind is the systematic examine and documentation of a previous to tell a future. Because the U.S. Navy’s institutional reminiscence, Naval Historical past and Heritage Command frequently strives to protect and current an correct historical past of the U.S. Navy, sharing hard-won historic classes in help of present operations,” mentioned NHHC Director Samuel Cox. “We take our mission significantly, and these annual essay awards are only one manner we invite others to affix us in that endeavor. The essays authored by this 12 months’s award recipients are various, insightful, historic views meant to affect and enhance future operations.”
All profitable essays might be revealed in USNI’s Proceedings or Naval Historical past in 2024. Following publication, essays might be obtainable (together with extra data on the CNO Naval Essay Contest) at https://www.historical past.navy.mil/get-involved/essay-contest.html.
