Marine Corps Gazette Irregular Warfare Essay Contest

Marine Corps Gazette Irregular Warfare Essay Contest

Deadline: September 30

Eligibility: The contest is open to all Marines on active duty, members of the Marine Corps Reserve, and all other interested authors.

Background: 

The Marine Corps Gazette is pleased to solicit essays in consideration of the first Kiser Family Irregular Warfare Essay Contest. This writing award will recognize innovative and operational focused essays that answer the following question: How should the Marine Corps best prepare for irregular warfare in the future operational environment?

Historically, the Marine Corps had demonstrated the ability to conduct bottom-up, tactical adaptation in order to address irregular challenges. However, the staying power of these innovations remains elusive. In an effort to achieve a balanced and viable institutional orientation toward the timeless principles essential to success in irregular warfare, this contest will seek to promote thought and discussion of proposed practical, actionable ideas that will contribute to Marine Corps success in the conduct of irregular warfare in the future operating environment.

Irregular warfare is defined by the DOD as: “A violent struggle among state and non-state actors for legitimacy and influence over the relevant population(s).” The first 15 years of warfare in the 21st century have been characterized by irregular warfare. Examples include: Operation Restore Hope, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom among others. Although irregular warfare is commonly associated with counterinsurgency, there is potential for irregular warfare to occur in almost any area of operations. The lack of state legitimacy, or their inability to provide stability and services will tend to make the relevant population a perpetual wild-card and a variable that cannot be ignored during mission planning and execution.

Irregular warfare will continue to endure as a type of conflict Marines must be prepared to fight. Just as every Marine is a rifleman, every Marine must understand how to operate in a contingency. Prospective entrants should write to the irregular warfare capability gaps that currently exist in terms of guidance, training, education, personnel, materiel, and processes. Authors should identify the changes required for the force to fully adjust to the 21st century operational environment while maintaining our Marine ethos and traditions.

Theme: 

The theme for the 2016 essay contest is: How does the Marine Corps train, equip, and organize individuals and units to build partnerships given the inherent challenges of a distributed operating environment and resource constraints? How can the Marine Corps maintain a persistent presence and support a long-term investment in a partner force?

Prizes:

First Place: $3,000 and an engraved plaque

Second Place: $1,500 and an engraved plaque

Two Honorable Mentions: $500 and an engraved plaque

* All entries are eligible for publication.

Instructions: 

• A cover page should be included identifying the manuscript as a Kiser Family Irregular Warfare Essay Contest entry. 
• The cover should include the title of the essay and the author’s name and contact information.
• The author’s name appears on the cover page only.
• Repeat the title on the first page of the essay.
• The Gazette Editorial Advisory Panel and a representative from CAOCL will judge the contest and notify all entrants as to the results.
• Multiple entries are allowed; however, only one entry per author will receive an award.
• Electronically submitted entries are preferred:

​Attach the entry as a file and send to [email protected]. 

or

Mail entries to:

Marine Corps Gazette

Box 1775 Quantico, VA

22134

Funding for the Kiser Family Irregular Warfare Essay Contest is provided by the William & Mary Greve Foundation.