Call for Submissions: Tell us how writing helps you

How has professional writing helped you? We’re interested in your personal experiences.

Professional writing impacts the Army directly, conceptually, and broadly. Direct impact stories are the most satisfying. Because of writing, the Ukrainian army better understood the combined arms breach and the Marine Corps increased the lethality of their marksmanship program. Writing also benefits Army concepts, honing them over time. Multi-domain battle became multi-domain operations became FM 3-0 over about six years and dozens of articles. Many more articles have a broad but less measurable impact. GEN George mentions how he read “Training Management Tips” in a 1993 issue of Infantry that helped him realize the importance of training management. If 100 companies were better run as a result of that article, it would certainly have a large impact on time and other resources.

These impacts are real and important. But how has professional writing in the Army’s journals benefited you, your unit, or the broader Army? Did you learn a crucial lesson? Spark a policy change? Strengthen a network? Inspire a different way of thinking?

Help us capture real-world anecdotes that illustrate or expand on the “functions” of professional writing. By sharing, you will help us share why writing and publishing matter in the Army.

Your Mission

Submit a short anecdote that describes the concrete impact professional writing had on you, your unit, or your mission. Your story might highlight top-down communication, sharing ideas or lessons laterally, circulating ideas that might otherwise not reach top-level leaders, inspiration from the past, or how improved critical thinking or writing helped you.

Submission Guidelines

• Word Limit: 800 words or less.

• Suspense: Submit by 8 May 2025.

• Focus: Your submission should be a single, clear story of how professional writing helped you, your unit, or your mission.

• Format:

  • Please submit your anecdote in a Word document (.docx).

  • At the top of the document, include your name, rank (if applicable), and preferred email address.

• Where to Submit:

  • Send your entry via this link.

  • If the link does not work for you, email your submission to submissions@hardingproject.com with the subject line: “Professional Writing Impact Competition.”

• Participants: Open to all, including soldiers, Army civilians, and other stakeholders in professional military discourse.

Evaluation Criteria

1. Clarity & Relevance: Does your anecdote clearly explain how professional writing was used and why it mattered?

2. Impact: Does your story demonstrate a tangible benefit—for individuals, units, or the Army at large?

3. Specificity: Is your example detailed enough that others could learn from or replicate its success?

4. Originality: We want real-life anecdotes that haven’t been widely shared or published before.

Awards & Recognition

• The top three anecdotes will receive a star note from the Chief of Staff of the Army, be published on the Harding Project Substack, and be invited to discuss their story with the Harding Project team.

• All submissions will contribute to a growing archive of “success stories” showcasing the power of professional writing. By participating, you’ll help strengthen and expand the Army’s professional writing culture!