Writing Your Way to an MQ
How publishing elevates Army NCOs
Quick Harding Project Note: If your unit wants us to come out for a writing workshop, reach out! We’re planning our outreach for 2026 and will be visiting most installations. Make sure you’re tied into our operations, and we’d love to see you at some events.
Like many NCOs, I didn’t grow up reading or writing much in my previous Army jobs. Here’s how I learned about the value in professional writing and the Army’s journals.
This story goes back a few years. While in the Senior Leader Course, my instructor saw some competitive drive in me and suggested that I try to win the Army Sustainment University President’s Writing Competition and get published in Army Sustainment. I wrote an article on 3D printing, something I knew a lot about, won the competition, got published, and earned Distinguished Honor Graduate.
This is how I learned that writing makes a difference, both for the Army and in careers. Shortly after publishing the article, the Chief of Staff of the Army recognized it as an article of the month. That snowballed into an invite to attend the Harding Project workshop. From there, I was offered a job as Harding Project Deputy Director, working at the Pentagon for the Chief of Staff of the Army.
My story sounds a little unbelievable, but all signs point to the impact of writing: HRC’s Board Guidance favors professional writing related accomplishments, strong bullets generated from your work strengthen your NCOERs, and writing builds your personal network—improving the Army and your career.
HRC’s Board Guidance
Army HRC’s board guidance explicitly states that publishing professional writing in Army journals, such as the NCO Journal, Military Review, or Army Sustainment, etc., is a recognized indicator of excellence, and “Most Qualified” criteria. This places professional publication alongside other high-impact achievements like earning advanced degrees or broadening assignments.
Pen Writing-Related NCOER Bullets
At writing workshops, I often show NCOs how to generate bullets related to their writing. Articles reach much further than your unit, informing change through the entire Army. Here are some ways to capture your publishing achievement:
· Intellect: Publishing demonstrates critical thinking, doctrinal fluency, and the ability to analyze complex problems. A bullet like “Authored article on tactical leadership published in NCO Journal, which was recognized by HQDA,” directly supports this competency.
· Leads: Sharing leadership lessons or command climate insights through writing shows that you influence beyond your immediate team. It reflects initiative and mentorship. Something like “Led an article-based LPD at the brigade, mentoring 200 Soldiers on 3D printing in the Army” demonstrates the ability to influence outside of your immediate environment. This one doesn’t even require publishing!
· Develops: Writing that educates junior Soldiers or contributes to professional military education showcases your role in developing others. Think: “Published logistics guide for junior NCOs in Army Sustainment, reaching 40,000 readers.”
· Achieves: Completing a peer-reviewed article or contributing to a professional publication is a tangible accomplishment. Consider: “Published a peer-reviewed article in Military Review, informing FM 3-0 and assisting Army senior leaders.”
Becoming a Known Quantity
Publishing gives you a voice in the broader Army conversation. It connects you with leaders, thinkers, and institutions that shape doctrine and policy. It also builds your professional brand, something promotion boards increasingly recognize.
Whether you’re writing about logistics innovations, leadership challenges, or lessons learned from deployment, your words can influence Soldiers you’ve never met. That’s impact. And impact gets noticed.
The Bottom Line
Publish because you’re committed to our profession. Publish because we all have something to say to improve our units or the Army. But if that doesn’t work, then we want you to write to win. That’s what I did at first, and it turned me into a believer. Don’t just write anything, write something that makes a difference. If you don’t know where to start, check out these how-to’s, attend a workshop, or just send me an email.