Battle for the Heart and Soul of USNI
Several of us at Small Wars Journal are card carrying members of the U.S. Naval Institute. For those of you who might ask why the current bru-ha-ha concerning the proposed changes in USNI’s mission statement I’ll quote the following e-mail that just arrived in my in-box:
I am not sure how aware you are of the USNI battle over its fundamental mission, its soul if you will, but it may not seem like something of much concern to the SWJ audience. Nothing could be further from the truth. The numbers of insurgency and COIN related article published in both Proceedings and Naval History Magazine are rather phenomenal and the entire public forum is diminished when we lose another independent public entity, especially one as well regarded at the USNI. One might even forecast that the means used to conduct the coup d’etat from within by these folks at USNI could conceivably be similar to actions that might be taken to undermine the independence of any other public service publication or electronic journal – including yours. “It could never happen here” was probably on the lips of many at USNI and among the membership just short years ago, I am sure.
Here is the current USNI mission statement:
“The Mission of the Institute is to provide an independent forum for those who dare to read, think, speak, and write in order to advance the professional, literary, and scientific understanding of sea power and other issues critical to national defense.”
Here is the proposed change:
“THE UNITED STATES NAVAL INSTITUTE IS AN INDEPENDENT FORUM ADVOCATING THE NECESSITY OF GLOBAL SEA POWER FOR NATIONAL SECURITY AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY.”
Even this simple minded Marine understands the difference between independence and advocacy. Once you become an advocate for a particular service don’t knock at my door expecting sympathy. USNI is heads and tails above similar institutions associated with the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force. Why? USNI does not mouth the party line — and for that reason alone – the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard have benefited greatly over the years by USNI’s INDEPENDENCE.
On the 2011 annual ballot the Board of Directors has recommended “an historic change to the Mission of the Naval Institute to ‘advocating the necessity of global seapower.'” I am voting no to the proposed change and I encourage other USNI members to do the same. I’ll not regurgitate what those much smarter than me have said about this issue – here are several links – and from there – you’ll find more.
Information Dissemination — Almost real-time coverage of the debate and issues by Raymond Pritchard and crew.
The Crazy Plan to Change the Longtime Mission of the U.S. Naval Institute – CAPT John Byron (USN, Ret.) at Foreign Policy’s Best Defense.
Open Letter to the Board of the United States Naval Institute by John Byron – At Information Dissemination.
CDR Salamander – More near-real-time coverage of the issue.
The United States Naval Institute and the Junior Officer – By SWJ friend and author LCDR Benjamin “BJ” Armstrong at CDR Salamander.
Add additional links in the comment section below – thanks much – Dave D.
