2026 General Prize Essay Contest | U.S. Naval Institute (10/31/26)

The Challenge

The Sea Services are rethinking how to address strategic, operational, and tactical challenges and the way in which they will fight.

Essays may address any topic that bears on the missions or capabilities of the Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard. Some issues to consider could include:

• How are new technologies, including robotic and autonomous systems, AI, and directed energy weapons, changing the character of war and how can the Sea Services adapt faster than adversaries?
• How can the Sea Services quickly and more affordably develop, procure, and field needed capabilities?
• How can the United States and its allies deter China and/or Russia from coercive action?
• What should the U.S. nuclear posture and strategy be to deter competitors along the continuum of conflict?
• What reforms in education and training would advance the services?

Submission Guidelines

• Open to all contributors — active-duty military, reservists, veterans, and civilians.
• Essays must be no more than 3,000 words, excluding footnotes, endnotes, and sources. Include word count on title page of the essay.
• Essays are judged in the blind. Do not include author name(s) on title page or within essay.
• Submit essay as a Word document at www.usni.org/genessay no later than 31 October 2026.
• Essays must be original and not published (online or print) or being considered for publication elsewhere.

First Prize: $6,000

Second Prize: $3,000

Third Prize: $2,000

Selection Process

Proceedings staff members will evaluate every essay and screen the top essays to the Naval Institute’s Editorial Board composed of serving Sea Service professionals.

Announcement of the Winners

The winning essays will be published in Proceedings and on the Naval Institute website. The winners will be recognized at a future Naval Institute event.