InterAgency Journal Call for Papers (10/30/26)
The Simons Center for Ethical Leadership and Interagency Cooperation announces a call for papers for the InterAgency Journal, to be published in Fall of 2026. The Fall 2026 InterAgency Journal will examine the interagency and ethical leadership dimensions of the conflict with Iran. From the June 2025 strikes of Operation Midnight Hammer through the February 2026 launch of Operation Epic Fury and the fragile ceasefire negotiations that followed, the Iran conflict has tested the full architecture of U.S. whole-of-government decision-making and logistical preparedness. How did — and how should — the Departments of Defense, State, Treasury, and the Intelligence Community be prepared and coordinate under conditions of rapid escalation? What does the record reveal about the ethical responsibilities of senior leaders when strategic objectives remain shifting? How should the interagency manage the tension between military advantage and the requirements of international law and legitimate authority?
The deadline for submissions is Friday, October 30, 2026.
– Submit an unclassified, original paper examining any aspect—broad or specific—applicable to ethical leadership or interagency cooperation. Papers should be between 3,500 and 5,000 words in length.
Call for Papers InterAgency Journal — Fall 2026
Arthur D. Simons Center for Ethical Leadership and Interagency Cooperation
Command and General Staff College Foundation, Inc.
100 Stimson Ave., Suite 114 | Fort Leavenworth, Kansas 66027
www.TheSimonsCenter.org | [email protected]
FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (July 10, 2026). The Fall 2026 InterAgency Journal will examine the interagency and ethical leadership dimensions of the conflict with Iran. From the June 2025 strikes of Operation Midnight Hammer through the February 2026 launch of Operation Epic Fury and the fragile ceasefire negotiations that followed, the Iran conflict has tested the full architecture of U.S. whole-of-government decision-making and logistical preparedness. How did — and how should — the Departments of Defense, State, Treasury, and the Intelligence Community be prepared and coordinate under conditions of rapid escalation? What does the record reveal about the ethical responsibilities of senior leaders when strategic objectives remain shifting? How should the interagency manage the tension between military advantage and the requirements of international law and legitimate authority?
The Simons Center will accept for review all papers with relevance to our readership. For this issue, we specifically invite submissions analyzing the interagency and ethical leadership dimensions of the Iran conflict. Topics of particular interest include, but are not limited to:
Whole-of-government decision-making — How did coordination among Defense, State, Intelligence, and Treasury shape operations, and where did it succeed or fall short?
• Civilian control and military advice — What do the Iran operations reveal about civil-military relationships in high-stakes decisions, and what ethical obligations attend military counsel?
• Alliance management and coalition legitimacy — How did proceeding in Iran without advance NATO consultation affect coalition cohesion and future interagency alliance governance?
• Strategic communication and information operations — What ethical and operational tensions arose between transparency, operational security, and public accountability?
• Legal and ethical frameworks for the use of force — How should leaders navigate competing obligations under domestic law, international law, and professional ethics?
• Logistics and Sustainment — What implications has this conflict brought to light – not for only for CENTCOM but for INCOPACOM and other global regions – for how the interagency manages prepositioned stocks, identifies and secures alternative expeditionary landing spots, and safeguards vital, vulnerable distribution networks for ammunition, weapons systems, food and water?
• Regional partner management — What does the U.S. experience managing Gulf partners and regional mediators suggest about designing future partner engagement frameworks?
Of special interest are submissions that offer analytical frameworks, practical recommendations, and lessons applicable to military and government professionals at the strategic and operational level
The Simons Center is also seeking book reviews on published works pertinent to the ethical leadership and interagency community. Book reviews are typically 500 to 1,000 words in length and should include an image of the book cover as a separate file in its original file format.
The Simons Center For Ethical Leadership And Interagency Cooperation
The Simons Center is committed to the development of ethical leaders with interagency operational skills and an interagency body of knowledge that facilitates broader and more effective cooperation and policy implementation. As a research, analysis, studies, and publication center, the Simons Center is focused on the interagency aspects of national security; counterterrorism; stability and reconstruction operations; homeland defense and security; and disaster preparation and response.
The Command and General Staff College (CGSC) educates, trains, and develops leaders for Unified Land Operations in a Joint, Interagency, Intergovernmental, and Multinational operational environment. The Simons Center is a fully-funded program of the CGSC Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) tax exempt nonprofit corporation. Donations through CGSC help us fulfill our mission to develop interagency leaders and an interagency body of knowledge.
