Application Window Open for Three-Year Harding Fellowship Program

FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kan. –

The Army is accepting applications for a highly competitive, three-year broadening opportunity aimed at connecting tactical leaders with strategic military communication. Active-duty captains, master sergeants, and chief warrant officers 4 have until Aug. 15 to apply.

“From foundational skills like copy editing and visual creation, to the nuances of strategic communications, the Fellows can expect to learn a challenging array of practical knowledge,” said Maj. Rose Horswill, director of the Harding Project. “They will be prepared to serve as military editors in chief of their respective branch journals, and to directly influence the professional dialogue.”

While civilian staff provide vital continuity, rotating military editors keep the Army’s professional journals aligned with the tactical force. These commissioned and noncommissioned officers bring fresh, operational experience to the publications before returning to their units, ensuring the journals reflect modern realities while spreading institutional knowledge back into the ranks.

“As the Army continues to transition its force and warfighting tactics, techniques, and procedures, the Fellowship has allowed me to digest important feedback from units and Soldiers, with the hope that I can effectively convey their messages to other units in a timely manner, further sparking healthy professional discourse and change,” said Capt. Tommy Souimaniphanh, editor in chief of the Military Intelligence Professional Bulletin.

By working directly for their branch commandant, Fellows are positioned to positively impact the trajectory of their respective branch journal and strengthen the Army profession while also benefiting professionally.

“The Fellowship offered me a unique opportunity to communicate directly with decision-makers and soldiers seeking to introduce new ideas for current and future changes in this profession,” Souimaniphanh stated. “Not only has this opportunity allowed me to meet people within my branch, but it has also connected me with scholars, veterans, and industry leaders who share the same goal of improving the profession.”

About the Fellowship Selected fellows begin with a fully funded year of in-residence graduate study at KU’s William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications, where they will earn a Master of Science degree. Following graduation, fellows serve a 24-month utilization tour at their respective Center of Excellence as the full-time editor-in-chief of their branch’s professional journal. The program carries forward the legacy of Maj. Gen. Edwin “Forrest” Harding, who revitalized the Infantry Journal during the interwar years. Today’s fellows are tasked with ensuring Army publications remain relevant, accessible and grounded in the needs of the force before returning to the field.

Read about eligibility, service obligation, and more here.