Military Review

 

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Remembering our Veterans
 

Elevate Your Writing with the 2026 Special Topic

 
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This year’s theme:

“As the Transformation and Training Command, the Combined Arms Command, and Army University look to modernize professional military education (PME), what should their leaders consider?”

Learning from the current Ukraine conflict is certainly a worthwhile effort to prepare for large-scale combat operations (LSCO). The prolonged battle of Pokrovsk in Eastern Ukraine (July 2024 to present) offers a glimpse into the rapidly evolving character of war. Russia and Ukraine innovate daily and adapt their techniques with unforeseen speed. Air defense and electronic warfare have negated the historically significant effects of airpower. Drone technology has developed to not only present an array of lethal targeting options but also offer both sides total surveillance of the battle area, mitigating any attempt at maneuver. Drone advancements have also expanded logistics and medical evacuation operations. Finally, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in information gathering, targeting, and operational planning has changed the pace, efficiency, and effectiveness of military planning and decision-making. The conflict has certainly driven the Ukrainians and Russians to accelerate the pace of learning.

Considering these advances, the U.S. Army is already exploring how to “learn at Ukrainian speed” and assessing the implications for leader development, doctrine development, and the professional military education (PME) system. To what degree, however, should the Ukrainian conflict impact U.S. Army leader and doctrine development? Does Ukraine’s accelerated pace of innovation foreshadow what every army will face in future conflict? Must the U.S. Army replicate Ukraine’s system for rapidly learning and disseminating lessons?

This year’s DePuy Writing Competition focuses on how the U.S. Army should respond to the changing character of war, adapt its learning systems, and optimize its education approach, all with the goal of enhancing professional development and preparing to win the next conflict. However, for the U.S. Army, the more consequential endeavor is to adapt how it learns in light of such lessons learned from Ukraine and other ongoing conflicts.

 

A list of suggested topics for examination is provided below. However, the list is not exclusive, and manuscripts identifying and analyzing other salient topics are encouraged.

  • How must the U.S. Army change the way it gathers and shares lessons? In what ways should it modernize and operationalize real-time learning at scale?
  • How should the U.S. Army modernize its doctrine development process to address the pace of adaptation in future conflict?
  • In what ways can the U.S. Army improve the current PME system to prepare leaders for future LSCO conflict? And how should the U.S. Army modify PME to address the changing character of war?
  • How might the U.S. Army improve the NCO Education System, balancing technological innovations with the strengths of traditional NCO leadership?
  • On the battlefield and in the classroom, how should the U.S. Army use AI to augment the military decision-making process? What changes to operational planning are needed?
  • What risks come with integrating AI into planning, targeting, and decision-making? How might leaders prudently approach AI integration?
  • How might leaders retain the human element of military leadership considering the increasing focus on technology, data, and AI?
  • In what ways can the U.S. Army leverage civilian academic institutions to modernize PME?
  • What other lessons must the U.S. Army learn from the Ukraine conflict (and conflicts like it) that should inform the service in preparing its leaders for LSCO?
 

How do I enter?

  • Prepare an unclassified, original research paper examining in detail some dimension of the overall theme. Papers should be 5,000 to 6,000 words in length, not counting endnotes. Requested text and source note formatting are detailed in Military Review’s Article Submission Guide at (https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Journals/Military-Review/MR-Article-Submission-Guide/). However, a few key formatting essentials are highlighted here:
  • Formatting Style
  • Submit your work in a Word document. Text should be double-spaced in Times New Roman, 12-point font.
  • Identify citations in text with sequential superscripted Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3 …). Do not use Roman numerals or letters; only use one note per sentence placed at the end of the sentence. DO NOT submit an article with automated notes.
  • Consult the Chicago Manual of Style for headings and subheadings; do not use outline style.
  • Source Notes: Use the Chicago Manual of Style to properly format endnotes. Endnotes must be hand typed (not automated) in numerical order as referenced in the essay and listed at the end of the submitted document.
  • Biographies: Each manuscript should include a short biography of each byline contributor to the article.
  • All entries should be submitted using the sample format found at the following link: https://armyupress.army.afpims.mil/Portals/7/military-review/Archives/English/DePuy/2026/DePuy%20Example.pdf.
  • Complete an enrollment form (https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Portals/7/military-review/Archives/English/DePuy/2026/Enclosure2-DePuy-UA.pdf) and submit it together with the proposed manuscript via email by 30 May 2026 to https://webmail.apps.mil/mail/usarmy.leavenworth.tradoc.mbx.armyu-aup-military-review-public@army.mil/.

    • Other considerations

  • Previously published papers or papers pending consideration elsewhere for publication are ineligible.
  • Papers submitted to other competitions still pending announced decisions are also ineligible.
  • While the use of AI when developing papers is not forbidden, authors should use it judiciously and sparingly. Authors must document their use of AI including the tool used, its purpose, and the extent to which it influenced their work. All sources, facts, and citations must be true and accurate, and authors take sole responsibility for validating all AI-generated information. The review panel will disqualify manuscripts when the members cannot verify the sources cited, or when there is credible evidence that AI has significantly enhanced the author’s writing (e.g., generating content for the author).

    • How will papers be judged?

    Articles will be compared and judged by a panel of senior Army leaders on how well authors adhere to the spirit of the theme; clearly identify and discuss issues with conclusions that offer concrete, detailed, and feasible solutions to issues identified; display a high level of expository skill in developing a well-organized article using professional standards of grammar, usage, critical thinking, original insights; and, provide evidence of thorough scholarly research as depicted in the sources provided. See https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Portals/7/military-review/DePuy/Enclosure1-DePuy-UA.pdf for the general criteria used in evaluating papers.

 

What do winning writers receive?

First Place Second Place Third Place
Award of $1,000 Award of $750 Award of $500
Certificate of recognition Certificate of recognition Certificate of recognition
Publication as a featured essay in Military Review, the professional journal of the United States Army. Special consideration for publication in Military Review. Special consideration for publication in Military Review.
Not all prizes will necessarily be awarded; only superior quality products will warrant award.

This writing contest is provided in partnership with AUSA.

 

Questions?

Direct questions to the managing editor of Military Review at +1 (520) 669-4003; or via email to usarmy.leavenworth.tradoc.mbx.armyu-aup-military-review-public@army.mil.

 

Combined Arms Center 2025 General William E. DePuy Special Topics Writing Competition Winners.