Naval Intelligence Essay Contest

The NIP Essay Contest is conducted in cooperation with the United States Naval Institute (USNI). Rules and deadlines are promulgated through an ALLNIP email and published on both the NIP and USNI websites during the March/April timeframe. Entries are due by the end of July. Winners are usually announced in early September.

Each year NIP will identify a theme pertaining to maritime intelligence or intelligence support to naval forces. Any author (officer, enlisted, military or civilian, foreign or domestic) is eligible to enter with an original composition related to the annual theme.

The Challenge

Peace through strength is the order of the day. Naval power is and will remain a key part of the nation’s military strength, but the operational
environment, technologies, and force structure are changing rapidly. This year’s naval intelligence essay contest invites you to take a fix
and then propose a course for naval intelligence to adapt, inform, and shape the Navy and nation. Potential topics include:

  • What must naval intelligence do to achieve, in the words of the former CNO, “readiness for the possibility of war with the People’s
    Republic of China by 2027”?
  • How much of naval intelligence will be replaced with artificial intelligence, and what parts must endure?
  • What are the unique intelligence requirements of naval forces employing swarms, autonomy, and attritable mass—and how
    should naval intelligence adapt?
  • What lessons should naval intelligence take from ongoing combat in the Red Sea?
  • What is the health of naval intelligence in the U.S. Navy—both as a discipline and a community?

Entries for the 2025 Essay Contest are due 31 July 2025!

The following prizes will be awarded:

1st Place: $5,000 cash prize,  a 1-year membership to NIP and USNI. Additionally, the first place essay will be published in USNI’s Proceedings.
2nd Place: $2,500 case prize, a 1-year membership to both NIP and USNI
3rd Place: $1,500 cash prize, a 1-year membership to both NIP and USNI 

Contest Status:

OPEN

Entries Due:

July 31
Congratulations to the 2024 Essay Contest Winners!

First Prize: “A Modernized Van Riper Plan: Filling Emerging Gaps in Marine Intelligence” by Major Jake Yeager, USMC

Second Prize: “The Battle of Midway: Five Intelligence Takeaways for Today” by Dr. James Wirtz

Third Prize: “Smart Ports – Maritime Intelligence’s Blind Spot” by Lieutenant Commanders Andrew Ray and Collin Gruin, USCG

Awardees 

2023

1st Prize: "Preparing Intelligence Officers for the Undersea Fight" By Lieutenant Commander Andrew Kramer, USN, Lieutenant Corey Grey, USN, and Lieutenant Commander Larry Green, USNR

2nd Prize: "Lessons from an Intelligence Officer on Ukraine's Front-Line" By Mr. Austin Gray

3rd Prize: "Special Delivery: Building Better Intelligence Support for Logistics" By Major William S. (Stone) Holden, USMC

2022

1st Prize: "Alone and Afraid: Revitalizing the Enlisted Ship’s Intelligence Officer" (NIEC #11-22) By Chief Petty Officer John Minor, USN

2nd Prize: "Navy and Marine Corps Intelligence Integration Through Force Design 2030" (NIEC #21-22) By Captain Robert Holmes, USMC

3rd Prize: "Lesson from Ukraine: Assessing Capability is More than Just Counting Guns" (NIEC #17-22) By Robert McKeown

2021
2020

1st Prize: CDR Christopher Nelson, USN and Andrew Rhodes: “Strike A Balance: Embrace Analog Tools in a Digital Intelligence Profession” (Reprinted from Proceedings with permission; Copyright © 2020 U.S. Naval Institute/www.usni.org.)
2nd Prize: Maj Brian Kerg, USMC: “Naval Intelligence for Maritime COIN”
3rd Prize: LT Sean Margot, USN and LCDR Tyson Meadors, USN: “HC SVNT DRACONES — There Be Dragons” 

2019

1st Prize: Commander J. Michael Dahm, USN (Ret)
2nd Prize: Commander Christopher Nelson, USN and Eric Pedersen
3rd Prize: LT Commander James Landreth, USN

2018

1st Prize: 1LT Christian Helmer Heller, USMC - “Rethinking Counterintelligence: The 21st Century Need for Multi-Discipline Task-Organized Teams” 
2nd Prize: LCDR Wolf Melbourne, USN - “Ten Years on the Beach”
3rd Prize: LT William N. Murray, USN - “Want to Win Great Power Competition? Professionalize Initial Naval Intelligence Officer Training Now”

2017

1st Prize: CDR Heather Bothwell, USNR - “Lessons from Cold War History: Man, Train and Equip the Navy to Know Tomorrow’s Adversary”
2nd Prize: CAPT William R. Bray, USN (Ret.) - “Intelligence Needs Regional Career Paths”
3rd Prize: CAPT Dale C. Rielage, USN - “Ocean Surveillance for the Future”

2016

1st Prize: LT Andreas Xenachis, USNR - “Nurturing a Revolution in Decision-Making Through Improved Geopolitical Foresight” - $5,000 + 1-year USNI Membership
2nd Prize: CDR J. Michael Dahm, USN - “Integrate to Dominate”  - $2,500 + 1-year USNI Membership
3rd Prize: CDR Nathaniel (Nate) Bailey, USNR - “What Is Past Is Prologue”

2015

No contest

2014

1st Prize: Captain Mark D. Houff, USN
2nd Prize: Ms. Reychal Windham
3rd Prize: First Lieutenant Adam Davis, USA

2013

1st Prize: Commander Mark D. Houff, USN
2nd Prize: Mr. Ryan D. Martinson
3rd Prize: Ms. Jacquelyn Schneider

2012

1st Prize: Commander Mark D. Houff, USN
2nd Prize: Mr. Thanh Dinh
3rd Prize: Ms. Jacquelyn Schneider

2011

1st Prize: Mr. Steve Coonen
2nd Prize: LT Daniel T. Murphy, USN
3rd Prize-Expeditionary:  LTC Gregory Motes, USA

2010

No contest

2009

1st Prize: CDR D. Mark Houff, USN
2nd Prize: CAPT Mark D. Dowd, USNR

2008

1st Prize: CAPT Paul B. Becker, USN
2nd Prize: LTJG Edward P. Wynne, USN

2007

1st Prize: LCDR Rory Berke, USN
2nd Prize: LCDR Robert F. Hight, Jr, USN

2006

1st Prize: Mr. Jose Delgado
2nd Prize: LT David Barr, USN

2005

1st Prize: LCDR James Griffin, USN
2nd Prize: CDR William R. Bray, USN

2004

1st Prize: CDR Jason Hines, USN

2003

1st Prize: LCDR Michael Studeman,USN