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1. The Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) announces the 2025 CNO Naval History Essay Contest, commemorating the U.S. Navy's 250th anniversary and highlighting America's Warfighting Navy's contributions to our great nation and our 250 years of independence. On 13 Oct 25, we mark our Navy's 250th birthday and 04 Jul 26, will mark our Nation's 250th birthday. We invite participants to submit their essays no later than 30 Apr 25. This contest is an excellent opportunity to engage in the rich legacy of naval history. 2. The Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) is the lead for the contest. The United States Naval Institute (USNI) supports it. 3. The CNO invites essay submissions that draw on insights from naval history to address the serious challenges confronting today's Navy. a. In a globalized world in which 90 percent of international trade by volume and a significant proportion of global communications rely on the seas and undersea cables, the importance of navies, sea control, and strategic partnerships with allies and partners has increased, underscoring the critical role of maritime power in maintaining global economic stability and security. b. The U.S. Navy faces a major transformation fueled by a shifting strategic environment and technological advancements. Over the course of our and our Nation's 250 years, there are rich examples of shifting strategic environment and technological advancements that can inform and enlighten our current thinking and discussions. 4. Areas of Historic Interest: a. Historic Approaches in Countering Disruptions to the Rule of Law in the Maritime Domain. Current Day Context: Potential adversaries' increasing opposition to the rules-based global order poses a serious threat to the security and prosperity that benefit all who rely on the global stability afforded by these rules. b. Historic Approaches in Addressing Change in Maritime Philosophies, Techniques, and Capabilities. Current Day Context: The rapid growth of uncrewed systems and artificial intelligence (AI) advancements are revolutionizing autonomous naval operations and decision-making processes, impacting all aspects of planning and warfare, from force structure to combat strategy. c. Historic Approaches in Addressing Maritime Competition. Current Day Context: From seabed to space, in cyberspace, and in the information environment, the Navy delivers power for peace. China's emergence as an important economic and maritime competitor underscores the need for the United States to develop integrated, multi-domain operational concepts and capabilities that leverage the unique strengths of our maritime services (the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine), industrial base, and the complete Joint warfighting ecosystem. d. Historic Approaches of America as a Maritime Nation. Current Day Context: For 250 years, America's Warfighting Navy has Deterred aggression, defended our national security interests, and Preserved our way of life. Since before our nation's inception, America's Warfighting Navy has sailed the globe in defense of freedom. How has the Navy's ability to control the sea and project power kept conflict far from our shores? e. Historic Approaches of the American Sailor leaving their mark on our Navy and Nation's 250 years. Current Day Context: America's Warfighting Navy operates the world's most sophisticated weapons systems, how have our Sailors and Civilians given us an unmatched strategic advantage over the last 250 years? 5. CNO Intent: a. Navigation Plan 2024 and her philosophy of America's Warfighting Navy of Warfighters, Warfighting, and the Foundation that support them emphasizes that strategic agility stems from proactive and practical thinking and that there is no time to waste. This essay contest aims to harness the collective expertise and intellectual engagement of the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine, as well as cadets and midshipmen. b. The goal of the contest is to examine and reflect on historic approaches to similar conditions and stimulate discussion and insights on achieving and maintaining maritime superiority in the context of renewed great power competition and how our 250th birthday is a unique, once-in-a-generation opportunity to demonstrate the importance of the U.S. Navy and the exceptional contributions of our active and reserve Sailors, and Navy civilians. 6. Eligibility. Essays are accepted from entrants qualified in the Professional Category, the Rising Category, or the Midshipmen and Cadets Category. a. Professional Historian Category: (1) Historians, professors, history curators, archivists, and persons with history-related doctoral degrees; (2) Authors of books on naval history (not including self-published works); or (3) Civilians who have published articles in an established historical or naval journal or magazine. b. Rising Historian Category: Those that do not fall in the Professional Category and are either: (1) Active duty, reservists, veterans, and federal civilian personnel of the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine; or (2) Members of foreign militaries that have orders and are serving in an official billet in one of the above services. c. Midshipmen and Cadets Category: (1) Students enrolled at the United States Naval Academy, United States Coast Guard Academy, United States Merchant Marine Academy, and the State Maritime Academies or (2) Students enrolled in an official Naval ROTC Program. 7. Submission Requirements: a. Deadline: 2359 Eastern Standard Time, on 30 Apr 25. b. Citations: All entries must include numbered footnotes or endnotes; a bibliographic list is not a substitute. c. Word Count: Please adhere to the following limits: 3,500 words for the Professional Category and 3,000 words for the Rising and Midshipmen/Cadets categories. d. Co-authoring: Essays in the Rising Historian category may be co-authored, with both authors meeting the Rising Category qualifications. e. Original Work: Submit original essays that have not been published, are not under consideration elsewhere, and have not been previously submitted to the CNO Naval History Essay Contest. f. Multiple Submissions: Entrants may submit multiple essays, but only one winning essay will be selected per individual. g. Entry Submission: Entrants must submit essays electronically as a Microsoft Word attachment using the appropriate link: (1) Professional Historian Category, go to: 2025 CNO Naval History Essay Contest - Professional Historian | U.S. Naval Institute (2) Rising Historian Category, go to: 2025 CNO Naval History Essay Contest - Rising Historian | U.S. Naval Institute (3) Midshipmen and Cadets Category, go to: https://www.usni.org/cnonhessaycontestmidn-cadet. h. Eligibility confirmation: When completing the electronic form, ensure the short biography provides necessary details about the author and the author's eligibility for the contest. i. Word Count: Include the word count (excluding footnotes, endnotes, and sources) on the essay's title page. j. Essays will be judged anonymously; please do not include the author's name or any identifying information within the essay. 8. Essays will be evaluated based on the following criteria: a. Relevance to the topic: leveraging naval history to address current challenges; b. Clarity and readability; c. Thoroughness of research; d. Quality of insights derived from historical events; and e. Originality and uniqueness of ideas presented. 9. All essays will be evaluated through a blind judging process: a. A six-member panel will determine the winning, second-place, and third-place essays in the Rising Historian Category. b. A separate six-member panel will select the winning and runner-up essays in both the Professional Historian Category and the Midshipmen and Cadets Category. 10. The winning authors will receive: a. Invitational travel orders to the 2025 CNO Naval History Essay Awards Reception (to be determined) to meet the CNO and present papers. b. Contest Awards Reception (to be determined) to meet the CNO and potentially present their papers. c. Cash prizes (courtesy of USNI). Cash prizes for co-authors will be split equally: (1) First Place - $5,000 (Professional and Rising Historians); (2) First Place - $4,000 (Midshipmen and Cadets Category); (3) Second Place - $2,500 (Professional and Rising Historians); (4) Second Place - $2,000 (Midshipmen and Cadets); (5) Third Place - $1,500 (Rising Historian Category); and (6) Third Place - $1,000 (Midshipmen and Cadets Category). d. Publication of the essays in the USNI's Proceedings magazine and Naval History periodicals (first-place essays) and on the NHHC website (all winning essays). Some non-winning essays may also be selected for publication. Submission of essays constitute consent for such publication. e. Copper sheathing from the USS CONSTITUTION (provided by NHHC). f. Recognition on the NHHC website. g. A one-year USNI membership and a one-year subscription to USNI's Naval History Magazine (courtesy of USNI). 11. Responsibilities. The Director of NHHC shall: a. Coordinate receipt, acknowledgment, and blind judging of submissions; b. Nominate three senior staff members as judges, one for each category. c. Coordinate with the staffs of the Offices of the Chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV), U.S. Naval Academy, Naval War College, Naval Postgraduate School, and USNI, each of which shall nominate two judges, one for each category; d. Coordinate announcing the contest winners; e. Coordinate the 2025 CNO Naval History Essay Contest Awards Reception with the USNI and invitational travel for the winning authors; f. Coordinate NHHC website publication IAW paragraph 9.c. and dissemination to Navy leadership of winning and selected essays; and g. Capture and forward lessons learned. 12. For more details about the contest: a. Please visit: https://www.history.navy.mil/get-involved/essay-contest.html b. For questions, please contact Mr. Steve A. Hill, NHHC, email: stephen.a.hill6.civ(AT)us.navy.mil. c. For advice and guidance on writing essays, please email: essayquestions(AT)usni.org.
Professors of Naval Science (PNSs) may recommend military members of their staff for commendations in accordance with CNSTCINST 1650.1 series.
PNSs may recommend civilian members or organizations of the university and local community that have worked closely with the Navy and the NROTC for commendations or citations. These should be in accordance with the provisions of the Department of the Navy Civilian Human Resources Manual (DON CHRM) Subchapter 451.1 "Awards" and DON Guide No. 452-02, "Guidance on Implementing Awards Programs" (September 2005).
PNSs may commend or cite deserving staff members, members of the university, and members of the civilian community. Such recognition shall be noted in the reports of fitness/performance evaluations of military staff members receiving commendations.
This is a Department of Defense-level award recognizing the unit performance of Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) programs and the universities that support them.
NROTC units and partner universities are graded in three areas:
All Military Department ROTC units and their associated host education institutions (HEIs) are eligible and encouraged to compete for this award.
Nominations should cover the 12-month academic year (August 1 through July 31) and include:
A signed memorandum from the NROTC unit and HEI concerned.
Provide a comprehensive narrative that addresses the ROTC unit’s (formal name) and HEI’s (formal name) achievements based on:
The one-page narrative must follow the format below:
Submit approximately five high-quality digital photos for use in a ceremony slideshow, award posters, and possible Pentagon displays. Each photograph must meet the following criteria:
Nominations must be received by 15 September each year at:
Naval Service Training Command Attn: N934 320A Dewey Ave, Building 3, Room 106 Great Lakes, IL 60088-2911
The United Services Automobile Association (USAA) sponsors this annual competition to recognize an outstanding NROTC Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO).
There will be six (6) regional winners, each of whom will be awarded a Patriotic Medallion. One National Award Winner will be selected from among the six regional winners and will receive a plaque in recognition of their achievement.
This award is open to all NROTC Assistant Marine Officer Instructors (AMOIs).
Professors of Naval Science (PNS) may nominate one AMOI annually. Nominations must be submitted no later than October 15th and forwarded to N93 (UNIT OPS).
The nomination letter should clearly articulate how the nominee has gone above and beyond in their duties and why they deserve to be named the “Best in the NROTC Program.” The justification portion of the nomination letter should be limited to one page.
A panel of N9 staff will review and screen the nominations before making recommendations to USAA. Notification of winners will be made to PNSs during the January NROTC Business Meeting.
The Navy League has long recognized the value of the NROTC Program as a source of superbly trained officers. In recognition of the program’s importance and in alignment with the educational mission of the Navy League, the Navy League National Board of Directors has approved a series of national awards to honor excellence among NROTC midshipmen.
The Admiral James L. Holloway, Jr. Award was established to recognize the outstanding NROTC midshipman in the nation.
The recipient will be selected by N934 based on their overall class ranking.
The award consists of:
The award will be presented by a Navy League regional representative or a local dignitary during spring graduation.
The AFCEA Educational Foundation honors the top graduating midshipman in Electrical Engineering or Communications Sciences.
The deadline for scholarship applications and all supporting documentation is February 20th. The scholarship application is available online at: AFCEA ROTC Scholarships .
The following majors will be accepted for the scholarship:
The AFCEA Educational Foundation also offers the ROTC Honor Award Certificate and Ribbon Bar to recognize ROTC students for excellence in leadership and academics. This award is presented to a student in their junior year and selected by the Professors of Military Science, Naval Science, and Aerospace Studies.
The Army, Navy/Marine Corps, and Air Force ROTC units at an institution may each submit one nomination online at: AFCEA ROTC Honor Award Nomination .
The CNO Distinguished Midshipman Graduate Program is an award program designed to honor one graduating midshipman (not officer candidates) at each NROTC Unit. For consortium units, one midshipman per university may be nominated.
Additionally, twenty midshipmen from the U.S. Naval Academy will be selected for this distinction. The award recognizes midshipmen who demonstrate the highest standards of leadership, academic excellence, and military performance.
Selection criteria for this program are detailed in OPNAVINST 1520.38.
All nominations must be submitted to N934 no later than 31 January each year.
The National Sojourners is an organization composed of past and present commissioned and warrant officers who are master masons. The organization honors the outstanding NROTC student at each unit with the National Sojourners Award for Americanism. This award recognizes NROTC students who have encouraged and demonstrated Americanism within the unit and on campus.
To be eligible for the award, the nominee must meet the following criteria:
Nominations are due to the nearest local chapter of the National Sojourners. Nominations must be submitted during January and at least 90 days prior to presentation. Each NROTC unit may submit only one nomination per year.
In cases where a local chapter does not exist, nominations should be sent to:
National Sojourners, Inc. 8301 East Boulevard Drive Alexandria, VA 22308-1399 Phone: (703) 765-5000 Fax: (703) 765-8390
The Naval Submarine League (NSL) Outstanding Achievement Award is an annual award designed to promote the Navy’s nuclear submarine community. This award recognizes students with proven academic and leadership skills who have been selected for entry into the Navy’s nuclear propulsion program as submarine officers.
To be eligible for the award, the student must:
Professors of Naval Science (PNS) may nominate one student per unit whose military and academic performance merits special recognition.
All nominations must be submitted to N91 (NUCLEAR PROGRAMS) no later than 01 February each year.
The National Defense Transportation Association (NDTA) annually presents a Silver Medal to one midshipman from each NROTC unit in recognition of outstanding academic and military performance.
To be eligible for this award, the nominee must:
Professors of Naval Science (PNS) should submit nominations to N931 no later than 01 February each year. The nomination letter must include:
N9 will send the list of nominees to NDTA, which will then provide each unit with a Silver Medal and a list of local NDTA officers who may be invited to participate in the medal award ceremonies.
PNSs are encouraged to arrange for publicity photographs of midshipmen receiving the NDTA medal. Copies of photographs should be forwarded to the following address for use by the NDTA:
National Defense Transportation Association 50 Street, Suite 220 Alexandria, VA 22304-3008
The National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) Award is presented annually to recognize outstanding midshipmen. The award consists of:
Professors of Naval Science (PNS) may nominate one student per unit annually.
Nominations must be submitted to NDIA no later than 15 February each year. Nominations should be sent to the following address:
National Defense Industrial Association 2111 Wilson Boulevard Membership Department, Suite 400 Arlington, Virginia 22201 Phone: (703) 522-1820
The American Society of Naval Engineers (ASNE) sponsors a scholarship program to encourage college students to enter the field of naval engineering. The program also provides support to naval engineers seeking advanced education in the field.
The ASNE scholarship applies to various programs of study within the diverse field of naval engineering, including:
Naval engineering includes the design, construction, and repair of ships and their installed systems and equipment, as well as research, logistics support, and the management of acquisition and maintenance.
Applications and supporting documents must be received by 15 February each year. To request an application, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to:
The American Society of Naval Engineers 1452 Duke Street Alexandria, VA 22314-3458 Phone: (703) 836-6727 Fax: (703) 835-7491
The Legion of Valor of the United States of America is composed of recipients of the Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross, or Air Force Cross. The Legion of Valor Bronze Cross for Achievement is awarded annually to recognize scholastic excellence in military and academic subjects and to stimulate the development of leadership among NROTC midshipmen.
To be eligible for the award, the nominee must:
The Naval Historical Foundation (NHF), founded in 1926, is a non-profit organization dedicated to naval history preservation, commemoration, and education. The Vice Admiral Robert F. Dunn NROTC History Essay Contest provides an opportunity for outstanding midshipmen scholarship to be recognized through the presentation of Cash Prizes and/or Achievement Certificates.
The contest is open to NROTC midshipmen who are students in good standing.
Instructors of Sea Power and Maritime Affairs courses may participate in the Dunn Prize recognition program by nominating midshipmen who demonstrated the most mastery of the subject matter. Nominations should be forwarded through the PNS.
Instructors recognizing that NROTC midshipmen still incur financial costs while attending college may submit an outstanding term or essay paper for additional consideration for a cash prize. The nominated papers must be part of the course curriculum.
Essays will be judged based on the following:
Each PNS must submit electronic copies of nominated essays directly to the Naval Historical Foundation, Attention Dunn Prize Coordinator, via email: DWinkler@navyhistory.org.
Deadline for annual submissions: 30 June.
The NHF will complete the selection process by 30 August and notify NROTC PNSs after Labor Day.
The American Legion honors outstanding ROTC students through two awards:
To be eligible for this medal, the applicant must:
Nominations are due to the local chapter of the American Legion no later than 15 April each year.
If no local chapter exists, the PNS should forward all nominations to:
Program Director The American Legion ATTN: Carol Polk P.O. Box 547859 Orlando, FL 32854 Phone: 1-800-393-3378 ext. 222
Upon receipt of the medals, the PNS shall invite a representative of the American Legion to present the awards. If a representative is unavailable, the PNS shall make the presentation and submit a report with photographs to the American Legion in Washington, D.C.
The American Veteran (AMVETS) Award recognizes a qualified midshipman at each institution hosting a Senior ROTC program. The award consists of:
To be eligible for the award, the midshipman must demonstrate:
Nominations should be sent to:
AMVETS National Headquarters Attn: ROTC Programs Coordinator 4647 Forbes Blvd Lanham, MD 20706
An AMVETS representative should present the award. If a participating local post or department representative is unavailable, the PNS will make the presentation at an appropriate military ceremony.
The USS Little Rock Association provides annual financial assistance to one or more deserving students who are selected from a competitive group of applicants meeting the eligibility requirements outlined below.
Qualified candidates must apply during their second academic year. The application must be submitted in letter format, addressing each eligibility criterion, and be endorsed by the Professor of Naval Science.
The letter should be approximately 500 words and include:
Applications must be received by 31 June and should be mailed to:
Scholarship Committee c/o Donald Elliot 119 Motthaven Dr. Crossville, TN 38558
Applications will be reviewed, and awardees will be selected by the Scholarship Committee no later than 15 October.
For any inquiries regarding the USS LITTLE ROCK Association NROTC Scholarship Program, contact:
CPO Donald H. Elliot, USN (Retired) dhelliott3@comcast.net Phone: (847) 721-6835
The Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) offers multiple scholarships to support Navy ROTC midshipmen and officer candidates pursuing degrees in technical fields. One application is required for all scholarship categories.
Applications are due by February 15 of each year.
Co-sponsored by the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation, this scholarship awards $5,000 annually to the top Navy midshipman and Marine Corps officer candidate submitted for an AFCEA ROTC scholarship.
Apply online at: AFCEA ROTC Scholarship Application.
Co-sponsored by AFCEA International, this scholarship awards $3,000 annually to one recipient.
The AFCEA Honor Certificate Award recognizes leadership and academic achievement in Navy ROTC.
Submit nominations via the online form: AFCEA ROTC Scholarship Portal.
The United Services Automobile Association (USAA) provides Naval ROTC scholarship funds totaling $21,000, allocated to 12 deserving midshipmen/officer candidates (8 Navy and 4 Marine Option).
Nominations are due to N934 by 15 October each year.
N934 will compile all nominations sorted by geographical area and forward them to the Director, Member Relations and Military Affairs, USAA, San Antonio, TX for selection. USAA will contact the PNS and arrange for presentation after notifying N934 of the selected winners.
The student must be one of the top NROTC graduates of an increment of the Marine Corps Officer Candidate Six-Week Course, as determined by the Commanding Officer, Officer Candidate School, Quantico, Virginia.
N934 will request the roster of OCS graduates for the first and second increment in rank order and forward it to the Director, Member Relations and Military Affairs, USAA, San Antonio, Texas.
A USAA representative will present the awards to the respective PNS at the annual NROTC PNS Business Meeting.
The Order of Daedalians is a National Fraternity of commissioned military pilots of the Armed Forces. The Daedalian Foundation supports charitable, educational, and scientific activities in furtherance of its mission. The Foundation awards two $1,000 scholarships annually to senior NROTC midshipmen who aspire to become future naval aviators. The purpose of these scholarships is to encourage midshipmen to select military careers as fixed-wing pilots.
A member of the Order of Daedalians nearest to the recipient’s school will present the scholarship at an appropriate ceremony. If a local member is not available, the Foundation will designate a presenter.
PNS are to contact the Daedalian Foundation to arrange a time and place for the presentation of the Daedalian certificate and the check, which will be issued in the recipient’s name.
Daedalian Foundation P.O. Box 249 Randolph AFB, Texas 78148-0249 Phone: (210) 945-2111
The Order of the Daedalians requests that follow-up reports be sent no later than 01 September each year. Reports should include the following updates for each scholarship recipient:
In 2008, the Chief of Naval Operations announced the United States Navy Ethos, which captures the many dimensions of standards and service expected of all Navy personnel. The ethos emphasizes professionalism, leadership, and patriotism, rooted in the Navy’s core values of Honor, Courage, and Commitment.
The Association of the United States Navy (AUSN) established the Patriotism Award to recognize 2nd Class Midshipmen at the end of their junior year who most exemplify these core values.
The recipient of the AUSN Patriotism Award must demonstrate outstanding commitment to the core values of the Navy.
Nominations must be submitted online by 15 April each year at: AUSN Patriot Awards.
Upon presentation of the award, AUSN requests notification with information about the recipient at the following address:
Association of the United States Navy (AUSN) 1619 King Street Alexandria, VA 22314
The Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), Center for Counterterrorism Studies sponsors the LTG Samuel V. Wilson Writing Award to recognize the author of an original article that makes a significant impact on the study of counterterrorism.
For any questions regarding the award, please contact:
Center for Counterterrorism Studies Email: center@jdi.socom.mil Phone: (910) 243-2144
The Commanding General of the Joint Special Operations Command will present the award to the winner in October at an appropriate ceremony recommended by the Chairman, Center for Counterterrorism Studies.
Many organizations and veterans' groups provide awards for NROTC students. Arrangements for these awards are generally made directly between the organization or group and the Professor of Naval Science (PNS). Many of these awards are given at the national level, with the sponsoring organizations automatically providing them to NROTC units.
PNS should also remain alert for local organizations and groups that may be willing to provide awards upon solicitation.