LtCol Earl ‘Pete’ Ellis: Participate In The Vision For The Future Marine Corps

Deadline: 1 May and 30 June, 2012

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LTCOL EARL "PETE" ELLIS.

A new annual essay contest supported by the Marine Corps Association and Foundation and named for LtCol Earl “Pete” Ellis will invite articles that focus on preparing the Marine Corps for future conflict through a wide array of perspectives ranging from doctrine, emerging threats, capabilities, technological advances, and operational concepts. The contest is named for the amphibious visionary, LtCol Earl “Pete” Hancock Ellis, who was the brilliant planner who foretold the struggle for the Pacific 20 years before World War II. His ability to assess the uncertain security environment and its impact on U.S. economic and national security spawned the development of a series of concepts, doctrine and, eventually, a hallmark capability for Navy-Marine Corps amphibious operations. This essay contest is established in keeping with LtCol Ellis’ visionary approach to expeditionary warfare.

The purpose of this contest is to stimulate strategic thinking. It is open to anyone, civilian or military, who is interested in expanding the dialogue with creative ideas and solutions as to how a fiscally constrained Navy-Marine Team can effectively execute the full range of naval amphibious operations in the future threat environment. To qualify, entries must propose and argue for modification or introduction of new concepts or materiel solutions to address future operational challenges. Authors must provide qualitative reinforcement to compel further exploration of the topic. The inaugural theme for 2012 is an operational focus on the role of the Navy-Marine Team as a crisis response force in the uncertain security environment of 2015–24. Articles should address topics ranging from new operational concepts, force composition, and materiel solutions that broaden our littoral maneuver and amphibious operations capabilities.

Manuscripts should be typewritten, double spaced, and range in length from 2,000 to 3,000 words. The text should be in Microsoft Word format (include disk when submitting by mail) and include a cover page with the title of the essay, author’s name and mailing address, and identification of the essay as a Pete Ellis contest entry. The author’s name should not appear anywhere but on the cover page. The title should be repeated on the first page of the essay. Entries should be submitted between 1 May and 30 June to the Editor, Marine Corps Gazette. E-mail entries are acceptable and preferred with the article appended as a Microsoft Word document and should be e-mailed to gazette@mca-marines.org. Members of the Amphibious Capabilities Working Group will judge the contest in July and notify all entrants as to the outcome shortly thereafter. Prizes include $5,000 and an engraved plaque for first place and an engraved plaque for second place and honorable mention. All entries are eligible for publication. The winning entries will be published in the Marine Corps Gazette.