Zach Griffiths, a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army, and Leighton Summerlin, a Sergeant First Class, lead the Harding Project to enhance professional writing in the military. They discuss how writing is essential for addressing future battlefield challenges and fostering bottom-up change. The conversation covers the need for revitalizing Army branch journals, the transition from print to digital formats, and creating a culture of communication among soldiers. Their insights emphasize the importance of quality writing for professional discourse and leadership development in the Army.
The Harding Project emphasizes the importance of professional writing in the Army as a means to foster bottom-up change and improve operational adaptability.
Engaging all ranks in writing not only democratizes the sharing of ideas but also enhances communication skills, leading to career advancements and collective improvement.
Deep dives
The Harding Project's Purpose
The Harding Project aims to revitalize professional writing within the Army, emphasizing its critical role in disseminating information and fostering bottom-up change. Branch journals and informal publications give soldiers a platform to share insights, lessons, and constructive criticism, thus encouraging progress and innovation. The initiative draws inspiration from historical examples where military writing has influenced major changes in doctrine and operations, such as combined arms strategies developed before World War II. This cultural shift towards writing is essential for adapting to future battlefield challenges and allows soldiers from various levels to contribute their unique perspectives.
Encouraging Participation in Writing
Engagement in professional writing is vital across all ranks, as good ideas can come from any soldier, regardless of their position within the Army hierarchy. This decentralized approach to sharing knowledge fosters an environment where every service member feels empowered to express their thoughts and suggestions. The initiative also aims to dismantle the misconception that writing is limited to officers; NCOs are encouraged to participate as well. By normalizing writing and supporting publication efforts, the Army can harness valuable insights from its workforce and ensure continuous improvement.
Addressing Challenges in Army Journals
In recent years, Army branch journals have seen a decline in content volume and readership, necessitating a proactive approach to reinvigorate these essential platforms. The Harding Project seeks to improve accessibility and quality, launching initiatives like the Line of Departure website to streamline content delivery and reach a broader audience. By adapting to contemporary consumption habits, such as providing mobile-friendly formats and audio versions of articles, the Army can better compete for attention in an increasingly crowded information landscape. Ensuring that writing resources are engaging and widely available can foster a more vibrant culture of professional discourse.
The Personal and Organizational Benefits of Writing
Writing is not only beneficial for individual soldiers but also contributes significantly to the overall effectiveness of the Army. Engaging in professional writing enhances communication skills and opens doors for career advancement, as demonstrated by those who have successfully transitioned into roles that require effective writing. Moreover, the sharing of experiences and lessons learned through writing can lead to collective improvements across the Army, strengthening its operational capabilities. By fostering a culture where every member values and participates in writing, the Army ensures its growth and adaptability in addressing future challenges.
Writing is often treated as a peripheral activity in the military, but it is a defining characteristic of any profession—including the profession of arms. Professional military writing is the way we share information, new ideas, and creative solutions to collective problems. It’s the way we drive bottom-up change. And it’s vital if the Army is to be prepared for the challenges of tomorrow’s battlefield. On this episode, John Amble is joined by two two leaders of the Harding Project, an initiative aimed at renewing professional writing in the Army. Lieutenant Colonel Zach Griffiths and Sergeant First Class Leyton Summerlin describe the progress made since the Harding Project was launched one year ago and explain why the Army needs its people to share their ideas by writing.
The MWI Podcast is produced with the generous support of the West Point Class of 1974.
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