Getting to the Heart of the Harding Project

By Laura M. Levering

Article published on: September 1, 2024 in the Army Communicator Fall/Winter 2024 Edition

Read Time: < 3 mins

Laura M. Levering Editor, U.S. Army Signal School

Greetings and Happy New Year!

Reflecting on where I was at this time last year, planning for significant changes to how we view and publish the Army Communicator, I could not have predicted just how much it would evolve.

It has been one full year since the Army Communicator changed from being published monthly to being published quarterly. Or in this year’s case, I believe for its first time in history, the Army Communicator was published three (not four) times. Hurricane Helene. Where do I begin? I will sum it up by saying that I am truly grateful for everyone’s flexibility and understanding through what became a time in many of our lives’ that few (if any) of us were truly prepared for. To say the hurricane created challenges none of us will soon forget is an understatement.

Onto the Harding Project …

When the Harding Project was announced back in September 2023, I had no idea how it would shape the Army Communicator moving forward. It wasn’t until Spring of 2024, when I connected with the team at Army University Press (AUP) and fellow military journal editors, did I begin to grasp the Harding Project. A couple months later, during a workshop hosted by AUP, I began to gain an understanding of what the Harding Project entailed. And it’s a lot – so much that it was recognized that no one individual can (or should) manage a military journal on their own. If you haven’t already, you will soon hear about Harding Fellows. The Army Communicator has one now, but this person is multi-hatted and can only focus a limited amount of effort on our publication. But what he has brought to the table has already been a tremendous help. If you are a Signaleer who has submitted an article in the past few months, there’s a good chance that Capt. Vincent Kirk has reviewed it and provided feedback on ways to improve the article. As the Army Communicator’s Harding Fellow, one of Kirk’s many duties is to do just that – provide feedback that will help turn your work into something publish-worthy — not only in the Army Communicator, but also on the Line of Departure (LD), which is another facet of the Harding Project.

When submitting articles for the Army Communicator, it is imperative that you follow submission guidelines. As the emphasis on professional military writing/discourse grows, we anticipate the number of submissions will grow with it. Please understand that not everything that is written is intended for the Army Communicator. In following the trend and advice of other military journals, we will not be publishing white papers (few exceptions may be made). As we look to the future and strive to create the best possible version of the Army Communicator, with the added opportunity of being published on the LD, consider the following points when writing an article:

1. Is it written like an article intended for a branch journal? Or is it an academic essay that was written for class?
2. Is the article actionable, innovative and engaging? Does it add value to the Army’s body of knowledge?
3. How well does it align with Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Randy George’s four focus areas for the Army?(Four focus areas: warfighting, delivering ready combat formations, undergoing continuous transformation,and strengthening the profession of arms)

These considerations will increase the likelihood of your article being published. In some cases, white paperscan be transformed into a news or feature article that is suitable for military journals. If that is something you’d like to pursue, let us know, and we will do our best to assist. As always, please reach out if you have any questions!