Writer's Guide for Article Submissions

1. Mission

The mission of the Field Artillery Professional Bulletin (FAPB) is to advance the branch by empowering Soldiers, NCOs and Officers to write and publish their operational experiences, training methods and lessons learned, thereby cultivating a shared understanding and driving tactical innovation in the Fires Community.

2. Publishing Standards

1. The FAPB publishes one to two times weekly in a rolling format. Members of the Field Artillery community are encouraged to submit articles in consideration for publication.
2. Writing for the FAPB is unlike writing a memo, an OPORD or a newsletter. This publication requires stories that meet the Department of Defense standards (Army Publications 25-30) for relevance, timeliness, and readability.

3. Writing Guidelines

1. OPSEC must always be observed. Only unclassified information can be published in the Field Artillery Professional Bulletin. It is the author’s responsibility to ensure security is not compromised.
2. Article subjects include (but aren’t limited to): technical developments, tactics, operational concepts, techniques, procedures, how-to pieces, practical exercises, training methods, and historical perspectives IAW Army Regulation 25-30, Paragraph 2-3, b.
3. Lessons-learned articles must include the following:
   1. Observations and Takeaways. Summarize the key outcomes and lessons learned during the execution of this event.
   2. Future Action Plan & Adjustments. Detail the specific procedural changes or corrective actions that will be implemented in future training or operations.
   3. Emphasis. The article must present clear and concise steps, instructions or information that can be duplicated; focus on best practices or lessons learned.
4. Article Submissions and Copyright Policy. Submissions to the FAPB, including articles and illustrations, are voluntary and unpaid. Content published in the FAPB enters the public domain unless otherwise indicated. Authors utilizing copyrighted material must obtain explicit permission, provide written proof of authorization upon submission, and ensure all such content is clearly marked with the appropriate legal notification.
5. Getting started.
   1. Select a topic of interest to the United States Field Artillery community. The topics should help develop FA professionals throughout the branch. Many authors initially write an outline to organize their thoughts before they begin writing. Clearly state the bottom line up front and write a concise introduction and conclusion to your article. Submitted articles should be relatively free of spelling and grammar errors.
   2. Maintain an active voice. Example: Write “Congress cut the budget” rather than “the budget was cut by Congress.”
   3. Articles will be submitted in a Microsoft Word document. Articles will be formatted with a size 12, Arial font, and will be double-spaced. Normal submissions are usually between 1,000 and 2,000 words. The Field Artillery Professional Bulletin staff will also consider publishing an article in a series format if it exceeds the length parameters.
   4. Acronyms. Acronyms will initially be spelled out; for example, Field Artillery Professional Bulletin (FAPB). A second mention of the term as the acronym FAPB is acceptable.
   5. Strive to educate, not impress. A clear message is written in simple language. An abundance of adjectives, adverbs, lists and words the reader will have to research detracts from the message.
   6. Photos and artwork. If possible, include pictures or graphics to supplement the article. Do not place them in the Word document.
      1. Acceptable Photo Types
         • .jpg
         • .png
      2. Unusable Photo Types
         • .heic (exports straight from iPhones)
         • .tiff
         • .pdf
         • Embedded photo in a Word or PDF document
   7. The FAPB utilizes Associated Press (AP) for the writing style but uses Chicago for citing source material. See the examples below.

      AP Style

      Associated Press (AP) style rules with examples for FAPB submissions.

      Category	Rule	AP Style Example
      Military Ranks	Abbreviate before a full name. Spell out if used alone.	Gen. Randy George; The general arrived.
      Numbers	Spell out one through nine. Use numerals for 10 and up.	The battery has three M777s and 12 trucks.
      Dates	Abbreviate months with 6+ letters (if with a specific date).	Oct. 24, 2025; March 12 (No abbreviation).
      Times	Use figures and lowercase a.m. or p.m.	The meeting is at 9:30 a.m. (Avoid :00 for even hours).
      Oxford Comma	Do not use a comma before “and” in a simple series.	The kit includes a radio, a map and a compass.
      Titles	Use “Quotes” for books/articles. No italics.	He read “The Evolution of Field Artillery.”

      Unit names should be used as follows (First Reference; Afterward):

      • 1st Battalion, 5th Field Artillery; 1-5 FA
      • 101st Airborne Division Artillery; 101st DIVARTY
      • B Battery, 1st Battalion, 14th Field Artillery Regiment; B/1-14 FAR

      Chicago Style (References and Reference List)

      Chicago style note and bibliography formats with examples for citing source material.

      Source Type	Note Format (Footnote/Endnote)	Bibliography Entry
      Book (One Author)	1. First Name Last Name, Title of Book (Place of Publication: Publisher, Year), Page Number.	Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year.
      Example (Book)	1. John A. Smith, The Evolution of Field Artillery (Fort Sill, OK: Artillery Press, 2023), 112.	Smith, John A. The Evolution of Field Artillery. Fort Sill, OK: Artillery Press, 2023.
      Journal Article	2. First Name Last Name, “Title of Article,” Journal Title Volume, no. Issue (Year): Page Number.	Last Name, First Name. “Title of Article.” Journal Title Volume, no. Issue (Year): Page Range.
      Example (Journal Article)	2. Jane Doe, “Targeting in the 21st Century,” Field Artillery Journal 12, no. 3 (2024): 45.	Doe, Jane. “Targeting in the 21st Century.” Field Artillery Journal 12, no. 3 (2024): 40-48.

6. The Field Artillery Professional Bulletin staff reserves the right to edit an article and put it in the Associated Press style and the Professional Journal’s format.
7. A short biography, including the author’s current title, any experience about the article’s topic and Field Artillery experience, is required.
8. Writing a Bio
   1. Start with rank and full name followed by your current position and unit.
   2. Add previous positions, especially those with experience, which is relevant to the article topic.
   3. Consider including information about commissioning and educational degrees.
   4. Examples:
      1. MAJ First Last name is currently the __________ executive officer. He has experience as S3 and executive officer of _________________ in support of Operation Spartan Shield in Iraq and Kuwait. In addition, he was _____________ and the lead __________. He is a graduate of Command and General Staff College and the School of Advanced Military Studies.
      2. SFC First Last Name is the current brigade fire support sergeant for ____________. Throughout his tenure in the Army, he has served as a fire support specialist, forward observer, fire support team chief, brigade targeting NCO, and as a task force fire support sergeant. Last name is a graduate of the Joint Fires Observer Course, Joint Fire Power Course and the Field Artillery School’s Fire Support Master Gunner Course.
      3. 1LT First Last Name is an ________ officer currently stationed at _________. He has served as a Patriot platoon leader and a Patriot battery executive officer. He currently serves as an _______________ at the __________________.

4. Submission

All articles must be submitted to FA.professional.bulletin@army.mil for review.