Writer's Guide for Article Submissions

The logo for the Special Warfare Journal is on the left, next to a call to action that reads, 'Submit Your Article Today!'

The Special Warfare Journal encourages authors to submit their articles for publication.

General

The Special Warfare Journal (SWJ) submission guidelines are adapted from the Army University Press guidelines:

The SWJ covers a broad range of topics of interest to the U.S. Army and the broader special operations community. It offers a platform for innovative ideas, emphasizing thought-provoking articles authored by knowledgeable writers. Its goal is to engage military professionals with accessible, enjoyable content that addresses significant issues in special operations and support to conventional forces.

Articles should be submitted as an attachment via email to specialwarfare@socom.mil. The document must be submitted in Microsoft Word (Microsoft 365 version).

Do not fax, mail, or hand-deliver articles or submissions.

Articles submitted without meeting the requirements below will not be considered:

  • Formatting Style: Word document, single-spaced, Calibri, 12-point font size, one space between sentences.
  • No embedded macros and no footnotes.
  • *Articles from currently serving military personnel or government employees MUST use a .mil or .gov email address. Emails from commercial servers (e.g. Hotmail, Gmail, etc.) will not be accepted if you currently serve in the USG.
  • One file submission per email: Do not send multiple file submissions in a single email. All photographs, images, artwork, biographic information, etc. must be included in the Word doc. The article should be written as one entire piece, with all associated graphics and references, laid out as it would appear on a webpage.
  • Writing Style: AP Style Guide. The Army’s AP Stylebook quick reference can be accessed at this link: Army AP Stylebook Quick Reference.
  • Book Review length: 500 to 1,000 words.
  • Article length: 800 to 3,000 words.
  • Artwork, photographs, and other copyrighted material: Sources need to be clearly identified; if copyright permission is required, written evidence that permission has been granted must be provided. SWJ will not use artwork or photo images it cannot attribute.
  • Author’s own intellectual property: Authors must clearly identify their own photographs, artwork, and designs so that they are not altered by the editing staff. All originally owned images / intellectual property must be cited appropriately.
  • Include a cover letter with the following: Full name, rank, job title, email address, phone number, intended audience (1-3 sentences), abstract / brief summary (1 paragraph), and key words (searchable words).
  • Once accepted: Photos must be minimum 300 dpi and jpg format, and original designs (e.g., PowerPoint or jpg for figures) must be submitted; authors must ensure all graphics for use from other publications or owners are cleared. The SWJ Editing Team will reach out to the author if additional files are required.
  • *Articles from serving military personnel or government employees who are writing on topics related to their jobs must provide a security review statement with approval from their unit’s Legal, INFOSEC, PAO, and OPSEC. This should be submitted in the email narrative with the original submission.

Book Review Submission Guidance

  • The SWJ publishes book reviews online that are written by currently serving military and civilian members, primarily from the ARSOF community.
  • The SWJ uses book reviews to inform our readers about books of professional interest. Authors should provide an evaluation of the book and address why it is of interest to ARSOF.
  • Book reviews should be interesting to read and written in a manner that speaks to a wide audience.
  • Of note, the book review should address why ARSOF Soldiers should read the book in question.
  • The book review must include the title, author, number of pages, publisher, and date. The review must also include your name, organization, and location.
  • The SWJ Editorial Team reserves the right to edit and condense book reviews.

Single Primary Point of Contact for Each Submission

  • Authorship clearly denoted. Include author(s) name, email address, daytime phone number, and unit / work assignment.
  • When a manuscript has multiple authors, a single point of contact must be clearly designated with the initial submission to avoid confusion The SWJ Team will only engage with the primary POC. The primary POC will be responsible for resolving any editorial issues or revisions with coauthors.

Protocol concerning simultaneous submission to separate publications

  • Do not submit a manuscript to SWJ if it is being considered in a different venue.
  • Do not submit articles that have been previously published or that are already available on the internet.

Author responsibility for research accuracy, reliability, and originality

  • Authors are responsible for their article's accuracy, originality, and integrity of source documentation. Submissions will be checked for plagiarism. Articles found to contain plagiarized material will be immediately rejected.

Acknowledgement of Receipt

  • SWJ will send receipt acknowledgment to the author within one week of article submission.

Biographical information

  • Authors must include a brief personal biography. Such biographies should include significant positions or assignments, notes on civilian and military education together with degrees attained, and brief allusions to other qualifications that establish the credibility of the author with regard to the subject discussed in the article.

Security Reviews

  • Authors must use their unit’s security review personnel to screen their papers prior to submitting to SWJ. Legal, OPSEC, and INFOSEC screening must contain the words "This manuscript has been cleared for open publication and unrestricted distribution" and be signed either physically or electronically by the reviewing security authorities.
  • Manuscripts that are characterized as opinion pieces, historical pieces, or pieces that do not discuss or deal with the specific current capabilities or tactics, techniques, or procedures of military units or organizations need not submit such a memorandum for record.

Editors' prerogatives regarding acceptance for publication

  • In the interests of length, security, clarity, and conformity with the stylistic standards of SWJ, the Co-Editors-in-Chief reserve the right to edit all manuscripts; however, editors will send substantive changes to the author for concurrence.
  • Material appearing in Special Warfare is considered to be in the public domain and is not protected by copyright unless it is accompanied by the author’s copyright notice. Published works may be reprinted, except where copyrighted, provided credit is given to Special Warfare and the authors.