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Trench Gascoigne Essay Prize

The Trench Gascoigne Essay Prize, the Royal United Services Institute’s annual competition awarded for original writing on contemporary issues of national and international defence and security issues, is now open for 2009.

Dating back to 1874, the Trench Gascoigne Essay Prize reflects and reinforces the Institute’s status as a uniquely placed platform for free thinking debate on defence and security. Previous winners have discussed the challenge of integrating civilian and military efforts in stabilisation operations, an assessment of the methodology of modern insurgents and redefining warfare.

The competition is open to authors of any nationality and entries are particularly welcome from – but not exclusive to – members of the Armed Forces. One or more prizes within a total of £1,000 may be awarded.

The winner of the 2009 award will be announced in December

The winning essay will also be published in the RUSI Journal. Awards will be made on the basis of originality, logical argument, sound analysis, style, clarity and conciseness.

Rules and requirements for the 2009 Prize

• Authors may be of any nationality, but must present their work in English. They need not be members of the Institute.
• Work originating in Staff and War Colleges is eligible.
• The first prize is not generally awarded to the same author in successive years.
• Essays should not be more than 3,500 words in length, but will not be penalized if they are briefer.
• Essays must be type-written and double spaced. The author’s name should not be included on the actual essay. The author's name will not be made available to the judges until after the judging.
• Essays must be received by Friday 30 October 2009 (deadline has now passed)
  a. By e-mail attachment in Microsoft Word. The covering message should contain full rank (where applicable), name, address and age on the closing if wishing to be considered for the special prize for authors under 30.
  b. By post accompanied by a separate sealed envelope containing full rank (where applicable), name, address and age if under 30 and wishing to be considered for the special prize for authors under 30.

All essays entries should be sent either by email marked ‘Trench Gascoigne Essay Prize’ to Codner@rusi.org (preferred) or recorded delivery to:

Trench Gascoigne Essay Prize
FAO Michael Codner
Director of Military Sciences
Royal United Services Institute
Whitehall
London SW1A 2ET

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