First Harding Fellows strengthen the Army’s professional journals

THE ARMY UNIVERSITY, FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kansas - The Army's journals have new editors as part of the first group of Harding Fellows, an extension of the Harding Project's continued effort to drive cultural change through professional writing and discourse.

Handpicked by their branch leadership, 11 junior officers are the first uniformed editors for the Army's branch journals in almost two decades. Paired with talented civilian editors, these uniformed editors will work to renew the Army's journals.

"These fellows will channel the legacy of Maj. Gen. Edwin 'Forrest' Harding who renewed Infantry and Infantry Journal in the 1930s," Lt. Col. Zachary Griffiths, director of the Harding Project, said. "An initiative of the Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Randy George, the Harding Project is renewing the Army's professional journals. As Harding did, these editors will connect the journals with the force and ensure their content is relevant, high quality, and accessible."

The fellows serve as editors-in-chief and then, after a two-year assignment, return to the force with an understanding of their branch's challenges and opportunities.

"Like the observer controllers who serve at our combat training centers, these leaders will return to operational units as experts in their branches with superior communications skills," Gen. Gary Brito, commanding general, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, said.

As the Army renews its professional journals, these Harding Fellows play an important role in strengthening the Army profession.

"I'm learning a ton as a new Harding Fellow about the Army and our profession. I'm excited to help lead change at the Special Warfare Center and School and ensure that we better our branches and the Army profession," Maj. Emily Lopez, Special Warfare fellow, said.

Many of the fellows attended the recent Harding Project Workshop hosted by the Army University Press for Army journal and publication representatives, educators, and library and archive specialists.

The workshop showcased the next steps in how the Army will modernize and improve professional military journals in support of the Harding Project mission.

"We will use the Harding Project to find the resources to capture and preserve our historical, intellectual capital that resides across our branch journal archives into a single, enterprise wide repository that is user-friendly and optimized for research and leveraging through artificial intelligence," Mr. Gregg Thompson, deputy to the commanding general, U.S. Army Combined Arms Center, explained.

He emphasized the importance of understanding the mission each journal has to the Army and it's future, something the Harding Fellows will help reinforce as editors.

"Branch senior leaders are the stewards of their branch and of their branch journal. We need to ensure there is shared understanding and shared sense of purpose in how we expand emphasis on professional writing and written communication skills," Thompson said.

The Harding Fellowship has been codified as an official Army Broadening Opportunity. Starting next summer, the second cohort of selected fellows will attend graduate school and then report to their branch's center of excellence to start their assignment as the journal's editor-in-chief.

The application window for the second group of Harding Fellows will open in August for active-duty captains, master sergeants, and chief warrant officer 4 from the Infantry, Maneuver Support, Sustainment, Air Defense, Special Operations, and Military Intelligence branches. Other branches will have a chance to apply next fall.

Information on how to apply to be part of the next Harding Fellow cohort will be shared on the Harding Project Substack at hardingproject.com and Army platforms.

To follow the work of the Harding Project, subscribe to the Harding Project Substack at hardingproject.com

The inaugural Harding Fellows

Air Defense Artillery. Capt. Peter Neil II. Capt. Neil graduated from The Citadel in 2019 with a degree in mechanical engineering. He commissioned as an Air Defense Artillery officer and has deployed several times.

Armor. Capt. Dan Porter. Growing up in a small town in northern Indiana, Capt. Porter attended Valparaiso University and graduated with a degree in accounting. He commissioned through Officer Candidate School into the Armor.

Army Communicator. Capt. Vincent Kirk. Capt. Kirk was born in Montgomery, Alabama. He graduated from The University of North Alabama in 2009 and enlisted in the Army as a Signal Support Systems Specialist. Kirk completed the Officer Candidate School in Fort Moore, Georgia and commissioned as a Signal Officer.

Army Sustainment. Capt. Garett Pyle. Capt. Pyle is a native of Farmington, Pennsylvania. He joined the Army Reserves and simultaneously attended the Reserve Officers Training Course at Washington & Jefferson College where he commissioned in 2016 in the Transportation Corps. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in Computer and Information Studies and holds a Master of Arts in Transportation and Logistics Management from American Military University.

Aviation Digest. Capt. Phillip Fluke. Capt. Fluke is a native of Baltimore, Maryland. Fluke enlisted in the Maryland Army National Guard in 2010, serving as a 15T UH-60 Blackhawk Repairer and 15U CH-47 Chinook Repairer until 2013. Fluke applied and was selected to attend the United States Military Academy in 2013. He graduated from West Point in 2017 with a Bachelor of Science in Economics.

Field Artillery. 1st Lt. Mackenzie Schott. 1st Lt. Schott grew up in Springfield, Pennsylvania and graduated from American University in 2021 with a degree in international studies. She commissioned from Georgetown University's Hoya Battalion as a Field Artillery officer-her #1 choice.

Infantry. Capt. Daniel Maresca. Capt. Maresca grew up in Mendham, New Jersey. He graduated from the University of New Haven and commissioned into the Military Police. Maresca is now an Infantry officer, having transferred branches.

The Medical Journal. Maj. Monique Schneeberger. Maj. Schneeberger was born in Lowville, New York and attended Utica University for her undergraduate and graduate medical studies, culminating in a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree in 2013. Schneeberger direct commissioned in 2019 and has served in a variety of roles since.

Military Intelligence Professional Bulletin. Capt. Christopher Amador. Capt. Amador is from Orlando, Florida. He commissioned from the University of Central Florida as a Military Intelligence Officer in 2016. He holds a Master of Science in Sport and Exercise Science from the University of Central Florida. His first assignment was with 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kansas, where he conducted missions as part of the Korea Rotational Defense Force and Operation Atlantic Resolve.

Protection. Capt. Michael McCallister. Capt. McCallister is from Joliet, Illinois. He served as an Infantryman, deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan before commissioning through the Green to Gold program as a Chemical officer.

Special Warfare. Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin Latigue. Sgt. 1st Class Latigue is originally from Apex, North Carolina and enlisted in 2012. He completed the Special Force Qualification Course in 2013 as a Special Forces Medical Sergeant. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and a Master of Arts in International Strategic Security Studies from the National Defense University.

Special Warfare. Maj. Emily Lopez. Maj. Lopez enlisted in the Army Reserves in 2008 and was commissioned from Oklahoma State University as an Ordnance officer in 2013. In 2019, Lopez graduated from the Civil Affairs Qualification Course. Lopez holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Education and Promotion from Oklahoma State University and a Master of Arts in Strategic Security Studies from the National Defense University.

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