Announcing the winners of the 2024 Cove Competition!

That concludes Cove Competition 2024! A big thank you to everyone who submitted entries this year. There was a wide range of topics, styles, messages and reflections across all the entries. Keep a close eye on The Cove next week because every day a submission from each category will be published in reverse placing order. Once winners are announced, a selection of the other submissions that didn't place will be released on The Cove over coming weeks.

About the Cove Competition 2024

This year, authors were invited to submit written pieces (1,000 to 1,500 words) on the topic 'How does Army need to adapt to the changing character of war?'. We asked you to respond to one of the features of the changing character of war in the document 'Army's Contribution to the National Defence Strategy'. We encouraged entrants to feel free to support, contest, challenge, or expand upon those ideas further.

The Cove Team assessed all entries in conjunction with this year's guest judge, Colonel Tom McDermott, Director of the Chief of Army's Initiatives Group.

COL McDermott had the following to say about the entries:

‘This a really impressive set of articles, and I congratulate the authors.  The most important thing they show is imagination.  The future is both dangerous and unclear, and it is only by imagination that we can see our problems and understand how we might need to prepare for then.  It is really important, however, that our imagined futures are evidenced.  All the authors have done this brilliantly: a set of respectful and evidenced contributions to a much-needed contest of ideas.  Well done to all, and I implore others to follow the trend and get writing!’

Winners - Soldier Category

3rd Place: Able Seaman Emma Storey. For her essay ‘Implications for the Army of the erosion of Australia’s “tyranny of distance”’, Able Seaman Storey wins a $100 gift voucher, a Cove coin, and a Cove merch pack. Congratulations! 

2nd Place: CPL John Wellfare. For his essay ‘Technology, A People Problem: And What To Do About It’, CPL Wellfare wins a $150 gift voucher, a Cove coin, and a Cove merch pack. Congratulations!

 

Winners - Officer Category

3rd Place: MAJ Brendan Gilbert. For his essay ‘Learning the right lessons from contemporary conflicts’, MAJ Gilbert wins a $100 gift voucher, a Cove coin, and a Cove merch pack. Congratulations!

2nd Place: MAJ Travis Peet. For his essay ‘How the Australian Army Would Adapt if it Introduced Explosive FPV Drones’, MAJ Peet wins a $150 gift voucher, a Cove coin, and a Cove merch pack. Congratulations!

 

Honourable Mention

One entry that was a favourite among the Cove team was that by Major General Chris Field, titled 'Adapting to the Changing Character of War in the Indo-Pacific Region: Three Australian Army Innovations for Mass Urbanisation in the Littoral'. MAJGEN Field's article was clear, well researched, relevant, and persuasive. He receives an Honourable Mention, and will be sent a Cove coin and a jarrah pen. Well done!