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!’

The winners will receive:

• 1st Place: Trip to Melbourne (flights and accommodation) to conduct a tour of the new Hanwha Armoured Vehicle Centre of Excellence (H-ACE) + Cove Coin + Cove Merch pack
• 2nd Place: $150 gift voucher + Cove Coin + Cove Merch pack
• 3rd Place: $100 gift voucher + Cove Coin + Cove Merch pack

Stay tuned for the winning entries!