Writing Is Warfighting—Cultivating Intellectual Readiness in the U.S. Army

Before a warrior learns to lead, they must learn to think. Before they learn to command, they must learn to reflect. Writing, then, is not a secondary skill—it is a foundational act of warfighting. In an era of irregular conflict and cognitive competition, writing is how warriors refine judgment, process complexity, and preserve the clarity of their own purpose. It is the discipline of thinking out loud, in public, with purpose.

Writing is warfighting. It is decision-making in motion. It is a form of intellectual readiness, personal reflection, and strategic adaptation.

The Harding Project, a grassroots initiative to renew professional military writing, reminds us that the profession of arms is also the profession of thought. Its namesake, Major General Edwin "Forrest" Harding, understood this in the interwar years of the 1930s. He doubled the circulation of the Infantry Journal not because writing was trendy, but because the Army needed to think harder before it fought again. Today, we are again in an interwar period. And once again, we must write our way through it.

"Most of the writing I do is because I have a question in my mind that I’m trying to answer," Griffiths shared. "Once I think I know the answer, I write it down and send it out to the world."

What began as a push to renew branch journals has evolved into a system-wide revitalization of professional discourse. As one of the key initiatives, The Harding Fellowship—accepting applications until 27 July—places uniformed editors back in charge of journals to ensure alignment with the lived realities of the force. The creation of Line of Departure, a consolidated digital platform for all Army branch journals, ensures that insights from aviation can bump up against perspectives from infantry or logistics. Writing becomes not only expression but connection.

And while writing is often seen as an officer's pursuit, Griffiths and The Harding Project have actively included enlisted voices. Initiatives like Muddy Boots and the Ultima Scholars Program aim to make writing culturally inclusive and professionally accessible. As Griffiths put it, "Hopefully the example set by senior NCOs inspires junior ones to write too."

As Griffiths transitions out of his leadership role, Major Kyle Atwell now steps in as the incoming director—tasked with a mission not just of momentum, but of permanence. Atwell, the founder of the Irregular Warfare Initiative and a proven builder of narrative ecosystems, emphasized that his goal is to move The Harding Project from a personality-driven effort to a fully institutionalized force-multiplier.

"We build great things in the Army, but many are too dependent on the people who created them," Atwell shared. "My mission is to ensure The Harding Project becomes sustainable—so the culture of writing outlasts any one leader."

The Harding Project is more than a publication platform. It is an invitation that says…

You, warrior, have a voice. You, the leader, have a lesson worth sharing. You, warfighter, have already been shaped by the profession—now shape it back. Writing is not a break from service. It is an intentional and deliberate form of service.

Why does this matter? Because writing cultivates a culture of intellectual readiness.

Modern psychology confirms what warriors have long sensed, that writing builds resilience. Dr. James Pennebaker’s research on expressive writing shows that when individuals write about emotionally significant experiences, they sleep better, think more clearly, and recover faster from stress. Writing isn’t just a leadership skill—it’s a cognitive resilience tool.

For the individual, writing fosters agency, reflection, and judgment. It builds a cognitive reserve of insights and experiences that become tools for leadership. It helps warriors understand who they are, what they believe, and why they serve. Writing connects the personal narrative to the professional one.

For the institution, writing is strategic infrastructure. It strengthens the Army’s learning loop, accelerates doctrinal innovation, and democratizes insight. It helps the enterprise hear the truth from the edge—and adapt accordingly. Writing is how the Army preserves memory, builds capacity, and tells its own story with clarity and authenticity.

As Griffiths put it, "If I have taken the time to write about something, I have a finished opinion on it. I am much more resistant to ideas that run contrary to it because I’ve thought it through. Writing protects your thinking."

The warrior and the writer are one and the same. And in today's battlespace, the future belongs to those who can do both.

Chad Williamson is a military veteran and is currently pursuing his graduate degree in national security policy. He lives on Capitol Hill with his wife, Dr. Heather Williamson, and their two chocolate labs, Demmi and Ferg.