Washington, August 26, 2025—The Center for a New American Security (CNAS) is partnering with Breaking Defense to launch Pathfinder, a new essay contest that will highlight emerging voices in national security.
A key part of CNAS’s mission is to prepare and support the national security leaders of today and tomorrow. This contest provides students and early-career professionals with an opportunity to publish their work with both a leading think tank and a go-to defense outlet.
The contest asks authors to write an essay between 800–1,000 words that analyzes a national security challenge and provides actionable policy recommendations that address it in a bold, innovative, and bipartisan way—key tenants of CNAS’s and Breaking Defense’s work. This competition will give the next generation of national security leaders an opportunity to have their writing and analysis edited, published, and promoted by both CNAS and Breaking Defense.
Applicants should either be in graduate school or be an early-career professional (one to five years of work experience, excluding military service). The winners of the contest will have their essays published by CNAS and Breaking Defense, receive an honorarium, and be invited to attend the CNAS 2026 National Security Conference in person.
Authors should write an essay that responds to the following prompt:
Amid growing competition with China, war between Russia and Ukraine, ongoing conflict in the Middle East, domestic security challenges, and growing economic uncertainty, there is a lot on policymakers’ plates. What is a national security challenge that isn’t talked about enough? How can the U.S. policymaking community address it in a bold, innovative, and bipartisan way?
To enter, applicants should submit their résumé and essay by Sunday, September 28, at 11:59 p.m.
Do you know someone who should enter? Forward this email and encourage them to apply!
The Center for a New American Security (CNAS) is an independent and bipartisan research institution that develops strong, pragmatic, and principled national security and defense policies. CNAS leads efforts to help inform and prepare the national security leaders of today and tomorrow.
CNAS is registered with the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC): #81729.