Ten years ago, a disparate group of field-grade military officers toiled away at their keyboards. The world of national security blog posting was nascent, and several of them were working on individual projects, attempting to make sense of the world they found themselves in, seeking to share thoughts and ideas that would help shape the future. Through sheer happenstance of timing and a little bit of luck, they found each other and realized they could accomplish much more together than any one of them could on their own. So was born The Strategy Bridge.

They envisioned it as a marketplace of ideas where practitioners, theorists, and students could collaborate in a new virtual space to develop themselves and one another, challenge each other’s assumptions, and share a professional discourse that had the potential to influence policymakers in the United States and the world. It would be a place where thoughts could bridge the gap between the current and the ideal.

It began on October 25, 2013, with the publication of an article from one of our founders, Nathan K. Finney, entitled ”Bridging Divides: Thoughts on a Startup Conference.” Another founder, Rich Ganske, followed closely behind with his thoughts on ”Building Better Generals,” to which Don Vandergriff responded with an ”Addendum to ‘On Building Better Generals.’” Next, Chris Zeitz gave the community a look at “Network Theory Vs. Networks in Theory,” and Rich Ganske then returned with thoughts on the importance of revolutions in military affairs. With the publication of these five articles, the foundation was laid for The Strategy Bridge to become what it is today: an organization focused on the development of people in strategy, national security, and military affairs.

Ten years later, The Strategy Bridge has grown from a few like-minded individuals to a global community comprising tens of thousands of readers, writers, thinkers, and decision-makers.

Thanks to the tools of modern mass communication, The Strategy Bridge has built an audience of more than 360 thousand unique annual visitors from 99 countries, with over 32,000 Twitter followers, nearly 10,000 Facebook fans, and more than 4,500 followers on LinkedIn. This marketplace of ideas boasts 1,787 unique journal articles (including nearly 450 national security-related book, movie, and even video game reviews) by more than 630 authors. The organization has hosted hundreds of new model mentoring gatherings in locations as diverse as Washington D.C., Boston, MA; Carlisle, PA; Leavenworth, KS; and even Canberra, New South Wales. Thanks to the talents of our podcast host and producer, we’ve published nearly 50 episodes to date on topics ranging from strategic education to the politics of the space race.

For the last seven of those ten years, The Strategy Bridge has hosted an annual student writing contest, publishing scores of student essays, sharing their ideas, and awarding thousands of dollars in prize money to participants, while simultaneously developing the writing abilities of hundreds more.

The Strategy Bridge Is, Was, and Will remain Free 

Importantly, this repository of ideas and exposure to discussions with leaders and experts all came at no cost to our audience and community. Since its inception, The Strategy Bridge has remained free. Free of paywall access controls. Free of advertising. Free. Thanks to a dedicated group of volunteers made up of editors, featured contributors, producers, event hosts, marketers, and generous donors, access to ten years of content has remained available to the entire community without any strings.

It is with sincere gratitude that The Strategy Bridge team offers thanks to our entire community. To those who have contributed to our archive, to those who have participated in our events, and to those who have given of their time and their skills to further our endeavor we say, “Thank you for ten wonderful years!” We hope that as members of this community, each of you has gained by the experience some small fraction of the benefit you have bestowed upon us by your participation.

THank you to Every Member of the Bridge Community

The Strategy Bridge is a Non-Profit 501(C)(3) organization, dedicated to the development of people in Strategy, National Security, and Military Affairs. Click here to learn more about The Strategy Bridge.

The Strategy Bridge is read, respected, and referenced across the worldwide national security community—in conversation, education, and professional and academic discourse.

Thank you for being a part of The Strategy Bridge community. Together, we can #BuildTheBridge.