About the U.S. Naval Institute

The U.S. Naval Institute provides an independent forum for those who dare to read, think, speak, and write to advance the professional, literary, and scientific understanding of sea power and other issues critical to global security.

The Naval Institute’s origins date to October 9, 1873, when 15 naval officers gathered at the U. S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland for lively discussion of military history and strategy.

The founding vision was to create a forum for the exchange of ideas, to disseminate and advance the knowledge of sea power, and to preserve our naval and maritime heritage. The “proceedings” of those earliest discussions were eventually published and read throughout the fleet.

It was in the fleet, at the tip of the sword, where the value of the Naval Institute’s forum was truly felt. The impact of the new organization spread quickly and soon embraced all the nation’s Sea Services – Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard.

The U.S. Naval Institute is a non-profit, membership-based organization. Our members contribute their knowledge, experience and ideas to bring positive change that will affect the maritime services for years to come. It is the members of the U.S. Naval Institute that make it the “intellectual heart of the Sea Services.”

For more information on the U.S. Naval Institute and membership, visit: www.usni.org.