General Content
Wild Blue Yonder is an online, moderated, and professionally reviewed blog representing Air University and Air University Press. Because Air University develops Airmen of all ranks and across the officer and enlisted Total Force, we encourage articles and deal with all aspects of the DAF experience and profession of arms. We expect that pieces submitted come from authors who are writing from knowledgeable positions, making arguments in good faith, and who will respond positively to peer suggestions and conform to the standards expected of professional service journals.
Length
Work should be between 1,000-2,500 words, exclusive of documentation. Because Air University has a robust slate of print/online journals for more substantial submissions, we are happy to refer pieces more appropriate to SSQ, ASPJ, and others to our editorial colleagues.
Style/Formatting
Because WBY is a DAF publication, authors may use service-specific titles, acronyms, and style, although to have the widest appreciative audience, we ask authors to provide explanations for jargon.
The purpose of WBY posts is to spark conversation, engage with current policy and events and provide accessible entry points to more scholarly, thorough research. Authors should choose vivid case studies, evidence and illustrations of their arguments which make the most of the limited word count and motivate the reader to find out more. In aid of this, citations should be endnotes in Chicago Manual of Style formatting. Please make sure to use a full citation on the first use.
Here are some handy online guides:
Submission
Please submit your prospective contribution to Email Wild Blue Yonder in the form of a Word document. We review material continually and will respond with a decision whether to accept the piece as is, to ask for revisions in line with suggestions from editors and peer reviewers or decline to publish. The editors are volunteers with full-time assignments, so please be patient with our efforts to respond as soon as possible. We understand that submissions are likely to be timely and connected to current events and strive to get things on view in an efficient manner.
Along with your Word document, include any charts, graphics, or illustrations you have created for the piece, in the highest quality available. We would also like a short biographical statement, which may include any social media handles (Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) you wish to add.
WBY is happy to have short pieces derived from books, articles and longer works, especially if they can drive conversation and engagement with the parent material. However, we do not entertain simultaneous submission of the piece you send to us, and upon publication, the piece should be attributed to WBY in citations. On request, we are happy to grant permission for work appearing in WBY to appear elsewhere with acknowledgment of original publication here.
SPR Review: If you are submitting a piece from an organization that requires a disclaimer and PA clearance, please undertake that before submission to WBY and attach the clearance disposition. If you are attached to Air University, we are happy to work with you to submit your work to our SPR team at Maxwell.