Each year, JSOU partners with the Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict (SO/LIC) Chapter of the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) in sponsoring the annual chapter essay contest.  The first-place winner is recognized each year at the NDIA SO/LIC Symposium held in the February and awarded a $1,000 cash prize.  The runner-up receives a $500 prize.  The competition is open to resident and nonresident students attending Professional Military Education (PME) institutions and has produced outstanding works on special operations issues.  These essays provide current insights on what our PME students see as priority national security issues affecting special operations.  JSOU is pleased to offer this selection of the top five essays from the 2012 contest.  The JSOU intent is that this compendium will benefit the reader professionally and encourage future PME students to write on special operations issues.