Baen launches the David A. Drake Memorial Award

Baen Books has launched the David A. Drake Memorial Award for military science fiction and fantasy short stories. It honours Drake (1945–2023), the Vietnam veteran and author of Hammer's Slammers and the RCN series. It joins Baen's Jim Baen Memorial Award and Baen Fantasy Adventure Award.
Entries must be original, unpublished stories of up to 8,000 words, in any form of SF or fantasy. The military themes must be "central to the characters and plot". Fantasy counts too, so historical-flavoured stories qualify. You don't need to have served, although Baen encourages veterans and serving personnel to enter.
Submissions are open until 10 December 2026. Baen editors judge entries blind, with guest judges David Weber and Bill Fawcett. Winners get a professional publication contract and a trophy. Finalists will be announced in February 2027, and the award will be presented at LibertyCon in Chattanooga in June 2027.
Entry details are on the Baen Books website. Questions go to pr@baen.com.
Cover photo by Sobolev Maksim on Unsplash.