Taking a New Look
Military Officer is ringing in the new year with a fresh face. We’ve tweaked the magazine’s design to present the information you need in a more readable format.
By Col. Warren S. Lacy, USA-Ret.

Did you notice anything unusual when you picked up this issue of Military Officer? We certainly hope we caught your eye with a slightly different cover look. However, you should feel at ease as you flip through the pages and settle in with your favorite features.

As all magazines do, we periodically indulge in an editorial face-lift. After all, the publication is more than 60 years old. And it doesn’t hurt to have a fresh face to go with our fresh content. The last time we redesigned the magazine was in 1998. So, it’s about time!

Why redesign? To put it simply: (1) to make it easier for you, the reader, to find information of value to you and (2) to present the information in as readable a form as possible. Also, concepts of magazine design and layout change over the years, and we should take advantage of today’s best practices.

What’s changed? Starting with the cover, you’ll see a new nameplate. It’s designed to be bolder and more authoritative, in keeping with MOAA’s role as “One Powerful Voice” for all servicemembers. We’ll choose cover images that project a strong military image and that reflect the best of our nation’s uniformed services. Every cover also will include a number of “cover lines,” blurbs about content that is most useful to the reader. We also include page numbers with these items so the information is easy to find. (Have you ever searched a magazine for that list of “Ten hints for ...” and never found it?)

The biggest change inside is our new section, “Rapid Fire.” This is a department of short news and feature items that benefit the reader. In keeping with modern magazine trends, this section allows quick scanning for news that applies to you. Here you’ll read the latest about military benefits and programs. You’ll also find quick updates and fun facts. “Rapid Fire” incorporates information formerly found in “Answer Digest,” “News Notes,” and the book review section.

All our other departments and features keep their former titles and roles. You’ll notice, however, a new color-coded bar over department pages to make it easier to find your favorites. Also, we’ve picked type faces and type sizes that are easy to read. Overall, the magazine uses more white space, photos, and graphics to keep things interesting.

We hope these changes make it easier for you to find the information you need. Check out our updated design, and let us know what you think!