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ROUTINE
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FM CHINFO WASHINGTON DC
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NAVADMIN 077/24
SUBJ: CY 2023 WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE NAVY PUBLIC AFFAIRS AWARDS//
REF/A/DOC/NAVY PUBLIC AFFAIRS AWARDS PROGRAM STANDARD OPERATING
PROCEDURES CY 2023//
POC/NAVY PUBLIC AFFAIRS AWARDS: MCCS DUSTIN WITHROW/CDR RYAN DE VERA
dustin.b.withrow.mil@us.navy.mil/401-841-1162/
ryan.r.devera.mil@us.navy.mil/703-571-6408
RMKS/1. The recipients of the 2023 Navy Public Affairs Awards for Leadership
and Production Excellence are:
a. MC of the Year:
MC1 Cole Pielop, Navy Public Affairs Support Element West
b. MC of the Year (Reserve):
MC1 Christopher Previc, Navy Office of Information Reserve Unit
c. Junior MC of the Year:
MC2 Colby Mothershead, Navy Public Affairs Support Element West
d. Junior MC of the Year (Reserve):
MC2 Gabriela Isaza, Navy Public Affairs Support Element Midwest
e. Junior PAO of the Year:
Co-Winner LT Kassandra Collins, Navy Office of Information
Co-Winner LTJG Paula Niederland, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78)
f. Junior PAO of the Year (Reserve):
LT Victoria Piccoli, Navy Office of Information Reserve Unit
g. Unit Public Affairs Representative of the Year:
ENS Jorge Ilagan, USS New York (LPD 21)
h. Civilian Public Affairs Specialist of th Year:
Candice Barber, Commander, Fleet Activities Okinawa
i. CHINFO Special Merit Award:
Alton Dunham, Commander, Submarine Forces
j. Navy Communicator of the Year:
MC2 Conner Blake, Defense Media Activity Rota
k. Navy Videographer of the Year:
MC1 Haydn Smith, Commander, Navy Region Europe, Africa, Central
l. Navy Civilian Videographer of the Year:
Ryan Carter, Commander, Military Sealift Command Atlantic
m. Navy Writer of the Year:
MC1 Cameron Edy, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces/U.S. Naval Forces
Africa
n. Navy Civilian Writer of the Year:
Maison Piedfort, Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific
o. Navy Photographer of the Year:
MC2 Hannah Kantner, USS Nimitz (CVN 68)
p. Navy Civilian Photographer of the Year:
Melvin Gonzalvo, Commander, Navy Region Hawaii
q. Navy Graphic Designer of the Year:
MC1 Isabel Wences, NATO, Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic
r. Navy Civilian Graphic Designer of the Year:
None Awarded
2. The recipients of the 2023 Navy Public Affairs Awards in the Campaign
categories are:
a. Best in Show:
"Build Back Trust", Chief of Naval Personnel
b. Deployment Excellence:
Afloat Large Winner: "Deployment to 3rd Fleet and 7th Fleet Area of
Operations", USS Nimitz (CVN 68)
c. Community Outreach:
Afloat Large Winner: USS Nimitz (CVN 68)
Afloat Small Winner: Commander, Expeditionary Strike Group THREE
Shore Large Winner: Navy Office of Community Outreach
Shore Small Winner: Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division
Shore Large Honorable Mention: Commander, Naval Surface Forces
d. Crisis Communication:
Shore Large Winner: Chief of Naval Personnel
Shore Small Winner: Naval Station Mayport
e. Special Event:
Afloat Large Winner: USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75)
Shore Large Winner: Commander, Naval Air Forces
Shore Small Winner: Commander, Littoral Combat Ship Squadron ONE
Shore Large Honorable Mention: Naval Special Warfare Group TWO
f. Internal Communication:
Afloat Large Winner: USS George Washington (CVN 73)
Shore Large Winner: Chief of Naval Personnel
Shore Small Winner: Commander, Navy Region Southeast
Afloat Large Honorable Mention: USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74)
Shore Large Honorable Mention: Naval Special Warfare Command
Shore Small Honorable Mention: Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft
Division
g. Public Information:
Afloat Large Winner: USS Nimitz (CVN 68)
Shore Large Winner: Commander, U.S. Sixth Fleet
Shore Small Winner: Commander, Littoral Combat Ship Squadron ONE
3. The recipients of the 2023 Navy Public Affairs Awards in the Unit
categories are:
a. Print and Digital Publication:
1st: "The Washington Surveyor", USS George Washington (CVN 73)
2nd: "Ho'okele", Commander, Navy Region Hawaii
3rd: "TNR (The Navy Reservist)", Commander, Navy Reserve Forces
Command
Honorable Mention: "68 Magazine", USS Nimitz (CVN 68)
Honorable Mention; "Bark of the Boxer", USS Boxer (LHD 4)
b. Audio Production:
1st: "Technically Speaking Podcast", Naval Information Warfare Center
Atlantic
2nd: "Empowering Excellence with Art & Frankie", Naval Information
Warfare Systems Command
3rd: "NAS Sigonella Suicide Awareness and Prevention Month Interview
with the Commanding Officer", Defense Media Activity Sigonella
c. Video Production:
1st: "Leadership in the Prison Camp: Vietnam POW Captain Charlie
Plumb",
U.S. Navy Band, Washington, D.C.
2nd: "Shipboard Firefighting: Integration", Commander, Fleet
Activities
Yokosuka
3rd: "Navy Reserve Onboarding - What You Need To Know!", Commander,
Navy Reserve Forces Command
Honorable Mention: "How to Get a Two-Star Admiral's Attention", Naval
Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division
Honorable Mention: "USS Tripoli Undergoes Restricted Availability",
USS Tripoli (LHA 7)
4. The recipients of the 2023 Navy Public Affairs Awards in the Individual
categories are:
a. Graphic Design-Layout & Design:
1st: MC2 Caroline Lui, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76)
2nd: Kristin Behrle, Naval Surface Warfare Division, Carderock
Division
3rd: MC2 Michael Hazlett, NATO, Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic
Honorable Mention: MC3 David Rosinski, USS Nimitz (CVN 68)
Honorable Mention: MCSN Tyler Crowley, Defense Information School
b. Graphic Design-Digital Art:
1st: MC3 David Rosinski, USS Nimitz (CVN 68)
2nd: MC2 Kyleigh Williams, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central
Command
3rd: MC2 Jennifer Benedict, USS Nimitz (CVN 68)
Honorable Mention: MCSA Joseph Paolucci, USS Nimitz (CVN 68)
Honorable Mention: MC2 Mykala Keckeisen, USS Nimitz (CVN 68)
c. Graphic Design-Identity Design:
1st: MC2 Tyler Cardoza, USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75)
2nd: MC2 Jennifer Benedict, Navy Medicine Readiness and Training
Command
3rd: MC2 Aaron Smith, Commander, Submarine Squadron 11
d. Graphic Design-Animation:
1st: MC2 Adam Ferrero, Defense Media Activity Yokota
2nd: David Flewellyn, Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka
3rd: MC2 Christopher Jones, USS Bataan (LHD 5)
Honorable Mention: Aaron Thomas, Naval Surface Warfare Center,
Carderock
Division
e. Graphic Design-Photo Illustration:
1st: MC2 Nolan Pennington, PCU John F. Kennedy (CVN 79)
2nd: MC2 Lily Gebauer, Commander, U.S. Third Fleet
3rd: MC2 Analice Baker, USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70)
Honorable Mention: MC2 Nolan Pennington, PCU John F. Kennedy (CVN 79)
f. Photo-Feature:
1st: MC1 Chris Williamson, Navy Public Affair Support Element West,
Det Hawaii
2nd: MC1 Jamaal Liddell, Navy Public Affairs Support Element Japan
3rd: MC1 Marc Castaneda, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76)
g. Photo-News:
1st: MC2 James Finney, USS Boxer (LHD 4)
2nd: MC2 Aaron Lau, Navy Public Affairs Support Element East, Det
Southeast
3rd: MC2 Anderson Branch, Commander, U.S. Second Fleet
Honorable Mention: MC2 Jackson Adkins, Explosive Ordnance Disposal
Group TWO
Honorable Mention: MC1 Maria OlveraTristan, MyNavy Career Center
h. Photo-Photo Series:
1st: MC1 Chris Williamson, Navy Public Affairs Support Element West,
Det Hawaii
2nd: MC1 Cody Deccio, U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron
3rd: MC2 Clayton Wren, USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72)
Honorable Mention: MC2 Aaron Lau, Navy Public Affairs Support Element
East, Det Southeast
Honorable Mention: MC2 Benjamin Ringers, USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70)
i. Photo-Portrait:
1st: MC1 Samantha Jetzer, Joint Region Marianas
2nd: MCSN Jordan Steis, Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia
3rd: MC2 Matthew Brown, USS Bataan (LHD 5)
Honorable Mention: MC3 Janae Chambers, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN
69)
Honorable Mention: MC2 Jacquelin Frost, Patrol Squadron 46
j. Video Story:
1st: MC1 Cody Deccio, U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron
2nd: MCSN August Clawson, USS George Washington (CVN 73)
3rd: MC3 Derek Kelley, USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70)
Honorable Mention: MC2 Andrew Eder, Defense Media Activity Naples
Honorable Mention: Ryan Carter, Commander, Military Sealift Command
Atlantic
k. Video-Multimedia Product:
1st: MC1 Haydn Smith, Commander, Navy Region Europe, Africa, Central
2nd: MC2 Aaron Lau, Navy Public Affairs Support Element East, Det
Southeast
3rd: Chelsie Holloway, Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic
l. Video-Video Series:
1st: MCSN August Clawson, USS George Washington (CVN 73)
2nd: MC1 Marc Castaneda, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76)
3rd: ENS Nolan Valerio, Training Airwing FOUR
Honorable Mention: Javon Spence, Naval Medical Support Detachment
Bethesda
Honorable Mention: Carly Diette, Naval Undersea Warfare Center
Division Newport
m. Video-Video Spot:
1st: MC2 Codie Soule, Defense Media Activity Yokosuka
2nd: MCSN August Clawson, USS George Washington (CVN 73)
3rd: MCSN Tyler Crowley, Defense Information School
Honorable Mention: MC2 Alisha Gleason, USS Bataan (LHD 5)
Honorable Mention: MC2 Andrew Eder, Defense Media Activiy Naples
n. Video-B-Roll:
1st: MC2 Anderson Branch, Commander, U.S. Second Fleet
2nd: MC2 Stuart Posada, Recruit Training Command Great Lakes
3rd: MC2 Bradley Rickard, USS Bataan (LHD 5)
Honorable Mention: MC1 Haydn Smith, Commander, Navy Region Europe,
Africa, Central
Honorable Mention: Bobbie Camp, Naval Medical Forces Atlantic
o. Writing-Commentary:
1st: Douglas Stutz, Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command
2nd: MC1 Haydn Smith, Commander, Navy Region Europe, Africa, Central
p. Writing-Blog Post:
Honorable Mention: MC1 Cameron Edy, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces/U.S.
Naval Forces Africa
q. Writing-Feature Story:
1st: MC1 Samantha Jetzer, Joint Region Marianas
2nd: MC1 Cameron Edy, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces/U.S. Naval Forces
Africa
3rd: MC2 Amber Speer, USS Wasp (LHD 1)
Honorable Mention: MC3 Jordan Brown, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76)
Honorable Mention: MC1 Eduardo Otero, USS Nimitz (CVN 68)
r. Writing-Information:
1st: Frank Kaminski, Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Keyport
2nd: MC2 Richard Rodgers, Navy Public Affairs Support Element East
3rd: Thomas McMahon, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme
Division
Honorable Mention: MC1 Cameron Edy, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces/U.S.
Naval Forces Africa
s. Writing-Photojournalism:
1st: MC2 Keypher Strombeck, Naval Special Warfare Command
2nd: MC1 Cameron Edy, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces/U.S. Naval Forces
Africa
3rd: Bobbie Camp, Commander, Naval Medical Forces Atlantic
Honorable Mention: MC1 Jonathan Nelson, Naval History and Heritage
Command
5. Letters/plaques/awards for the winners are forthcoming.
6. Congratulations to all commands and individuals who participated in this
awards program. Your hard work and superb efforts have made your public
affairs programs outstanding examples to emulate. Team First!
7. Released by RDML R. M. Perry, Chief of Information.//
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