First, thank you to all the well wishers with kind thoughts and visits to Bryn Mawr Hospital. I can say it was the best care I have ever received in a medical facility (and for a former Navy Corpsman – that means a great deal!). Second, the best news of Read more…
Major R.E.G. Sinke Jr. a CC since 1985, is pleased to announce the release of his new book… When None of Their Dreams Were Dead, Book I: The NCO Synopsis: Sean Paul O’Malley leaves the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League and enlists in the U.S. Marines. His Read more…
Movie-goers will easily recognize Russell Crowe and Ben Affleck playing leading roles in the new Hollywood flick “State of Play.” But look real close and you just might recognize Lucas Chapter member and former Marine CC Jonathan Abel. Abel, a professional actor, does his latest stint as an “extra” in Read more…
Tick-tock. The conference is looming, and it is time to start selling advertising for the journal. This year, in addition to being publised in the Annual Conference Journal, advertisers will also get a YEAR’S worth of FREE AD linking to their website (or email address) from our Advertsers from the Read more…
CC Regular and Associate Members are reminded that May 15 is the deadline for nominations for four officer and two board member positions of the USMCCCA. Curretn officers and board holders can be found here.
Each officer (president, vice president, secretary, treasurer) is elected for a one year period. Board members are elected to fill staggered two year terms. This year we will fill two Board of Director positions. Members whose terms expire this year are Don O’Neal and Vicki Conkel Turney.
John L. Hampton
By GySgt Norbert J. Malecki, USMC (ret)
John L. Hampton, the oldest member of the Joe Rosenthal (San Francisco Bay Area) Chapter of the USMCCCA will celebrate his 102nd birthday on May 24th, 2009. He is still going strong, though a bit slower than the pace he set while on active duty as a Marine public affairs officer during and after World War II.
Hampton is a founder of the USMC Toys for Tots program. In 1947 as a public affairs officer in Los Angeles, a fellow Marine officer, Maj. Bill Hendricks, offered and idea to set up barrels at movie theaters in Los Angeles to collect toys for needy children. The barrels were marked “Toys for Tots.”The next year, the program went nationwide and became an “immediate success,” Hampton recalls. Marines and everyone who became involved were “fascinated with the concept.” The whole Marine Corps helped out and it “snowballed over the years” into the program it is today because “Marines have a soft spot for children in need.” Hampton smiled.
First Place Thomas Jefferson Award, Stand-Alone Photograph by by Sgt Rocco DeFilippis. Maj. Jason P. Smith, convoy commander and amphibious assault officer, takes time away from convoy operations to interact and play with some Liberian children during a convoy to deliver humanitarian supplies throughout the city of Monrovia, Liberia.
Outstanding Flagship Publication: Marines Magazine
Winners of the 2009 Thomas Jefferson Awards were announced April 13. Here are the Marines honored for their work. A complete list of winners can be found after the jump.
News Article: Fearing Restrictions, Marines Load Up on Firearms, Lance CPL Graham Benson, Yuma Public Affairs Office, Yuma, AZ.
Commentary: Death of the Marksman, SSgt Ethan E. Rocke, Marine Corps Base, Okinawa, Japan.
Series: The Untouchables, SSgt Ethan E. Rocke, Marine Corps Base, Okinawa, Japan.
Stand-Alone Photograph: Maj Smith with Liberian Children, Sgt Rocco DeFilippis, Marine Corps Forces Europe/Africa, APO AE.
Outstanding Flagship Publication: Marines Magazine, Defense Media Activity Crystal City Marines, Arlington, VA.
Web-based Publication: Pendleton.USMC.mil, Camp Pendleton Public Affairs Office, Camp Pendleton, CA.
Radio News Report: “Marines Aid Afghans”, Sgt Jeremy Ross, USMC, Pentagon Channel.
Combat photographer Hank Ehlbeck did NOT attend the Military Photography Workshop, but this is a very cool picture.
The 17th Annual DoD Worldwide Military Photography Workshop will be
hosted by the Defense Information School, June 8-13, 2009.
The workshop is held to improve professional knowledge,
proficiency and qualifications of DoD photographers and photojournalists.
Workshop faculty members will provide technical instruction to increase the
effectiveness, ability, and visual communication skills of attendees to
provide the highest quality imagery to the Department of Defense.
Selection for attendance will be competitive and limited to 25
photographers / photojournalists. To ensure maximum benefit, those attending
the workshop are required to have a strong background and working knowledge in still photography.
Eligibility: Personnel from all services, holding a photographer /
photojournalist specialty code, and DoD employed civilian photographers may
apply. Attendees will be selected based on their portfolio and command
recommendation, which must be received no later than Friday 27 April 2009.
Portfolios and a letter of recommendation from commanding officers shall be
forwarded to the Defense Information School, ATTN: TSgt Larry Simmons
(Photography Workshop), 6500 Mapes Rd., Ft. Meade, MD 20755-5620.
Click inside the video to load. May take a minute or two … be patient. Select low to speed things up. This comes from the Pentagon Channel.
Like many of their civilian counterparts, the Camp Pendleton Scout, the Miramar Flight Jacket and the San Diego Navy Compass newspapers ceased publication last week.
According to a reliable source, the publisher was faced with both declining and (uncollected) advertising revenues and simply could not continue to pay the operating expenses. It was learned that the publisher had been negotiating to print the papers every other week but that did not pan out.
Many of us “old timers” in the military news business can remember when the base paper was the mainstay of post or station news and, typically in many cases, the “mouth piece” of the command. We also remember when a five-column tab contained only news and photos and not advertising.