They came, they debated, they judged in the Merit Awards Program

Print category judges for the Merit Awards Program, Mike Rhea, Ron Keene and Dick Truitt examine submissions at the Newseum, Washington D.C. on March 5, 2009. Photo by Sgt. Michael S. Cifuentes.

By Don Knight, Awards Chair
Fast forward to Sept. 17, 2009. The Marines stepping onto the ballroom stage at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Hampton , Va. are wearing their blues. They are greeted by a Marine officer and are photographed holding a first place plaque as a winner in the annual Merit Awards competition. There is loud applause, cheering.

Judges Rex Stucky, Jim Wallace and John Metelsky discuss the merits of the photgraphy submissions. Photo by Sgt. Michael S. Cifuentes

At the podium MC Pat Coulter, with  his professional discourse, is saying something about the winning entry and the Marine holding the plaque. He has already mentioned that “tonight we are honoring the best of the best.”

This is the USMCCCA’s annual awards conference and banquet, the final act in a nine-month drill that began in early 2009.

A thousand entries in more than 40 categories arrived in January/February at the Corps’ Division of Public Affairs, Pentagon, from all points on the globe, were then screened for compliance with the rules and turned over to 13 volunteers, all but one being civilians, to review, discuss, often argue, then to make judgment.

They are the judges, some might say the most important and perhaps the most unsung participants in the year-long process. On March 5-6 they assembled in Washington , D.C. They all carried credentials showing expertise in photographic, print and broadcast journalism. Some came from afar. All volunteered out of a common interest in the Marine Corps and its efforts to tell an important story to the American public about Marines at work. 

Mike Rhea is no newcomer to the program. He drove down I-95 from Dover , DE during rush hour on March 6 to serve once again as one of the judges in the print competition. He teaches English in Dover , worked for many years at the Reuters news agency in Washington , D.C. and at other journalism and teaching jobs. He has a strong attachment to the awards program. He is a former Marine combat correspondent. 

As is Ron Keene, associate editor of Leatherneck magazine and a retired MGySgt.  He also drove on I-95 but from a different direction, from Quantico , Va. He had judged before and brought a special expertise to his review of Marine stories and publications.

Dick Truitt was a Marine officer in Korea and then spent more than five decades as a newsman (Chicago Tribune and United Press), as a president of two public relations firms, as an author and speechwriter, as a wordsmith of repute. He is impressed with what the Marine Corps and the USMCCCA is doing with this program. He traveled, as he did last year, from Rowayton , CT to take part.

Three judges reviewing some 300 submissions in eight photo categories had a busy, day-long session, also at the Newseum in Washington . All of the images were projected by computer to a large screen for review.
Rex Stucky brought a 43-year career as a professional photographer into play, including 28 with the National Geographic Society where he managed the color print laboratory.

A second photo judge, Jim Wallace, served the Smithsonian Institution for 29 years, during which he was a director and curator of the Imaging and Photographic Services. John Metelsky directed the press office at the Agency for International Development, where he photographed and wrote stories about projects on three continents. He also served as a photographer for the National Press Club over a 40-year span.

Reese

Radio and television judges convened over a two-day period at the Naval Media Center in Washington , home to Marines TV.  The seven judges included Christopher Reese, owner of a media production company where he alternates as a photographer, video producer and where his body of work includes NASA, PBS and other government and private operations.

Henry

Former Marine officer Chas Henry, who has extensive experience as a broadcast journalist covering security and national defense programs, gave up one day from his post as director of communications at the U.S. Naval Institute to serve as a judge and Dave Hugel, recently retired from his post at the U.S. Department of Transportation was on board for one day of judging. He is a former Marine CC with credentials in film and broadcast.

Liz Murray, from the Pentagon TV channel and Dave Hugel, former Marine CC, served as judges for the broadcast (radio and television) segment. Photo by Sgt. Jeremy Vought of Marines TV

Billett

Drenning.jpg

Other broadcast judges included Laura Billet, a former White House television videographer, currently a producer for the Dept. Of  Health and Human Services; Bryan Drenning, also a producer at HHS; Liz Murray, an employee at the Pentagon TV Channel and Chief Joe Clark, an award-winning Navy radio broadcaster. 

-30-