The Verdict Is In: Merit Award Entries ‘Best in Years’

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

The review and analysis, sometimes involving spirited debate, consumed about 32 hours in four separate sessions over a two-day period. When it ended on March 6, the 12 judges, meeting in Washington , D.C. , had selected the best from nearly 1,000 entries in this year’s USMCCCA and the Marine Corps’ Division of Public Affairs Merit Awards program.
And a consensus seemed to emerge from the volunteer civilian judges that perhaps this 41st annual competition ranked as one of the very best, at least over recent years.
The first place winners in 47 categories encompassing photo, print and broadcast journalism, along with the runners up, will be honored at the USMCCCA’s gala awards banquet during the annual conference at Hampton , VA in September.

Chas Henry

“We reviewed a great deal of solid journalistic craft,” said broadcast judge and former Marine CC Chas Henry, currently executive director of communications at the U.S. Naval Institute. “Few of the many broadcast entries, however, related to activities in Iraq or Afghanistan …the public affairs community is doing a disservice to Marines in the field if it is not applying its internal electronic production skills to tell stories of Marines’ extraordinary accomplishments.”
Henry added: “I was encouraged to see continued improvement in the overall quality of these productions. I’d encourage Marines to consider their storytelling work an obligation. Marines are in tough places, undertaking tough work on behalf of their fellow citizens – too often out of sight of those Americans back home. Don’t let their efforts go unseen.”

A print judge, Richard Truitt, a former Marine officer and veteran newsman, author, and public relations executive, said his general impression “is that the overall quality of Marine Corps writing is superb. We were able to find a few lame stories in the mix but the work generally was excellent and we were picking among the ‘very good’ to find the ‘very best’. The entire drill (judging) was conducted in a highly professional manner.”
Mike Rhea, a veteran Marine CC, a former newsman (Reuters) and currently a writing instructor at Dover Air Force Base, called the writing entries “generally the best I’ve seen in 15 y ears of judging. ‘Good’ wasn’t good enough this year. ‘Outstanding’ was necessary.”  Rhea, like the other judges, identified problems such as “contrived and cliche story leads” but “despite my criticism there is a ton of promise and potential in the work of these young Marines.”
A third print judge, former MGySgt. Ron Keene, now associate editor of Leatherneck, wrote that “the entries were better than in many previous years. I believe that many of the young writers appear to be on their own and possibly there is a lack of mentoring from senior NCOs, staff NCOs and officers…writing is like training for the PTF, snapping in at the range. If you do it regularly you can do reasonably well. If you get away from it your skills will atrophy and you will be a writing wimp. Keep at it and know that we enjoyed reading most of what you wrote.”

John Metelsky

John Metelsky, an award-winning professional photographer, viewed some 300 images in the course of a long day, using the word “outstanding” to describe entries in 11 categories. He was also very impressed “with the competence and friendliness” of the five uniformed Marines from DivPA who monitored the photo judging. “They were all terrific.”
Other critiques may show up from photo judges Jim Wallace, formerly a photo chief at the Smithsonian Institution and Rex Stucky, a former National Geographic staffer. Other judges in the broadcast sector: Dave Hugel, Bryan Drenning, Chris Reese, Liz Murray and Laura Billet.
GSgt. Ronna Weyland, news chief at the DivPA, supervised the judging in photo and print, assisted by Sgt. Clinton Firstbrook, Sgt. Michael Cifuentes, Cpl. Priscilla Vitale and LCpl Nichole Werling. GSgt Steve Williams, SNCO in charge of Marines TV, headed up the broadcast staff which included Sgt. Jeremy Vought, Sgt. Todd Hunter and LCpl A.J. Lugo.
A Marine Corps advisory announcing the winners may be issued as early as March 13