R 271213Z MAR 25
MARADMIN 166/25
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC CD WASHINGTON DC//
SUBJ/ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE WINNERS FOR CY2024 VISUAL INFORMATION AND
EXCELLENCE IN COMMUNICATION (VIEC) AWARDS//
NARR/REF A//MARINE CORPS VISUAL INFORMATION AND EXCELLENCE IN
COMMUNICATION AWARDS PROGRAM STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES CY2024//
POC/W. E. SPRADLIN/CWO5/HQMC CD/TEL: (703) 614-1494/EMAIL:
WADE.SPRADLIN@USMC.MIL//
POC/K. L. MCDOLE/GYSGT/HQMC CD/TEL: (703) 614-1494/EMAIL:
KASSIE.MCDOLE@USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. Congratulations to the following Marines and
commands on selection as the recipients of the 2024 Communication
Strategy and Operations (COMMSTRAT) Visual Information and
Excellence in Communication (VIEC) Awards. Your leadership and
proficiency in visual information and communication have greatly
supported the Commandant of the Marine Corps’ communication
objectives and bring great credit to you and your commands.
2. First Place Award Recipients:
2.a. COMMSTRAT of the Year winners:
(1) Communication Plan of the Year:
II Marine Expeditionary Force
(2) COMMSTRAT Marine of the Year:
Sgt Ryan W. Hageali, 1st Marine Division
(3) COMMSTRAT SNCO of the Year:
GySgt Donald J. Holbert, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit
(4) COMMSTRAT Visual Information Officer of the Year:
CWO2 Akeel A. Austin, 2d Marine Aircraft Wing
(5) COMMSTRAT Officer of the Year:
1st Lt Jacob R. Ballard, 2d Marine Aircraft Wing
(6) COMMSTRAT Unit of the Year:
III Marine Expeditionary Force
2.b. Graphic Design winners:
(1) Marine Corps Graphic Designer of the Year:
1st Place: Cpl Matthew A. Benfield, U.S. Marine Corps Forces,
Pacific
2nd Place: Cpl Joanna M. Stauss, Marine Corps Installations
Pacific
3rd Place: Sgt Amelia L. Kang, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit
(2) Civilian Graphic Designer of the Year:
No Awards
(3) Digital Art:
1st Place: Cpl Calah J. Thompson, Marine Corps Air Station
Iwakuni
2nd Place: LCpl Hana L. Lathrop, Marine Corps Base Quantico
3rd Place: LCpl Vivian Linwu, Marine Corps Installations
Pacific
(4) Identity Design:
1st Place: Cpl Joanna M. Stauss, Marine Corps Installations
Pacific
2nd Place: LCpl Hana L. Lathrop, Marine Corps Base Quantico
3rd Place: Cpl Samuel T. Qin, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, South
(5) Layout and Design:
1st Place: LCpl Hana L. Lathrop, Marine Corps Base Quantico
2nd Place: Pvt Audrie D. Nelson, U.S. Marine Corps Forces,
Pacific
3rd Place: Pfc Erick Reyes, Marine Corps Base Quantico
(6) Animation:
1st Place: Sgt James G. Stanfield, Communication Directorate
2nd Place: Cpl Brian E. Knowles, I Marine Expeditionary Force
3rd Place: Pfc Dominic D. Spence, Marine Corps Air-Ground
Combat Center, Twentynine Palms
(7) Photo Illustration:
1st Place: LCpl Blake A. Gonter, U.S. Marine Corps Forces,
Pacific
2nd Place: Cpl Adeola A. Adetimehin, 1st Marine Division
3rd Place: Sgt Mary W. Torres, 2nd Marine Logistics Group
2.c. Photography winners:
(1) Marine Corps Photographer of the Year:
1st Place: Cpl Juan P. Torres, Marine Rotational Force -
Darwin 24.3
2nd Place: Cpl Ava M. Alegria, Marine Corps Recruit Depot
Parris Island
3rd Place: Cpl Aidan C. Hekker, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit
(2) Marine Corps Civilian Photographer of the Year:
No Awards
(3) Photo Series:
1st Place: Sgt Patrick S. Katz, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit
2nd Place: LCpl Christian R. Salazar, 2nd Marine Logistics
Group
3rd Place: Cpl Juan P. Torres, Marine Rotational Force -
Darwin 24.3
(4) News Photo:
1st Place: Cpl Migel A. Reynosa, Marine Rotational Force -
Darwin 24.3
2nd Place: LCpl Moses S. Lopez Franco, 1st Marine Aircraft
Wing
3rd Place: LCpl Ryan J. Little, Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz
(5) Feature Photo:
1st Place: LCpl Peyton E. Kahle, 15th Marine Expeditionary
Unit
2nd Place: Cpl Juan P. Torres, Marine Rotational Force -
Darwin 24.3
3rd Place: LCpl Joaquincar S. Dela Torre, Marine Corps Base
Quantico
(6) Portrait:
1st Place: Sgt Patrick S. Katz, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit
2nd Place: Cpl Earik H. Barton, Marine Rotational Force -
Darwin 24.3
3rd Place: Cpl Samuel T. Qin, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, South
(7) Sports Photography:
1st Place: Cpl Aidan C. Hekker, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit
2nd Place: Cpl Maxwell R. Cook, 9th Marine Corps District
3rd Place: LCpl Jeffrey E. Pruett, III Marine Expeditionary
Force
2.d. Videography winners:
(1) Marine Corps Videographer of the Year:
1st Place: Cpl Joseph V. Helms, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit
2nd Place: Cpl Jacob H. Richardson, U.S. Marine Corps Forces,
Europe and Africa
3rd Place: Sgt Patrick S. Katz, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit
(2) Marine Corps Civilian Videographer of the Year:
1st Place: Sharon L. McPeak, Marine Corps Combat Service
Support Schools
2nd Place: No Award
3rd Place: No Award
(3) Short-Form Production Video (unit award):
1st Place: Communication Directorate, “The 249th Marine Corps
Birthday Message”
2nd Place: Marine Corps Installations East, “GUTS OF IRON:
SSgt Geoff Laney, North Carolina’s Strongest Man”
3rd Place: Defense Media Activity – Marines, “John Basilone:
Selfless Warrior”
(4) Long-Form Production Video (unit award):
1st Place: 1st Marine Division, “20 Years Later: Remembering
the Second Battle of Fallujah”
2nd Place: Communication Directorate, “The Second Battle of
Fallujah”
3rd Place: Defense Media Activity – Marines, “Voice Over the
Horizon - A Thomas Begay Story (Long Version)”
(5) B-Roll Videography:
1st Place: Cpl Joseph V. Helms, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit
2nd Place: Cpl Gideon M. Schippers, Marine Aviation Weapons
and Tactics Squadron-1
3rd Place: Cpl Samuel T. Qin, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, South
(6) Editing:
1st Place: Cpl Noah J. Masog, 3d Marine Division
2nd Place: John A. Martinez, Jr., Communication Directorate
3rd Place: Cpl Emily A. Hazelbaker, II Marine Expeditionary
Force
(7) Multimedia Product:
1st Place: Cpl Jacob H. Richardson, U.S. Marine Corps Forces,
Europe and Africa
2nd Place: Cpl Aidan C. Hekker, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit
3rd Place: Shaehmus R. Sawyer, Marine Corps Base Quantico
(8) Video Story:
1st Place: Cpl Aidan C. Hekker, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit
2nd Place: John A. Martinez, Jr., Communication Directorate
3rd Place: Cpl Sydni M. Jessee, 3rd Marine Logistics Group
(9) Video Spot:
1st Place: Cpl Jacob H. Richardson, U.S. Marine Corps Forces,
Europe and Africa
2nd Place: Cpl Joseph V. Helms, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit
3rd Place: SSgt Danny R. Gonzalez, Joint Task Force-National
Capital Region
2.e. Communication and Print Winners:
(1) Marine Corps Communicator of the Year:
1st Place: LCpl Sean R. LeClaire, Marine Corps Base Quantico
2nd Place: Cpl Luis V. Agostini, 15th Marine Expeditionary
Unit
3rd Place: Sgt Jacqueline Parsons Weidman, 3d Marine Littoral
Regiment
(2) Marine Corps Writer of the Year:
1st Place: Cpl Jade K. Venegas, Marine Corps Air Station Yuma
2nd Place: LCpl William A. Horsley, Marine Corps Recruit
Depot, Parris Island
3rd Place: Cpl Jessica J. Mazzamuto, 2nd Marine Logistics
Group
(3) Marine Corps Civilian Writer of the Year:
1st Place: Shaehmus R. Sawyer, Marine Corps Base Quantico
2nd Place: Victoria A. Long, Marine Corps Installations East
3rd Place: No Award
(4) Information Story:
1st Place: Cpl Luis V. Agostini, 15th Marine Expeditionary
Unit
2nd Place: Cpl Calah J. Thompson, Marine Corps Air Station
Iwakuni
3rd Place: SSgt Samuel Ruiz, III Marine Expeditionary Force
Information Group
(5) Feature Story:
1st Place: LCpl Madisyn C. Paschal, U.S. Marine Corps Forces,
South
2nd Place: SSgt Alexa M. Hernandez, 2d Marine Division
3rd Place: LCpl Brenna A. Ritchie, Marine Corps Recruiting
Command
(6) Photojournalism:
1st Place: Sgt Shaina R. Jupiter, Marine Rotational Force -
Southeast Asia
2nd Place: Cpl Jade K. Venegas, Marine Corps Air Station Yuma
3rd Place: Sgt Andrew J. Skiver, Marine Corps Installations
East
3. Commanders are highly encouraged to recognize those Marines
identified in this message with the appropriate impact award(s).
4. All winners content, to include second and third place winners,
can be viewed at:
https:(slash)(slash)www.dvidshub.net/awards/dma/2024?branch=marines
5. All winners, including second and third place winners, will be
recognized at the annual COMMSTRAT Training and Leadership
Development Summit hosted by Communication Directorate and the
United States Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Association on
August 28, 2025, at the Pacific Views Events Center, Marine Corps
Base Camp Pendleton, California. Commands are highly encouraged to
send their winners TAD to receive their awards. Information about
the event will be published via separate correspondence by MARADMIN
POCS. Award winners who are unable to accept their awards in person
will receive them via mail.
6. All winners should send official mailing address, command board
style photos, and hometown for news release to MARADMIN POCs by 1
July 2025.
7. Release authorized by SES April L. Langwell, Director of
Communication, Communication Directorate, Headquarters, United
States Marine Corps//