442nd public affairs earns top journalism awards

  • Published
  • By Air Force Reserve Command News Service
ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  The 442nd Fighter Wing's monthly magazine, The Mohawk, was named the top publication in Air Force Reserve Command and one of its writers was named the command's print journalist of the year.

Tech. Sgt. Leo Brown, from the 442nd Fighter Wing's Public Affairs office, won the award for the top writer in Air Force Reserve Command and also earned the award for the best series with a four-part story about prisoners of war from World War II.

The 442nd chief of public affairs, Maj. David Kurle, took third place in two writing categories.

Nine other reservists from across the command won awards in the 2007 Air Force Reserve Command Media Contest and had their work go forward to the 2007 Air Force Media Contest in San Antonio, Texas, Feb. 25-29.

Four of the journalists dominated the command competition, winning multiple awards. They are:

Sergeant Brown, 442nd Fighter Wing, - Air Force journalist of the year and writing series

Senior Airman Desiree Kiliz, 446th Airlift Wing, McChord AFB, Wash. - news article and outstanding new print journalist

Staff Sgt. Paul Flipse, 920th Rescue Wing, Patrick AFB, Fla. - feature article and art/graphics

Master Sgt. Chance Babin, 920th RQW, Patrick AFB - sports article and combat documentation photograph

Reservists and civilian employees from 18 AFRC units submitted 155 entries to the command contest, which ended here in late January.

First-place finishers in the following categories advanced to the Air Force competition:

Category 01, news article: first place - Airman Kiliz, 446th AW, McChord AFB; second place - Staff Sgt. Amaani Lyle, 459th Air Refueling Wing, Andrews AFB, Md.; and third place - Sergeant Babin, 920th RQW, Patrick AFB

Category 02, feature article: first place - Sergeant Flipse, 920th RQW, Patrick AFB; second place Sergeant Brown, 442nd FW, Whiteman AFB; and third place (tie) - Lt. Col. Ann Knabe, 440th AW, Pope AFB, N.C., and Staff Sgt. Nicholas Przybyciel, 446th AW, McChord AFB

Category 03, sports article: first place - Sergeant Babin, 920th RQW, Patrick AFB; second place - Airman Kiliz, 446th AW, McChord AFB; and third place - Maj. David Kurle, 442nd FW, Whiteman AFB

Category 04, commentary: first place - Tech. Sgt. Jeff Walston, 917th Wing, Barksdale AFB, La.; second place - Tech. Sgt. Jeffrey Williams, 934th AW, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Air Reserve Station, Minn.; and third place - Major Kurle, 442nd FW, Whiteman AFB

Category 05, series: first place - Sergeant Brown, 442nd FW, Whiteman AFB; second place - Senior Master Sgt. Matt Proietti, 452nd Air Mobility Wing, March Air Reserve Base, Calif.; and third place - Sergeant Williams, 934th AW, Minneapolis-St. Paul IAP ARS

Category 06, art/graphics: first place - Sergeant Flipse, 920th RQW, Patrick AFB; second place - Jasmine DeNamur, 919th Special Operations Wing, Duke Field, Fla.; and third place - Senior Airman Michael Lanza, 439th AW, Westover Air Reserve Base, Mass.

Category 07, photojournalism: first place - Master Sgt. Shayne Sewell, 459th ARW, Andrews AFB; second place - Laura Dermarderosian-Smith, 301st FW, Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Carswell Field, Texas; and Capt. Cathleen Snow, 920th RQW, Patrick AFB

Category 08, combat documentation photograph: first place - Sergeant Babin, 920th RQW, Patrick AFB; and second place - Sergeant Williams, 934th AW, Minneapolis-St. Paul IAP ARS

Category 09, news photograph: first place - Master Sgt. Veronica Aceveda, 512th AW, Dover AFB, Del.; second place - Don Peek, 94th AW, Dobbins ARB, Ga.; and third place - Airman Lanza, 439th AW, Westover ARB

Category 11, sports photograph and best stand-alone photograph in the command: - first place - Airman Lanza, 439th AW, Westover ARB

Category 12, portrait/personality photograph: first place - Capt, Justin Manna, 439th AW, Westover ARB; and second place - Staff Sgt. Christian Michael, 22nd Air Force, Dobbins ARB (formerly of the 908th AW, Maxwell AFB, Ala.)

Category 13, illustrative photograph: first place - Tech. Sgt. Julie Briden-Garcia, 301st FW, NAS JRB Fort Worth; second place - Airman Lanza, 439th AW, Westover ARB; and third place - Senior Airman Robert Dennard, 94th AW, Dobbins ARB

Category 31A, outstanding new print journalist: first place - Airman Kiliz, 446th AW, McChord AFB; second place - Senior Airman Andria J. Allmond, 512th AW, Dover AFB; and third place - Senior Airman David Flaherty, 452nd AMW, March ARB, Calif.

Category 32A, Air Force journalist of the year: first place - Sergeant Brown, 442nd FW, Whiteman AFB; second place - Sergeant Williams, 934th AW, Minneapolis-St. Paul IA PARS; and third place - Capt. Marnee A.C. Losurdo, 512th AW, Dover AFB

Three Airmen had other photo work that qualified to go forward to the Air Force contest. They are Airman Lanza, 439th AW, Westover ARB, in Category 10, feature photograph; Airman Dennard, 94th AW, Dobbins ARB, in Category 14, pictorial photograph; and Senior Airman Thomas Ouellette, 439th AW, Westover ARB, in Category 15, picture story.

Results of the Air Force contest are expected to be announced in mid-March.

Other command award winners are:

Command publication: first place - Mohawk, 442nd FW, Whiteman AFB; second place - Angel's Wings, 920th RQW, Patrick AFB; third place - Liberty Press, 512th AW, Dover AFB; and honorable mention - The Boomer, 459th ARW, Andrews AFB

Stringer writer: first place - Maj. Kenneth Rose, 919th Maintenance Operation Flight, Duke Field; second place - Maj. James Bullard, 452nd AMW, March ARB; and third place - Senior Airman Jessica Andrews, 459th Aeromedical Staging Squadron, Andrews AFB

Stringer photographer: first place - Tech. Sgt. Robert Grande, 920th RQW, Patrick AFB; second place - Master Sgt. Greg Steele, 917th Wing, Barksdale AFB; and third place - Jason Minto, 512th AW, Dover AFB (Air Force Reserve Command News Service)