Command announces 2012 media contest results

3/5/2013 - ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- Two reservists won more than three individual awards in the 2012 Air Force Reserve Command Media Contest. Their work, along with other qualifying entries, advanced to the Air Force Media Contest in San Antonio, Texas.

Staff Sgt. Brent Skeen, a broadcaster from the 459th Air Refueling Wing, Joint Base Andrews, Md., was the top command winner. In addition to military broadcaster of the year, he won the television news report, TV feature report, TV sports report, TV newsbreak and video field production categories.

Tech. Sgt. Samuel King Jr. from the 919th Special Operations Wing, Duke Field, Fla., took the military photographer of the year award. He also captured the feature photo, portrait and picture story categories.

Airmen and civilian employees from 27 organizations throughout the command submitted 290 web, print, graphic, photographic and broadcast entries to the contest.

"I commend them for their dedicated service, superior work and continued enthusiasm," said Lt. Gen. James F. Jackson, AFRC commander, in a memorandum March 2 announcing the contest results.

Other winners in the command contest are:

First Lt. Zachary Anderson, 931st Air Refueling Group, McConnell AFB, Kan. - commentary, photojournalism and news photograph categories.

Staff Sgt. Mikhail Berlin, 445th Airlift Wing, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio - pictorial photo category.

Staff Sgt. Steve Collier, 302nd AW, Peterson AFB, Colo. - human interest feature article and illustrative photo categories.

Senior Airman Kelly Galloway, 439th AW, Westover Air Reserve Base, Mass. - documentation photo, sports photo and outstanding new photographer categories.

Tech. Sgt. Danielle Johnston, 442nd Fighter Wing, Whiteman AFB, Mo. - military print journalist of the year, news article and personality feature article categories. Her feature represented the command in the Air Force contest's feature article category.

Shawn Jones, 514th Air Mobility Wing, JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. - sports article and civilian print journalist of the year categories.

Senior Airman Andrew McLaughlin, 434th ARW, Grissom ARB, Ind. - outstanding new writer and graphic layout & design categories.

Tech. Sgt. Brannen Parrish, 931st ARG, McConnell AFB - news feature article category.

William Pope, 439th AW, Westover ARB - graphic illustration category. Pope's photo portfolio also advanced to the Air Force contest in the civilian photographer of the year category.

Staff Sgt. Shawn Rhodes, 927th ARW, MacDill AFB, Fla. - series category.

Chaplain (Capt.) Joseph Eggleston outscored other contributors to win the command's stringer writer category. He was with the 439th AW, Westover ARB, at the time he wrote his commentary. He is now assigned to the 459th ARW at JB Andrews.

Shannon McKay and Senior Airman Trevor Saylor of the 934th AW, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Air Reserve Station, Minn., had their work advance to the Air Force contest. McKay is representing the command in the graphic animation category, and Saylor is in the outstanding new broadcaster category.

Unit award winners are the 302nd AW, Peterson AFB, in the website category; 315th AW, JB Charleston, S.C., in the video documentary category; and 920th Rescue Wing, Patrick AFB, Fla., in the outstanding initiative in new media category. These entries are representing the command in the Air Force contest.

The Freedom Flyer magazine from the 514th AMW, JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, was named the command's best publication.

The Heartland Warrior online magazine from the 434th ARW, Grissom ARB, placed second in the publication category. It is representing the command in the web-based publication category in the Air Force contest.

In announcing the contest results, Jackson thanked the print journalists, still photographers, graphic artists, broadcasters and contributing writers for keeping AFRC people and the American public informed about the important missions performed by their units, the Air Force Reserve and the U.S. Air Force. He extended "best wishes for success" to the individuals and units who had their work advance to the Air Force Media Contest.

Results of the Air Force contest are expected to be announced by March 8.

Other runners-up in the AFRC contest by category are:

Website - second-place tie - 439th AW, Westover ARB, and 94th AW, Dobbins ARB, Ga.

News article - second place - Tech. Sgt. Jeff Williams, 934th AW, Minneapolis-St. Paul IAP ARS, and third place - Senior Airman Meredith Thomas, 916th ARW, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.

News feature article - second place - Tech. Sgt. Timm Huffman, 439th AW, Westover ARB, and third place - Master Sgt. Greg Steele, 307th Bomb Wing, Barksdale AFB, La.

Human interest feature article - second place - Huffman, 439th AW, Westover ARB, and third place - Staff Sgt. Anna-Marie Wyant, 920th RQW, Patrick AFB.

Personality feature article - second place - Senior Airman Shen-Chia McHone, 445th AW, Wright-Patterson AFB, and third place - Master Sgt. Steve Staedler, 440th AW, Pope Field, N.C.

Commentary - second place - Col. Michael Underkofler, 514th AMW commander, JB McGuire-Dix-Lakerhurst, and third place - Maj. Shannon Mann, 916th ARW, Seymour Johnson AFB.

Sports article - second place - Staedler, 440th AW, Pope Field, and third place tie - Tech. Sgt. Kent Kagarise, 442nd FW, Whiteman AFB, and Staff Sgt. Carl Berry, 434th ARW, Grissom ARB.

Series - second place - Staff Sgt. Valerie Smock, 910th AW, Youngstown ARS, Ohio, and third place - Wyant, 920th RQW, Patrick AFB.

Photojournalism - second place - Lt. Col. Jim Bishop, 439th AW, Westover ARB, and third place - Wyant, 920th RQW, Patrick AFB.

Outstanding initiative in new media - second place - 911th AW, Pittsburgh IAP ARS, Pa., and third place - 442nd FW, Whiteman AFB.

Outstanding new writer - second place - Senior Airman Elizabeth Van Patten, 94th AW, Dobbins ARB, and third place - Staff Sgt. Samantha Wagner, 934th AW, Minneapolis-St. Paul IAP ARS.

Air Force military print journalist of the year - second place - Wyant, 920th RQW, Patrick AFB, and third place - Staedler, 440th AW, Pope Field.

Graphic illustration - second place - Master Sgt. Robert Barko, 910th AW, Youngstown ARS, and third place - Tech. Sgt. Joseph McKee, 914th AW, Niagara Falls IAP ARS, N.Y.

Graphic layout & design - second place - Collier, 302nd AW, Peterson AFB, and third place - Tech. Sgt. Brenda Cosola, 910th AW, Youngstown ARS.

Documentation photo - second place - Tech. Sgt. Jeff Walston, 307th BW, Barksdale AFB, and third place - King, 919th SOW, Duke Field.

News photo - second place - Tech. Sgt. Jeff Walston, 307th BW, Barksdale AFB, and third place - Ann Skarban, 302nd AW, Peterson AFB.

Feature photo - second place - Steele, 307th BW, Barksdale AFB, and third place - Tech. Sgt. Mark Orders-Woempner, 434th ARW, Grissom ARB.

Sports photo - second-place tie - King, 919th SOW, Duke Field; McLaughlin, 434th ARW, Grissom ARB; and Master Sgt. Wendy Lopedote, 916th ARW, Seymour Johnson AFB.

Portrait/personality photograph - second place - Tech. Sgt. Scotty Sweatt, 916th ARW, Seymour Johnson AFB, and third place - Berlin, 445th AW, Wright-Patterson AFB.

Illustrative photograph - second place - Staff Sgt. Megan Tomkins, 910th AW, Youngstown ARS, and tied for third place - Berlin, 445th AW, Wright-Patterson AFB, and King, 919th SOW, Duke Field.

Pictorial photograph - second place - Tech. Sgt. Peter Dean, 920th RQW, Patrick AFB, and third place - Galloway, 439th AW, Westover ARB.

Picture story - second place - Wyant, 920th RQW, Patrick AFB, and third place - Steele, 307th BW, Barksdale AFB.

Outstanding new photographer - second place - Van Patten, 94th AW, Dobbins ARB.

Air Force military photographer of the year - second place - Steele, 307th BW, Barksdale AFB, and third place - Orders-Woempner, 434th ARW, Grissom ARB.

Command publication - third place - Falcon Flyer, 94th AW, Dobbins ARB.

Stringer writer - second place - Tech. Sgt. Randall Lynch, 307th BW, Barksdale AFB, and third place - Capt. Adam Ebacher, 96th Airlift Squadron, Minneapolis-St. Paul IAP ARS.