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:   [email protected]//  POC/K. L. MCDOLE/GYSGT/HQMC CD/TEL: (703) 614-1494/EMAIL:  [email protected]// 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//