FORT BRAGG, N.C. (Mar.16, 2012) The winners of the Department of the Army 2011 Maj. Gen. Keith L. Ware Public Affairs competition were announced this week.

Maj. Gen. Steve Lanza, Chief of Army Public Affairs, sent an email to the field expressing his gratitude to the Soldiers, civilians and teams that were honored.

"I'm honored to announce the winners of the 2011 MG Keith L. Ware Public
Affairs Competition," he said.

"Their outstanding efforts helped their commanders and supervisors deliver the Army message while helping the PA family achieve the Secretary of the Army's communication goals," he added.

There were 50 different categories and a total of 59 categories in which Soldiers, civilians and teams could participate. Nine categories were the same, but had a separate Soldier and civilian award in each.

U.S. Army Forces Command and U.S. Army Reserve Command personnel made an excellent showing in this year's competition, garnering first place in 25 categories. Most notable first places were for Magazine-Format Publication "Warrior Citizen," U.S. Army Reserve Command Headquarters (USARC); Web-based Publication "FORSCOM Frontline," (FORSCOM); James P. Hunter Award for Outstanding New Writer, Spc. Ken Scar, 7th MPAD (FORSCOM); Paul D. Savanuck Military Journalist of the Year, Staff Sgt. Lindsey Kibler, I Corps PAO (FORSCOM); and John T. Anderson Military Broadcast Journalist of the Year, Staff Sgt. Walter Talens, 319th MPAD (USARC).

The other first place winners were:

•News Article -- military, Sgt. Benjamin Watson, 50th PAD (FORSCOM)

•News Feature Article -- military, Sgt. 1st Class Mark Burrell, 354th MPAD (USARC)

•Human Interest Feature Article -- military, Spc. Ryan Hallock, 28th PAD (FORSCOM)

•Personality Feature Article -- military, Staff Sgt. Ryan Matson, 372nd MPAD (USARC)

•Commentary -- military, Staff Sgt. Lindsey Kibler, I Corps (FORSCOM)

•Sports Article -- military, Sgt. Nathan Booth, 4th PAD (FORSCOM)

•Photojournalism -- military, SGT Benjamin Watson, 50th PAD (FORSCOM)

•Photojournalism -- civilian, Mr. Timothy Hale, USARC

•Picture Page - USARC

•Deployed Photo -- Staff Sgt. Gary Witte, 300th MPAD (USARC)

•Stringer -- Photojournalism, Staff Sgt. Amanda Smolinski, USACAPOC (USARC)

•Radio Spot Production - Ms. Julia Conner, III Corps (FORSCOM)

•Radio News Report -- Sgt. 1st Class Mark Burrell, 354th MPAD (USARC)

•Radio Feature Report -- Sgt. Rachel Badgeley, 7th MPAD (FORSCOM)

•Radio Sports Report - Ms. Julia Conner, III Corps (FORSCOM)

•Television Feature Report -- Sgt. 1st Class Mark Burrell, 354th MPAD (USARC)

•Regional Television Newscast - USARC

•Deployed Television News Report -- Spc. Nigel Robinson, 7th MPAD (FORSCOM)

•Deployed Television Feature Report -- Sgt. 1st Class Mark Burrell, 354th MPAD (USARC)

•Deployed B-Roll Package -- Sgt. Adam Ross, 16th MPAD (FORSCOM)

The Maj. Gen. Keith L. Ware Public Affairs Awards Communication Competition recognizes military and civilian-employee print and broadcast practitioners for journalistic excellence in furthering the objectives of the Department of the Army internal-information program. The Secretary of the Army sponsors this competition annually. The Office of the Chief of Public Affairs conducts judging with a goal of ensuring the best internal information efforts receive recognition for professional excellence and outstanding achievement.

Brig. Gen. Keith L. Ware served as Deputy Chief and Chief of Information for the Department of the Army from September 1964 through November 1967. During that tour, he was promoted to Maj. Gen. on July 1, 1966.

Originally slated for reassignment to Germany, Ware appealed to the Secretary of the Army and was reassigned to Vietnam where he eventually commanded the 1st Infantry Division. Six months after assuming command, while moving forward to get "first hand" observations of an offensive operation in progress, he was killed when his helicopter was shot down on September 13, 1968. His funeral was held and he was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery. President Lyndon B. Johnson, whom Ware had known from his legislative liaison days, attended.

Winners in this Army-level competetion go on to compete at the Department of Defense Thomas Jefferson Awards.