TOP HONORS
Select a category below to see full details and previous winners.
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Soldier Communicator of the Year
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Civilian Communicator of the Year
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Master Communicator of the Year
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Army Communicator of the Year
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Staff Sgt. Paul D. Savanuck Military Print Journalist of the Year Award
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Moss-Holland Civilian Print Journalist of the Year Award
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Staff Sgt. James P. Hunter Award for Outstanding New Writer
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Master Sgt. John T. Anderson Military Videographer of the Year Award
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Clark Taylor Civilian Videographer of the Year Award
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Outstanding New Videographer
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Kathy Canham-Ross Award of Distinction
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Sgt. Maj. Dawn Kilpatrick Memorial AUSA Scholarship
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Public Affairs Officer - Rising Star
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Military Graphic Artist of the Year
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Civilian Graphic Artist of the Year
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Military Photographer of the Year
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Civilian Photographer of the Year
Soldier Communicator of the Year
Category Overview
Introduced for the 2025 competition year, this is a one-time award recognizes the top Army enlisted Soldier up to sergeant first class serving in the CMF46 enlisted career field.
Previous Winners
- 2025 - Sgt. Seth Cohen, New Jersey National Guard Recruiting and Retention Battalion
Civilian Communicator of the Year
Category Overview
Introduced for the 2025 competition year, this is a one-time award that recognizes the top Department of the Army civilian up to GS-12 serving in the public affairs/visual information community.
Previous Winners
- 2025 - Chad Menegay, Fort Lee Garrison Public Affairs
Master Communicator of the Year
Category Overview
Introduced for the 2025 competition year, this is a one-time award that recognizes a senior public affairs professional who best exemplifies the modern communicator in the strategic military environment and is open to senior NCOs (E7-E9), officers (O5-O6) and Department of the Army Civilians (GS13-GS15) in the Army Public Affairs career field.
Previous Winners
- 2025 - Marcus Fichtl, U.S. Army Garrison Poland
Army Communicator of the Year
Category Overview
This one-time award recognizes the top Army senior commissioned officer, noncommissioned or government civilian serving in functional area/CMF 46/CP 22.
Previous Winners
- As of 2025 this award is no longer presented.
- 2024 - Michel Sauret, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District
- 2023 - Sgt. Darbi Colson, 25th Infantry Division
- 2022 - Sgt. Dean Johnson, 5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, U.S. Army Forces Command
- 2021 - Staff Sgt. Tyvel Clement, 28th Public Affairs Detachment
- 2020 - Staff Sgt. Jacob Sawyer, 173rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), USAREUR-AF
- 2019 - Maria Cavins, U.S. Army Garrison Italy, AMC
- 2018 - Master Sgt. Michel Sauret, 200th Military Police Command, USARC
- 2017 - Sgt. 1st Class Alexandra Hays, 79th Theater Sustainment Command, USARC
- 2016 - Master Sgt. Mary E. Ferguson, 2nd Infantry Division/ROK U.S. Combined Division, USARPAC
- 2015 - Col. William Bigelow, Public and Congressional Affairs, AMC
Staff Sgt. Paul D. Savanuck Military Print Journalist of the Year Award
Staff Sgt. Paul D. Savanuck Biography
Paul D. Savanuck, a senior at the University of Maryland, dropped out of school to enlist in the Army on July 10, 1967.
"I had drifted from major to major at the university," Savanuck, a Baltimore native, said. "I was not particularly enchanted with our involvement in Vietnam, and then a thought hit me: This was a point in my life where I could meet something head-on, instead of avoiding it."
After basic combat training, Savanuck received advance individual training as an information specialist at the Defense Information School, graduated, and then volunteered for Vietnam in January 1968. He was instead sent to Europe and assigned to a missile unit.
Savanuck began badgering the Army to send him to Vietnam. He received orders and reported for duty as an information specialist with the 23rd Artillery Group in late June.
A few months later, Savanuck decided he wanted to be a reporter for the "Pacific Stars and Stripes." He wrote more than a half-dozen letters to "Pacific Stars and Stripes" pleading for an assignment. He got the job on April 5, 1969.
Shortly thereafter, Savanuck was assigned to cover a story near the Demilitarized Zone. Before he left for "up country," Savanuck drafted a letter to Harvard seeking admission after he finished his enlistment. He left the letter with colleagues in Saigon to edit while he was gone.
The letter confesses Savanuck's failures to find himself in university studies. He describes his new-found pride in Army journalism and concludes "… I have found what I want to do."
On the night of April 18, 1969, Savanuck camped for the night with an element of the 5th Cavalry near Cam Lo. The unit was attacked by a North Vietnamese Army force. For a while, Savanuck took pictures by the light of the exploding shells. He was wounded in the knee. When the defensive perimeter was breached, Savanuck put down his camera and went to aid soldiers more seriously wounded. He was killed by automatic weapons fire.
Savanuck was promoted posthumously to staff sergeant and awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device, the Air Medal, the Purple Heart, the Vietnamese Service Medal and the Campaign Medal.
Overview
The award was initiated in 1975, to provide a positive incentive for increased excellence in the Army command information program, by providing recognition of outstanding military journalists. Only Soldiers in the rank of sergeant first class and below on Jan. 1 of the judging year are eligible for this award.
Previous Winners
- 2025 - Sgt. 1st Class Jacob Kohrs, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command
- 2024 - Sgt. 1st Class Tim Beery, Utah National Guard
- 2023 - Maj. Joe Legros, U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa
- 2022 - Spc. Darbi Colson, 28th Public Affairs Detachment, U.S. Army Pacific
- 2021 - Spc. Keon Horton, U.S. Army Central
- 2020 - Staff Sgt. Alan Brutus, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, FORSCOM
- 2019 - Staff Sgt. Mary Junell, 382nd Public Affairs Detachment, NGB
- 2018 - No Entries
- 2017 - No Entries
- 2016 - Sgt. Audrey Hayes, 200th Military Police Command, USARC
- 2015 - Staff Sgt. Leah Kilpatrick, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, FORSCOM
- 2014 - Sgt. Marcus Fichtl, 24th Press Camp Headquarters, FORSCOM
- 2013 - Sgt. Ken Scar, 7th MPAD, FORSCOM
- 2012 - Sgt. Michael MacLeod, 1st BCT, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, FORSCOM
- 2011 - Staff Sgt. Lindsey Kibler, I Corps PAO, FORSCOM
- 2010 - Sgt. 1st Class Mark Burrell, 210th MPAD, USARC
- 2009 - Staff Sgt. Matthew Moeller, 5th MPAD, FORSCOM
- 2008 - Staff Sgt. Michael A. Sauret, 354th MPAD, USARC
- 2007 - Spc. Jeffrey Ledesma, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs, FORSCOM
- 2006 - Spc. Alexandra Hemmerly-Brown, 210th MPAD, USARC
- 2005 - Sgt. Andrew Miller, 100th MPAD, Texas National Guard
- 2004 - Sgt. Lorie Jewell, 107th MPAD, Fla. National Guard
- 2003 - Cpl. Bill Putnam, Army News Service, OCPA, HQDA
- 2002 - Staff Sgt. Kanessa Mynett, 17th PAD, Schofield Barracks
- 2001 - Spc. Casondra Brewster, Fort Belvoir, MDW
- 2000 - Spc. Peter A. Fitzgerald, Fort Leonard Wood, TRADOC
- 1999 - Sgt. Jodi R. Rave, 111th Press Camp HQ, Neb. National Guard
- 1998 - Spc. Mary A. Bodine, Fort Campbell Courier, Fort Campbell, FORSCOM
- 1997 - Spc. Frederick T. Findtner, Northwest Guardian, Fort Lewis, FORSCOM
- 1996 - Spc. Jon D. Tiller, Fort Campbell Courier, Fort Campbell, FORSCOM
- 1995 - Sgt. Kevin Hynes, Prairie Soldier, 111th PAD, Neb. National Guard
- 1994 - Sgt. Greta Dawson, Inside the Turrett, Fort Knox, TRADOC
- 1993 - Sgt. David Abrams, Arctic Star, 20th PAD
- 1992 - Spc. Kim Rich, Inside the Turret, Fort Knox, TRADOC
- 1991 - Spc. Ken Blackburn, Northwest Guardian, Fort Lewis, FORSCOM
- 1990 - Sgt. 1st Class Frank Cox, Soldiers, OCPA, HQDA
- 1989 - Sgt. Cynthia D. Killion, Mountaineer, 4th ID, FORSCOM
- 1988 - Sgt. William H. McMichael, Ironsides, 1st AD, USAREUR
- 1987 - Spc. 4 Vincent Crawley, The Paraglide, Fort Bragg, FORSCOM
- 1986 - Sgt. Mary K. Hudson, Castle, Fort Belvoir, TRADOC
- 1985 - Spc. 4 Kevin Nance, Castle, Fort Belvoir, TRADOC
- 1984 - Spc. 5 Mike Howard, the Cannoneer, Fort Sill, TRADOC
- 1983 - Spc. 5 Roy Wood, the Cannoneer, Fort Sill, TRADOC
- 1982 - Staff Sgt. Joye L. Rattan, 3rd Support Command Log, USAREUR
- 1981 - Spc. 5 Diana Valdez, the Cannoneer, Fort Sill, TRADOC
- 1980 - Spc. 5 John L. Kominicki, Frontline, 3rd ID, USAREUR
- 1979 - Spc. 5 Michael N. Lindsey, Ironsides, 1st AD, USAREUR
- 1978 - Spc. 5 E. Easley, the Cannoneer, Fort Sill, TRADOC
- 1977 - Spc. 5 Gary Bloomfield, Indianhead, 2nd ID, EUSA
- 1976 - Spc. 5 Nonda J. Duerschmidt, Walter Reed Stripe, HSC
- 1975 - Spc. 5 John Wells, Medical Examiner, USAREUR
Moss-Holland Civilian Print Journalist of the Year Award
John Moss and Peggy Holland Biography
John Moss and Peggy Holland were members of the Army public affairs family killed in the 1995 attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. Employees of the United States Army Recruiting Battalion there, Mr. Moss was Chief, Advertising and Public Affairs, and Mrs. Holland was a computer specialist worked in public affairs for more than 18 years.
Mr. Moss was intense in all he did and looked at a job or a story from every angle before tackling it. He was thorough in his research; when he finished a story, it was complete in every detail. Those who worked with him remember him as a dedicated professional who set high, meticulous standards and approached the craft of writing like it was teaching: there was information to pass on to others and he did it with an eye for detail.
Mrs. Holland was a gifted writer whose enjoyment of her craft showed in every story she produced. Through her articles and features, stories were brought to life in the minds of her readers. In 1990 she was awarded the United States Army Recruiting Command's (USAREC) Maj. Gen. Jacob Jennings Brown Award for her feature writing - 2013 "Best in USAREC" is what it said on the citation, but you only had to read her work to know that. After her death, Army recruiters in the Oklahoma City battalion talked of her intensity when working on a story about them and their mission.
Mr. Moss and Mrs. Holland were doing their jobs when the terrorist attack took them from us.
Overview
The award was initiated in 1985, to provide a positive incentive for increased excellence in the Army command information program, by providing recognition of outstanding civilian print journalists. Only Army civilians in the GS-12/YA-02 and below on Jan. 1 of the judging year are eligible for this award.
Previous Winners
- 2025 - Stephen Baack, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District
- 2024 - Sean Kimmons, U.S. Army Garrison Japan
- 2023 - Walter Ham, 20th CBRNE Command
- 2022 - Kelly Morris, U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command
- 2021 - Cristina Piosa, U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa
- 2020 - Kari Hawkins, Army Materiel Command
- 2019 - Brandon O’Connor, USMA
- 2018 - David E. Poe, Fort Bliss Public Affairs Office, IMCOM
- 2017 - Winifred Brown, Fort Bliss Public Affairs Office, IMCOM
- 2016 - Megan C. Gully, Headquarters, AMC
- 2015 - Martha "Marti" Yoshida, Fort Leonard Wood, IMCOM
- 2014 - Melissa Buckley, Fort Leonard Wood, IMCOM
- 2013 - Allen Shaw, Fort Wainwright, IMCOM
- 2012 - T. Anthony Bell, Fort Lee, IMCOM
- 2011 - Bob Reinhert, USAG Natick, IMCOM
- 2010 - Paul Giblin, Corps of Engineers
- 2009 - Kevin Stabinsky, Fort McPherson, IMCOM
- 2008 - Melanie Casey, Fort Meade, IMCOM
- 2007 - Mike A. Glasch, Fort Jackson Leader, IMCOM
- 2006 - Brandon Beach, The Citizen, USAG Stuttgart Public Affairs, IMCOM
- 2005 - Kamryn Jaroszewski, IMA–SERO, The Paraglide, Fort Bragg, FORSCOM
- 2004 - Ali Leone, The Paraglide, XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, FORSCOM
- 2003 - Richard Arndt, Fort Belvoir, Va.
- 2002 - Wayne Hall, Fort Belvoir, Va.
- 2001 - Brian Lepley, Fort Richardson, Alaska
- 2000 - Tonya Riley, Fort Sill, Okla.
- 1999 - Roger Teel, 235th Base Support Battalion, Ansbach and Illeshiem, Germany
- 1998 - Beth Reece, 221st Base Support Battalion, Germany
- 1997 - Chuck Prichard, Tough Ombre, 90th RSC, Little Rock, Ark.
- 1996 - No winner
- 1995 - Jacqueline Thomas, The Paraglide, XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, FORSCOM
- 1994 - Karl Weisel, The Hessen Herald, 233rd Base Support Batt, Darmstadt, Germany
- 1993 - Barry Reichenbaugh, The Stripe, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, MEDCOM
- 1992 - Sally S. Richardson, Corps of Engineers, Southwestern Division, Texas
- 1991 - Patrick Swan, The Stripe, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, MEDCOM
- 1990 - Douglas Soleida, Corps Line, Corps of Engineers, Frankfurt, Germany
- 1989 - Shaun F. Gearon, Herald-Post, Heidelberg Military Community, West Germany
- 1988 - Bernard W. Tate, Western Arrow, Military Traffic Management Command, Calif.
- 1987 - Michael Mowrer, Herald-Post, Heidelberg Military Community, West Germany
- 1986 - Leon J. Pantenburg, Main Stem, Corps of Engineers, Miss.
- 1985 - Mark James, Madigan Mountaineer, Madigan Army Medical Center, MEDCOM
Staff Sgt. James P. Hunter Award for Outstanding New Writer
Staff Sgt. James P. Hunter Biography
Staff Sgt. James P. Hunter, of South Amherst, Ohio, was an Army journalist stationed in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, where he was killed at the age of 25. On June 18, 2010, he was on patrol with Soldiers from his brigade when an improvised explosive device exploded within their ranks.
Hunter was killed along with Pfc. Benjamin Park, an infantryman from Company B, 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment.
Hunter was the first Army journalist to die in combat since the beginning of the war in Afghanistan.
Hunter was born in Lexington, Ky., to Patricia M. Phillips and William T. Hunter. He moved to South Amherst sometime in his younger years. At the time of his death, he had been engaged to Candice Clark, whom he proposed to at the top of the Gateway Arch in St. Louis.
Hunter joined the Army in August 2003, and was a veteran of two tours in Iraq, when he deployed to Afghanistan with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team “Strike,” 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), out of Fort Campbell, Ky., since May 2007. Hunter was killed 25 days into his deployment to Afghanistan.
When not deployed, Hunter wrote for The Courier, which is a military base publication for Fort Campbell. His fellow journalists, who had worked with him, reported about his dedication in reporting from the front lines during his deployments.
He was laid to rest at Lexington Cemetery in Lexington, with services being held in Winchester, Ky. He is survived by his father and stepmother, Tom and Mary Ellen Hunter of Winchester; his mother and stepfather, Patricia and Rick Phillips of Birmingham, Ohio; a fiancée, Candice Clark; four brothers, Thomas Hunter, Cpl. Billy Hunter, Daniel Hunter and Timothy Hunter; a sister, Kathy Hunter; a half-sister, Navy Chief Petty Officer Charity Morgan; and two stepbrothers, Matthew and Michael Dobbs.
Overview
The award was initiated in 2010, to recognize excellence in Army journalism among enlisted Soldiers with 24 months or fewer in Career Management Field 46. Only Soldiers in the rank of staff sergeant and below are eligible for this one-time award.
Previous Winners
- 2025 - Pvt. 1st Class Seu Chan, Camp Humphreys Garrison Public Affairs Office
- 2024 - Spc. Andrew Clark, 22nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
- 2023 - Spc. Charles Leitner, 19th Public Affairs Detachment
- 2022 - Spc. Duke Edwards, 3rd Infantry Division, U.S. Army Forces Command
- 2021 - Spc. Michael Baumberger, 196th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
- 2020 - No entries
- 2019 - Spc. Justin Stafford, 49th Public Affairs Detachment, FORSCOM
- 2018 - Sgt. Michelle Blesam, 49th Public Affairs Detachment, FORSCOM
- 2017 - Staff Sgt. Kathleen Polanco, 7th Army Training Command, USAREUR
- 2016 - Spc. Adeline Witherspoon, 20th Public Affairs Detachment, FORSCOM
- 2015 - Staff Sgt. Sierra Fown, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, FORSCOM
- 2014 - Sgt. Brandon Banzhaf, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, FORSCOM
- 2013 - Staff. Sgt. Jerry Griffis, 43rd PAD, FORSCOM
- 2012 - Sgt. Ryan Hallock, 20th PAD, JBLM, FORSCOM
- 2011 - Spc. Ken Scar, 7th MPAD, FORSCOM
- 2010 - Sgt. Darron Salzer, NGB
- 2009 - Cpl. Jessica Kuhn, 49th PAD, FORSCOM
- 2008 - Spc. Lalita Laksbergs, 139th MPAD, Ill. National Guard
- 2007 - Spc. Jeffrey Ledesma, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs, FORSCOM
- 2006 - Spc. Mike Alberts, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, USARPAC
- 2005 - Spc. Mary Ferguson, 3rd Corps Support Command, USAREUR
- 2004 - Spc. Sarah Wilkins, Headquarters & Headquarters Company, I Corps, USARPAC
- 2003 - Spc. Christina Carde, 11th PAD, FORSCOM
- 2002 - Spc. Chuck Wagner, Fort Myer, MDW
- 2001 - Pfc. Benjamin Z. Etzioni, 1st Armored Division, USAREUR
- 2000 - Spc. Edward Passino, Fort Belvoir, MDW
Master Sgt. John T. Anderson Military Videographer of the Year Award
Master Sgt. John T. Anderson Biography
Retired Master Sgt. John T. Anderson served in the Army from 1947 to 1973. He served in line infantry units through 1955 with a short assignment with the Far East Network prior to joining the 1st Cavalry Division in Korea in 1950.
In 1955, Anderson joined the American Forces Korea Network for his first assignment with the American Forces Radio and Television Service; followed by assignments to AFRTS outlets in Korea, Puerto Rico and Vietnam.
He was captured by the North Vietnamese while serving as NCOIC of the American Forces Vietnam Detachment 5 in Hue. After five years as a POW, he was released in March 1973 during “Operation Homecoming.”
Anderson retired from the Army in 1973 and became a Department of the Army civilian with the U.S. Army Recruiting Command, where he was an information specialist who developed recruiting advertising for radio and television.
He rejoined AFRTS as a station manager at American Forces Network Stuttgart in 1977 and returned to the United States in 1982. He then became the Public Affairs Officer for the U.S. Army Ordnance Center and School at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland.
Anderson left government service in 1983 to become the operations manager of WHLD AM/FM radio in Niagara Falls, New York. He finally worked in community relations for the Environmental Protection Agency in Niagara Falls until he passed away in April 1988.
His military awards include the Silver Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Bronze Star with Valor Device and two Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Purple Heart with three Oak Leaf Clusters.
Overview
The award was initiated to provide a positive incentive for increased excellence in the Army command information program, by providing recognition of outstanding military broadcast journalists. This one-time award recognizes the Career Management Field 46 Soldier who best exemplifies excellence in Army broadcasting.
Previous Winners
- 2025 - Sgt. Cameron Hershberger, U.S. Army Reserve Command
- 2024 - Sgt. Landon Carter, 75th Ranger Regiment
- 2023 - Sgt. Cameron Hershberger, 63rd Readiness Division
- 2022 - Sgt. James Garvin, 79th Theater Support Command, U.S. Army Reserve Command
- 2021 - Sgt. Christopher Roberts, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
- 2020 - Staff Sgt. William Frye, Alabama National Guard
- 2019 - Staff Sgt. Jacob Sawyer, 173rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), USAREUR
- 2018 - Staff Sgt. Jeremiah Runser, Indiana National Guard HQ, NGB
- 2017 - No Winner
- 2016 - Staff Sgt. Dillon Heyliger, USASOC
- 2015 - Staff Sgt. Vanessa Atchley, 5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, FORSCOM
- 2014 - Sgt. Henry Gundacker, AFN Wiesbaden, DMA
- 2013 - Staff Sgt. Jose Ibarra, RHHT 2nd Cavalry Regiment, USAREUR
- 2012 - Sgt. Rebecca Schwab, AFN Bavaria, DMA
- 2011 - Staff Sgt. Walter Talens, 319th MPAD, USARC
- 2010 - Sgt. Joe Labutka, AFN Heidelberg
- 2009 - Sgt. Ashleigh Torres, Soldiers Radio and Television, OCPA
- 2008 - Staff Sgt. Joshua Johnson, AFN Korea
- 2007 - Staff Sgt. Jose Colon, AFN Bavaria
- 2006 - Staff Sgt. Raymond Flores, Soldiers Radio and Television, OCPA
- 2005 - Staff Sgt. Luke Burns, ABS, AFN Bavaria
- 2004 - Sgt. 1st Class Mike Lavigne, Soldiers Radio and Television, OCPA
- 2003 - Staff Sgt. Erick Ritterby, Soldiers Radio and Television, OCPA
- 2002 - Sgt. Eric Shadowens, AFN-South, Italy
- 2001 - Sgt. Aaron Talley, AFN-South, Italy
- 2000 - Sgt. Douglas Boyles, AFN-Shape, Belgium
- 1999 - Spc. Michael Ferrara, AFN-South, CIB, Europe
- 1998 - Staff Sgt. Jennifer L. Braden, Soldiers Radio and Television, OCPA
- 1997 - Staff Sgt. Terry Anderson, Soldiers Radio and Television, OCPA
- 1996 - Staff Sgt. Angele Ringo, Soldiers Radio and Television, OCPA
- 1995 - Sgt. Jay Harrel, Soldiers Radio and Television, OCPA
- 1994 - Staff Sgt. Timothy Donahue, AFN Frankfurt
- 1993 - Staff Sgt. Hank Heusinkveld, Soldiers Radio and Television, OCPA
- 1992 - Spc. Jeff Selby, AFN Korea
- 1991 - Sgt. Eddie Jose, Soldiers Radio and Television, OCPA
- 1990 - Sgt. Melody Day, Soldiers Radio and Television, OCPA
- 1989 - Sgt. Tony McKinney, Southern European Broadcasting
- 1989 - Staff Sgt. Jay Field, AFN Europe
- 1987 - Sgt. George McNamara, AFN Korea
- 1986 - Sgt. Charlie Gill, AFN Europe
- 1985 - Sgt. William Homann, AFN Korea
- 1984 - Sgt. Richard Real, AFN Europe
Clark Taylor Civilian Videographer of the Year Award
Clark Taylor Biography
Mr. Clark Taylor was a combat infantryman during the Vietnam War. His outstanding leadership and abilities as a broadcaster helped him to be accepted into the fold by the 3rd Infantry Division headquarters that the new AFN Wurzburg affiliate supported. Because of the credibility he brought to the job, he was allowed to serve as the first enlisted station manager in the American Forces Network Europe. His success in the position led to the modern model of AFN affiliates being led by NCOs.
Taylor revolutionized the Army’s command information dissemination model. From establishing the Army’s flagship television newscast Army Newswatch to being the first DoD organization to offer podcasts and other programming through iTunes, Taylor was on the cutting edge of technology to bring the Army’s message to new audiences. He relied on old-fashioned good storytelling to bring them back for more.
Some of Taylor's contributions to the Army broadcasting profession include developing the Master Sgt. John T. Anderson Broadcast Journalist of the Year Award, initiating and developing a television news bureau for the Department of the Army from the Pentagon (which later became known as “Soldiers Radio and Television”), creating the Soldiers Radio Satellite Network, and establishing the first government 24/7 internet radio station, SoldiersRadio.com.
Taylor persuaded then-Secretary of the Army Louis Caldera to order the distribution of Army Newswatch to any television station interested in the product. Taylor began with a phone book and an idea -- and ended with a nationwide distribution network of nearly 900 stations and a marketing apparatus that reached hundreds more. Survey data in 2004 indicated a dedicated audience of four million Americans, with a potential audience in the tens of millions.
Overview
The award was initiated in 1988, to provide a positive incentive for increased excellence in the Army command information program, by providing recognition of outstanding civilian broadcast journalists. Only Army civilians in the pay grade GS-12/YA-02 and below, as of Jan. 1 of the judging year, are eligible for this one-time award.
Previous Winners
- 2025 - David Adams, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District
- 2024 - Kevin Payne, Training Support Activity Europe
- 2023 - Kevin Payne, Training Support Activity Europe
- 2022 - Sarah Patterson, U.S. Army Sustainment Command, Army Materiel Command
- 2021 - Daniel Malta, Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield Public Affairs
- 2020 - Tim Hanson, U.S. Army Security Assistance Command, AMC
- 2019 - Daniel Malta, Fort Sill Public Affairs Office, AMC
- 2018 - No entries
- 2017 - No winner
- 2016 - Matthew Oldham, USAREUR
- 2015 - Richard Bumgardner, U.S. Army Security Assistance Command, AMC
- 2014 - Joe Givens, AMC
- 2013 - Mike A. Glasch, Fort Jackson, IMCOM
- 2012 - No winner
- 2011 - Christian Marquardt, 7th JMTC, USAREUR
- 2010 - Jesse Granger, USAREUR
- 2009 - Honey Shewbert, AFN Bavaria
- 2008 - Michele Michael, AFN Europe
- 2007 - Tony McKinney, AFN Bavaria
- 2006 - Sean Patrick, Soldiers Media Center
- 2005 - Florence Newman, Community and Family Support Center, SRTV
- 2004 - No winner
- 2003 - Michelle Michaels, AFN Europe, Frankfurt, Germany
- 2002 - Kane Richard Farabaugh, AFN Europe, Frankfurt, Germany
- 2001 - Jennifer Braden, Community and Family Support Center, Va.
- 2000 - Pam Proper, AFN SHAPE, Belgium
- 1999 - No winner
- 1998 - Gail McCabe, Soldiers Radio and Television, OCPA
- 1997 - George McNamara, Community and Family Support Center, Va.
- 1996 - Lori Miller, AFN Bavaria
- 1995 - No winner
- 1994 - Jan Leedy, AFN Heidelberg, Germany
- 1993 - Gary Bautell, Headquarters AFN
- 1992 - Linda Frost, AFN Kaiserlautern, Germany
- 1991 - No winner
- 1990 - Alice Soscia, Southern European Broadcasting Network
- 1989 - Johnny L. Walkup, Southern European Broadcasting Network
- 1988 - George A. Smith, AFN Nuernberg, West Germany
Outstanding New Videographer
Category Overview
This one-time award recognizes excellence in Army broadcasting among enlisted Soldiers with 24 months or fewer in CMF 46. Only Soldiers in the rank of staff sergeant and below on Jan. 1 of the judging year are eligible for this award.
Overview
This award recognized excellence in Army broadcasting among enlisted Soldiers with 24 months or fewer in Career Management Field 46. Only Soldiers in the rank of staff sergeant and below, as of Jan. 1 of the judging year, were eligible for this one-time award.
Previous Winners
- This category is no longer awarded.
- 2021 - Spc. Michael Baumberger, 196th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
- 2020 - Spc. Jacob Ward, 49th Public Affairs Detachment, FORSCOM
- 2019 - Sgt. Sydney Mariette, Minnesota National Guard, NGB
- 2018 - Staff Sgt. Alexander C. Henninger, Defense Media Activity, DMA
- 2017 - Sgt. Austin Pearce, South Dakota National Guard, NGB
- 2016 - No winner
- 2015 - No winner
- 2014 - Staff Sgt. George Davis, Ohio National Guard
- 2013 - Sgt. William Reinier, 2nd BCT, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, FORSCOM
- 2012 - Sgt. Elliot Valdez, AFN Bavaria, DMA
- 2011 - Spc. Adam Winters, 70th MPAD, USARC
- 2010 - Spc. Amy Gregory, Ohio National Guard
- 2009 - Pfc. Lamisha Davis, AFN Bavaria, DMA
- 2008 - Staff Sgt. Craig Rader, AFN Korea, DMA
- 2007 - Spc. Nathan Jones, AFN Bavaria, ABS
- 2006 - Pfc. Ashleigh Torres, 7th MPAD, FORSCOM
- 2005 - Spc. Charlene Burey, AFN Korea, ABS
- 2004 - Spc. Chris Higginbotham, 21st TSC, USAREUR
- 2003 - Spc. Lee McMahon, AFN Heidelberg, ABS
- 2002 - Spc. Krestin Harrington, AFN Korea, ABS
- 2001 - Spc. Kimberly Kaminsky, Fort Bliss, TRADOC
Kathy Canham-Ross Award of Distinction
Kathy Canham-Ross Biography
Kathy Canham-Ross was a highly respected Public Affairs professional whose career spanned almost 30 years. She served in the Office of the Chief of Public Affairs Los Angeles Office for over 20 years and for the last 10 years was Director. She was the senior Army Public Affairs Officer and Director. She was the senior Army Public Affairs Officer and principal liaison to the entertainment industry, coordinating support for the Army and the Department of Defense throughout the world. The contributions she made in telling the Army story accurately were immeasurable. Kathy's peerless professionalism will be emulated for decades to come.
Overview
The formerly separate award, which was pulled under the Keith L. Ware program in 2009, recognizes extraordinary community relations contributions. Judges choose one of the deadlocked entries by name in the event of a tie. *The Kathy Canham-Ross Award of Distinction was originally not part of the Maj. Gen. Keith L. Ware contest and was given out based on the fiscal year. In 2009, when the award was pulled under the KLW program, it became a calendar year award. This led to two 2009 awards.
Previous Winners
- 2025 - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District
- 2024 - Christopher Mendez, Fort Novosel Public Affairs
- 2023 - Rebecca Kidd, U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command
- 2022 - Rebecca Nappi, U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command
- 2021 - Rebecca Nappi, U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command
- 2020 - Mike Chrisman, Illinois National Guard, NGB
- 2019 - Mike Chrisman, Illinois National Guard, NGB
- 2018 - "Gold Star Father/Daughter Dance," Mike Chrisman, Illinois National Guard, NGB
- 2017 - Office of the Chief of Public Affairs – Northeast, MDW
- 2016 - Brooke Magary, St. Louis District, USACE
- 2015 - "Pulling for Unity," USACE Charleston District, USACE
- 2014 - PEO ACWA "Honoring Our Commitment," Katherine DeWeese, Miguel Monteverde, Thomas Schultz, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives Public Affairs Office, USAASC
- 2013 - Teri Viedt, Wiesbaden, IMCOM
- 2012 - "America's Response Memorial Event," USASOC
- 2011 - "2011 Boy Scout Fall Camporee", Blue Grass Army Depot, AMC
- 2010 - Mo. National Guard Public Affairs Office
- 2009 - S.C. National Guard Public Affairs Office*
- 2009 - U.S. Army Special Operations Command Public Affairs Office*
- 2008 - Fort Eustis Public Affairs Office
Sgt. Maj. Dawn Kilpatrick Memorial AUSA Scholarship
Sgt. Maj. Dawn Kilpatrick Biography
Sgt. Maj. Dawn Kilpatrick began her career in 1979, and served on active duty for 20 years, serving in a variety of challenging assignments and always leading the way.
Kilpatrick's variety of assignments included newspaper editor of three of the Army's most prestigious newspapers: The Hawaii Army Weekly at Fort Shafter, Hawaii; The Bayonet at Fort Benning, Ga.; and The Paraglide at Fort Bragg, N.C.
She served as first sergeant of the Army's then-only active duty mobile public affairs detachment, the 22nd MPAD, and later as the Public Affairs sergeant major for XVIII Airborne Corps, both at Fort Bragg. Kilpatrick was the first non-commissioned officer to serve as media spokesperson at the Department of the Army level.
Some of her other assignments in the Pentagon included assistant chief of Army newspapers and special assignments as Public Affairs NCO for the Sergeant Major of the Army, and operations NCO. She was spokesperson for the UNOSOM II United Nations Operations in Somalia, where she represented the United Nations Command, U.S. Forces, Somalia, and Task Force Ranger, to the international press corps during the critical battle of Oct. 3, 1993, memorialized in the book and movie Black Hawk Down.
As a special assistant to the secretary of the Army, Kilpatrick was the personal public affairs officer of Togo D. West Jr. She was the first enlisted service member ever to serve in that role. Kilpatrick was a master parachutist with more than 650 jumps to her credit. For two years, she was a member of the prestigious Golden Knights, the U.S. Army's parachute demonstration team.
She died at her home in Herndon, Va., May 23, 1999, after a two-year battle with cervical cancer, and eight days after she retired. Kilpatrick was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery, in Section 59, Grave 384, May 27, 1999.
Overview
This award was initiated in 1999 as a partnership between the Army and the Association of the United States Army, to allow Career Management Field 46 mid-level and senior non-commissioned officers the opportunity to compete for an educational scholarship grant. This grant is intended to be used to further the education of the NCO and give the Army a better-rounded "Total Soldier." The scholarship recipient traditionally receives the award at the AUSA Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington, D.C.
Previous Winners
- 2025 – Master Sgt. Timothy Gray, 28th Public Affairs Detachment
- 2024 – Master Sgt. Will Reinier, 82nd Airborne Division
- 2023 – Sgt. 1st Class Michael Sword, 11th Airborne Division
- 2022 – Sgt. 1st Class Jacob Connor-Foertsch, 101st Airborne Division Public Affairs NCOIC
- 2021 – No entries
- 2020 – Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Carter, 28th Public Affairs Detachment, FORSCOM
- 2019 – No entries
- 2018 – Master Sgt. Alejandro Licea, 1st Armored Division
- 2017 – Sgt. 1st Class David Wheeler, Office of the Chief of Public Affairs
- 2016 – Master Sgt. Jeremy Bunkley, 1st Armored Division Public Affairs, FORSCOM
- 2015 – Master Sgt. Andrew Kosterman, 8th Army, USARPAC
- 2014 – Master Sgt. Terrance Hayes, Office of the SEAC, JSC
- 2013 – Master Sgt. Adam Shaw, AFN Afghanistan, DMA
- 2012 – Master Sgt. Lawrence Lang
- 2011 – Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Davio
- 2010 – Sgt. 1st Class Bryant Maude
- 2009 – Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Bailey
- 2008 – Sgt. 1st Class Duane Brown
- 2007 – Staff Sgt. Stephanie Carl
- 2006 – Sgt. 1st Class James Guzior
- 2000 – Staff Sgt. Steven Morgan
Public Affairs Officer - Rising Star
Category Overview
This one-time award recognizes the top commissioned Army officer with less than 24 months of service in functional area 46.
Previous Winners
- 2025 - Capt. Jennifer French, 173rd Airborne Brigade
- 2024 - 1st Lt. Amy Petrocelli, XVIII Airborne Corps
- 2023 - Capt. Ronald Stafford, 24th Theater Public Affairs Support Element
- 2022 - Capt. Angelo Mejia, 5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, U.S. Army Forces Command
- 2021 - Capt. Matthew Visser, Headquarters and Support Company, Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, XVIII Airborne Corps
- 2020 - Capt. Paul O'Daniel, U.S. Army Central
- 2019 - No entries
- 2018 - Capt. Nadine Wiley De Moura, 100th MPAD, Texas National Guard, NGB
- 2017 - 1st Lt. Allegra Taylor, Texas National Guard, NGB
- 2016 - Capt. Jarrod J. Morris, 3rd Infantry Division, FORSCOM
- 2015 - Capt. William Leasure, 35th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, USARPAC
Military Graphic Artist of the Year
Category Overview
Candidates must submit a portfolio containing no less than six and no more than eight entries with at least one entry from the Digital Art category and one from the Layout and Design category. Candidates also must submit a one-page biography and a digital photograph with their portfolio; they will not be judged. The biography, submitted as an OCR scanned PDF, and the photo, submitted as a separate JPEG file, must be cleared by the local public affairs office.
Previous Winners
- 2025 - Staff Sgt. Daniel Lopez, U.S. Army Pacific
- 2024 - Spc. Ashley Xie, 22nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
- 2023 - Staff Sgt. Daniel Lee, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
- 2022 - No winner
- 2021 - No winner
- 2021 - No entries
- 2020 - Spc. Taylor Zacherl, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), USASOC
- 2019 - No entries
- 2018 - No entries
- 2017 - Staff Sgt. Miguel Resendiz, AFN Europe, DMA
- 2016 - Sgt. Steven Collins, AFN Europe, DMA HQ
Civilian Graphic Artist of the Year
Category Overview
Candidates for the Civilian Graphic Artist of the Year must submit a portfolio containing no less than six and no more than eight entries with at least one entry from the Digital Art category and one from the Layout and Design category. Candidates also must submit a one-page biography and a digital photograph with their portfolio; they will not be judged. The biography, submitted as an OCR scanned PDF, and the photo, submitted as a separate JPEG file, must be cleared by the local public affairs office.
Previous Winners
- 2025 - Porsha Auzenne, Fort Johnson Public Affairs Office
- 2024 - Porsha Auzenne, Fort Johnson Public Affairs Office
- 2023 - Molly Cooke, Fort Stewart Public Affairs Office
- 2022 - No winner
- 2021 - Christopher Fincham, Baltimore District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- 2020 - Jared Eastman, Engineer Research and Development Center, USACE
- 2019 - John Prettyman, Sacremento District, USACE
- 2018 - Gwen Bausmith, Europe District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, USACE
- 2017 - No entries
- 2016 - Amber K. Whittington, DLI/FLC, TRADOC
Military Photographer of the Year
Category Overview
Candidates must submit a portfolio consisting of at least eight but no more than 10 entries with at least one from one of the two documentation categories, one picture story, one news photo, one feature photo and one portrait. Portfolio may NOT include pictorial, photojournalism or multimedia story entries, and will include only one picture story. Candidates also must submit a one-page biography and a digital photograph with their portfolio; they will not be judged. The biography, submitted as an OCR scanned PDF, and the photo, submitted as a separate JPEG file, must be cleared by the local public affairs office. Submit photos as JPEG files.
Previous Winners
- 2025 - Staff Sgt. Jonathan Bryson, 75th Ranger Regiment
- 2024 - Sgt. Aaron Troutman, Army Multimedia and Visual Information Division
- 2023 - Staff Sgt. Adeline Witherspoon, 122nd Theater Public Affairs Support Element
- 2022 - Staff Sgt. Jeff Clements, Virginia National Guard Public Affairs Office, National Guard
- 2021 - Spc. Matthew Mackintosh, 28th Public Affairs Detachment
- 2020 - Sgt. Sarah Sangster, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, FORSCOM
- 2019 - Staff Sgt. Alex Manne, 982nd Signal Company (COMCAM), USARC
- 2018 - Spc. Adeline Witherspoon, 2nd Sustainment Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, USARPAC
- 2017 - Sgt. Audrey Hayes, 200th Military Police Command, USARC
- 2016 - Sgt. Harley Jelis, 138th PAD, NGB
Civilian Photographer of the Year
Category Overview
Candidates must submit a portfolio consisting of at least eight but no more than 10 entries with at least one from one of the two documentation categories, one picture story, one news photo, one feature photo and one portrait. Portfolio may NOT include pictorial, photojournalism or multimedia story entries, and will include only one picture story. Candidates also must submit a one-page biography and a digital photograph with their portfolio; they will not be judged. The biography, submitted as an OCR scanned PDF, and the photo, submitted as a separate JPEG file, must be cleared by the local public affairs office. Submit photos as JPEG files.
Previous Winners
- 2025 - Alejandro Pena, Alaska National Guard
- 2024 - Henry Villarama, Army Multimedia and Video Division
- 2023 - Henry Villarama, Army Multimedia and Video Division
- 2022 - Daniel Malta, USAG Fort Stewart Public Affairs Office, Army Materiel Command
- 2021 - Michel Sauret, Pittsburgh District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- 2020 - Brigida Sanchez, Jacksonville District, USACE
- 2019 - Marcus Fichtl, U.S. Army Garrison Presidio of Monterey, AMC
- 2018 - David E. Poe, Fort Bliss Public Affairs Office, IMCOM
- 2017 - Terrance Anthony Bell, Fort Lee Public Affairs Office, IMCOM
- 2016 - Jason Johnston, 7th Army Training Command (TSAE), USAREUR