122nd MPAD Soldiers Shine in Army Competition
Story by PFC Chelsea Mack; Photos Provided by 122nd MPAD - Posted Aug, 2005
 |
The 122nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment (MPAD), headquartered in Tacoma WA, has certainly had a high OPTEMPO these past several years.
With deployments to Bosnia (97), Kosovo/Macedonia (00) and Iraq 04-05, the members of this award-winning unit are combat tested, and have had plenty of opportunity to report on US combat actions from the front.
Recently 5 members of the 122nd were recognized for their excellence in journalism, and received the Army's Keith L. Ware Aware for Journalism.
Five Washington State Army National Guardsmen from the 122nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, headquartered in Tacoma WA, received high honors in the Army's Major General Keith L. Ware Journalism Competition. Over the years this unit has received nearly a dozen such awards.
 |
In the 2003 competition, CPL Bill Putnam won top honors in the category of Paul D. Savanuk Military Journalist of the Year Award. In 2004 SPC Erik LeDrew won the third place award in the same category.
The guardsmen all won third place in their respective categories: CPL Benjamin Cossel, won the Rising Star for Outstanding New Journalist Award; SGT Daniel Purcell won the Photojournalist Award; and SPC Alma Barrus won the News Article Award.
Their contributions were instrumental in helping Cav Country receive first place mention in the KLW's Field Newspaper category. Cav Country will be entered into the Thomas Jefferson Awards Program, which is a competition open to all military services.
The MG Keith L. Ware Journalism Awards Competition Ceremony 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.
 |
To be eligible, the Guardsmen had to win first place in the National Guard Bureau competition, open only the National Guard and Reserve Soldiers.
SGT Purcell, CPL Cossel, SPC LeDrew and SPC Barrus are part of the 122nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment (MPAD). In February 2005, they were redeployed from Iraq, where they spent a year providing news articles and photos to the 1st Cavalry Division's field newspaper, Cav Country.
SGT Purcell, CPL Cossel, SPC LeDrew and SPC Barrus will each receive plaques for their journalistic achievements.
The KLW competition was established in 1970 by MAJ Joseph Burlas, and named after Major General Keith L. Ware, a highly decorated infantry commander.
Intended to promote journalistic excellence, The KLW is an Army-wide competition judged by distinguished journalists. Submissions are judged on overall professional excellence.
The 122nd MPAD is a National Guard unit located in Tacoma, Washington comprising of approximately 20 Soldiers who were attached to the 1st Cavalry Division while serving in Iraq. The awards highlight a successful return from their deployment.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|