Public Affairs wins National Awards

  • Published
  • By Senior Master Sgt. Eric Peterson
  • 120th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
Great Falls, Mont, --  Members of the 120th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Office won a total of five awards in the Air National Guard division of the 2011 National Guard Bureau Media Contest.

120th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Officer, Maj. Cody Smith, says that this is the first time the Montana unit has placed in the graphics, print and broadcast categories of the contest.

"This contest allows our Public Affairs professionals to showcase their talents on the national stage. I'm proud of how our Montana airmen did in competition against their peers from across the Air National Guard," he said.

Photojournalist Master Sgt. Jason Johnson won first place in the graphics illustration category for his "Flight Over the Falls" poster. The illustration featured the U.S. Navy Blue Angels in a promotion for the Montana Military Open House which was held at the Great Falls International Airport in July.

Johnson also received a first place finish in the graphics layout and design category for his talent serving as the design director of the Big Sky Flyer, a quarterly magazine published for unit members and retirees. Johnson also won first place in this category during the 2010 Media Contest.

The entire Public Affairs Office staff won first place in the local television newscast category for their submission of "The Montana Air National Guard Year in Review." The 30 minute program featured a collection of broadcast news stories produced on MTANG deployments and activities that occurred in 2011. This has been the fourth year in a row that the 120th Fighter Wing Public Affairs team has won this award.

The Public Affairs Office Superintendent, Senior Master Sgt. Eric Peterson, took second place in the print commentary category for "The Fading Bugler," a commentary describing the shortage of buglers available for military funerals for the nation's veterans.

Peterson also won a third place award in the photojournalism category for "A Taste of Basic Training." The story featured some of the training that members of the Student Flight receive at the 120th Fighter Wing prior to attending basic training at Lackland Air Force Base.

A total of 76 awards were presented in print, graphics and broadcast categories to public affairs professionals representing units located in all states, territories and the District of Colombia.