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Combat Camera Airman receives best in DOD honor

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Sam Hymas
  • 437th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  A photojournalist from the 1st Combat Camera Squadron here has been recognized as the best in the Department of Defense.

Staff Sgt. Stacy Pearsall was named Military Photographer of the Year. She received the honor against more than 1,700 entries submitted by her peers from all branches of the U.S. military worldwide.

Sergeant Pearsall submitted photographs she took while she was deployed to Iraq last spring and others she took throughout 2007.

"I really put my heart and soul into it this year," she said. "I tried to put my subjects in the best possible light."

Sergeant Pearsall is the first woman to have won Military Photographer of the Year twice; she first won the award in 2003. Sergeant Pearsall took first place in five out of eight categories.

"It means a lot, not only to me, but to the Air Force and the DOD," said Sergeant Pearsall. "It opens prospects to other women serving in the military."

She also helped other military photographers.

"Outside of MILPHOG, what I consider a bigger accomplishment is mentoring other photographers in the Air Force and DOD," she said.

Two photographers Sergeant Pearsall mentored were accepted into the Syracuse photojournalism program and many others were recognized in the MILPHOG competition.

This is the sixth consecutive time an Airman from the 1 CTCS has been named the Military Photographer of the Year.

Tech. Sgt. Jeremy Lock, also from the 1 CTCS, was named first runner up and Tech. Sgt. Adrian Cadiz, Master Sgt. Andrew Dunaway and Staff Sgt. Shawn Weismiller were honorably mentioned.

Other members of Team Charleston were recognized with several awards in other categories for both photography and videography.

Photography awards

Combat documentation: 
1st place - Sergeant Pearsall; Honorable Mention - Sergeant Lock, Senior Airman Nicholas Pilch, 437th Airlift Wing Public Affairs, and Sergeant Cadiz

Picture story: 
1st place - Sergeant Pearsall; 2nd place - Sergeant Lock

News: 
1st place - Sergeant Weismiller; Honorable Mention - Sergeant Weismiller and Tech. Sgt. Sean Worrell, 1 CTCS

Feature: 
1st place - Sergeant Pearsall; 2nd place - Sergeant Lock; Honorable Mention - Sergeant Pearsall, Sergeant Dunaway and Staff Sgt. Joshua Demotts, 1 CTCS, and Sergeant Cadiz

Portrait personality: 
1st place - Sergeant Pearsall; 3rd place - Sergeant Demotts; Honorable Mention - Sergeant Dunaway, Staff Sgt. Joann Makinano, Sergeant Lock (for two different photos), Sergeant Demotts and Sergeant Cadiz

Illustrative photography: 
Honorable Mention - Senior Airman Clay Lancaster, 1 CTCS

Pictorial: 
1st place - Sergeant Pearsall; 3rd place - Sergeant Dunaway; Honorable Mention - Sergeant Pearsall

Sports: 
3rd place - Airman Lancaster; Honorable Mention - Sergeant Lock (for two different photos) and Staff Sgt. Manuel Martinez

Videography awards

Combat documentary: 
3rd place - Tech. Sgt. Michael Hasenauer, 1 CTCS; Honorable Mention - Senior Airman Geneve Stone, 1 CTCS

Documentary: 
1st place - Master Sgt. James Monk, 1 CTCS; 2nd place - Tech. Sgt. James Carney, 1 CTCS; 3rd place - Sergeant Monk
Field Production: Honorable Mention - Sergeant Monk

Winners will be recognized during a ceremony at the Defense Information School at Fort George G. Meade, Md., May 16 and at the White House Press Photographer's Association banquet May 9.