Keesler News wins three first-place AETC awards

Susan Griggs, Keesler News editor, is print journalist of the year and earned second place for a sports story about Keesler members involved in a recreational hockey league. Her other submissions included stories on civilian force development, a breast cancer awareness month feature and profiles of Maj. Gen. Al Flowers, former 2nd Air Force commander, and Col. Lynn Connett, 81st Training Group commander. (U.S. Air Force photo by Kemberly Groue)

Published March 3, 2010
By Keesler Public Affairs

KEESLER AFB, Ms. -- The Keesler News staff earned seven awards in the 2009 Air Education and Training Command media contest.

Winners are:

Susan Griggs, Keesler News editor, is print journalist of the year and earned second place for a sports story about Keesler members involved in a recreational hockey league. Her other submissions included stories on civilian force development, a breast cancer awareness month feature and profiles of Maj. Gen. Al Flowers, former 2nd Air Force commander, and Col. Lynn Connett, 81st Training Group commander.

Ms. Griggs became the Keesler News editor last May after 12½ years as a contract writer for the paper. She previously won nine AETC awards and two Air Force awards for contract writing and one AETC, one Air Force and one Defense Department Thomas Jefferson Award for contract photography.

Tech. Sgt. Chuck Marsh won first place for his commentary titled "He's an Airman forever."

Earlier this year, he was named AETC's outstanding public affairs noncommissioned officer of the year. Sergeant Marsh now serves on the staff of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon.

Ms. Griggs and Sergeant Marsh now represent AETC in the Air Force competition.
Angela Cutrer, contract journalist, won first place in the contractor/stringer article category for a feature on Keesler's amateur radio club. An employee of The Sun Herald, she joined the Keesler News staff eight months ago.

Staff Sgt. Kimberly Moore earned second place photojournalism honors for a feature on her personal experiences at Airman Leadership School.

Kemberly Groue, public affairs photographer employed by K-Mar Industries, the base's multimedia services contractor, was the third place winner for contract photography for a shot titled "Bright IDEA."

Steve Pivnick, the 81st Medical Group Public Affairs chief, won third place for his news photograph, "Daddy's Girl," a photo of a deploying Keesler medic holding his child.