The Coast Guard has announced the winners of the 2023 Haley-Simpson Public Affairs Awards. Named for the renowned author and Coast Guard journalist, the Chief Journalist (JOC) Alex Haley Award recognizes outstanding achievements of authors, photographers, and writers whose published work raises service visibility. The Cmdr. Jim Simpson Award is named for the first press assistant to the Commandant and recognizes unit excellence in public affairs.
Every year, the Office of Public and Governmental Affairs (CG-092) honors a select group for telling the Coast Guard’s story and keeping the public informed.
Unit-level storytelling is particularly crucial to the Coast Guard’s public affairs efforts, as it captures the day-to-day work of Coast Guard members and staff. Be on the lookout for more information later this year regarding the 2024 awards! Remember, it’s never too early to start thinking of next year’s awards. Don’t wait until the last minute to think about your submissions!
A full list of the winners is below:
Coast Guard Public Affairs Office of the Year
- First Place: First Coast Guard District
- Second Place: Eighth Coast Guard District
- Third Place: Thirteenth Coast Guard District
Outstanding Unit Achievement in Coast Guard Public Affairs (Large Afloat)
- First Place: USCGC Healy
- Second Place: USCGC Mackinaw
- Third Place: USCGC Stone
Outstanding Unit Achievement in Coast Guard Public Affairs (Small Afloat)
- First Place: USCGC Robert Yered
- Second Place: USCGC Dependable
- Third Place: USCGC Rollin Fritch
Outstanding Unit Achievement in Coast Guard Public Affairs (Sector)
- First Place: Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam
- Second Place: Coast Guard Sector Boston
Outstanding Unit Achievement in Coast Guard Public Affairs (Operations Ashore)
Outstanding Unit Achievement in Coast Guard Public Affairs (Air Station)
- First Place: Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco
- Second Place: Coast Guard Air Station Miami
- Third Place: Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater
- Honorable Mention: Coast Guard Air Station Houston
Outstanding Support Unit Achievement in Coast Guard Public Affairs
JOC Alex Haley Award - Group A: Public Affairs Specialists
Photo Products: News Photo
- First Place: Petty Officer First Class Brandon Giles, Commandant’s Advisory Group (CAG)
- Second Place: Petty Officer Second Class Riley Perkofski, Office of Digital Media (CG-09221)
- Third Place: Petty Officer Second Class Taylor Bacon, Coast Guard Academy
Photo Products: Feature Photo
- First Place: Petty Officer Third Class Perry Shirzad, Public Affairs Detachment (PADET) Texas
- Second Place: Petty Officer Second Class Taylor Bacon, Coast Guard Academy
- Third Place: Petty Officer Second Class Steven Strohmaier, District 13
Photo Products: Portrait
- First Place: Petty Officer First Class Travis Magee, PADET Astoria
- Second Place: Petty Officer Third Class Hunter Schnabel, District 11
- Third Place: Petty Officer Second Class Gabriel Wisdom, Duty Under Instruction Status (DUINS)
Photo Products: Photo Series
- First Place: Petty Officer Second Class Briana Carter, District 1
- Second Place: Petty Officer Second Class Gabriel Wisdom, DUINS
- Third Place: Petty Officer Second Class Riley Perkofski, CG-09221
Video Products: Video Story
- First Place: Petty Officer First Class Travis Magee, PADET Astoria
- Second Place: Public Affairs Coordinator (PAC) Corinne Zilnicki, PADET Texas
- Third Place: Petty Officer First Class Brandon Giles, CAG
Video Products: B-Roll Video
- First Place: Petty Officer Second Class Jose Hernandez, District 8
- Second Place: Petty Officer Second Class Briana Carter, District 1
- Third Place: Petty Officer Third Class Perry Shirzad, PADET Texas
Written Products: Information Story
- First Place: Petty Officer First Class Shannon Kearney, PADET Kodiak
- Second Place: Petty Officer First Class Nicole Groll, PADET Tampa
Written Products: Feature Story
- First Place: PAC Corinne Zilnicki, PADET Texas
- Second Place: Petty Officer Second Class Brandon Hillard, Atlantic Area (LANTAREA)
- Third Place: Petty Officer Second Class Ryan Noel, District 5
Written Products: Blog Post
Written Products: Photojournalism (Not awarded)
Coast Guard Communicator of the Year
Coast Guard Videographer of the Year (Not awarded)
Coast Guard Photographer of the Year
- First Place: Petty Officer Second Class Taylor Bacon, Coast Guard Academy
- Second Place: Petty Officer Second Class Ryan Noel, District 5
Alex Haley Award - Group B: Individual Coast Guard Members
Photo Products: News Photo
- First Place: Petty Officer Third Class Alaina Stonestreet, Station Cortez
- Second Place: Petty Officer Second Class Dylan Young, Station Cortez
- Third Place: Seaman Christine Bills, Defense Information School (DINFOS)
Photo Products: Feature Photo
- First Place: Lt. Scott Kellerman, Air Station Clearwater
- Second Place: Andrew Winz, Coast Guard Auxiliary
- Third Place: Petty Officer First Class Enrique Ferrer, Aviation Training Center Mobile
Photo Products: Portrait
- First Place: Petty Officer Second Class Dylan Young, Station Cortez
- Second Place: Seaman Christine Bills, DINFOS
Video Products: Video Story
- First Place: Lt. Scott Kellerman, Air Station Clearwater
- Second Place: Lt. j.g. Kyle Hansen, Civil Engineering Unit Juneau
Video Products: B-Roll Video
- First Place: Petty Officer First Class Kyle Turcotte, Aviation Training Center Mobile
- Second Place: Petty Officer Third Class Alaina Stonestreet, Station Cortez
Written Products: Information Story
- First Place: Lt. j.g. Kyle Hansen, Civil Engineering Unit Juneau
Written Products: Feature Story (Not awarded)
Written Products: Blog Post (Not awarded)
Written Products: Photojournalism (Not awarded)
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