Photo By Tech. Sgt. Chelsea Smith | U.S. Soldiers assigned to Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 124th Infantry Regiment, 53rd...... read more read more
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JACKSONVILLE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Fla. – Two Airmen assigned to the 125th Fighter Wing Public Affairs office received national recognition on Feb. 28, 2025, when the National Guard Bureau announced the winners of the 2024 National Guard Media Contest. Tech. Sgt. Chelsea Smith and Senior Airman Thomas Keisler IV were among this year’s top awardees, honored for their excellence in visual storytelling.
Smith and Keisler were recognized for their outstanding work in the 2024 Chief Master Sgt. Douglas W. Morrell Media Awards, the National Guard’s premier competition for enlisted public affairs professionals.
The Morrell Awards are part of the annual National Guard Bureau Media Contest and showcase the best photojournalism, videography and storytelling from enlisted public affairs specialists (E-7 and below) across all 54 states, territories and the District of Columbia. Winning entries advance to the Department of Defense-level Thomas Jefferson Awards, where they compete against submissions from all active-duty service branches.
“The individual and unit entries showcase the best of our public affairs talents in print, photography, videography and public affairs across the country,” said Tracy O’Grady-Walsh, National Guard Bureau public affairs director. “We applaud the dedication and efforts that your Soldiers, Airmen and civilians give to our nation every day to bring the Guard story to the American public.”
Smith earned first place in the News Photo category for an image depicting a Florida National Guard Soldier embracing two residents outside their damaged home in Port St. Lucie, Florida, Oct. 11, 2024, following a series of tornadoes that struck during Hurricane Milton.
The Soldier’s embrace, framed by debris and storm-damaged homes, illustrates the Guard’s role not only in crisis response, but in providing reassurance and human connection amid disaster recovery.
“This photo was a snapshot in time,” said Smith. “To me, it shows the care and compassion of the Guard wrapping its arms around those in the community in a time of need.”
“Photography becomes especially powerful in the wake of disaster,” Smith added. “It is surreal, yet uplifting, to be able to capture those moments of resilience and human connection.”
Keisler earned second place in the Video Documentation B-Roll category for his coverage of Soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group mobilizing from Cecil Airport in Jacksonville, Oct. 10, 2024. The footage captures personnel and equipment being loaded for airlift to support search and rescue operations in South Florida following Hurricane Milton.
“Being able to document Special Forces troops preparing to support life-saving missions was a powerful experience,” Keisler said. “My goal was to show the urgency, coordination and professionalism that goes into these kinds of responses.”
In addition to their national-level success, the 125th Fighter Wing Public Affairs team earned multiple first-place finishes in the Florida National Guard’s 2024 state-level media competition.
“Our job is to document history and tell the story of the National Guard,” said Maj. Cammy Alberts, chief of public affairs for the 125th Fighter Wing. “It’s an honor for the 125th PA team to be recognized for their work—and even more meaningful knowing they’re contributing to the legacy of the Florida National Guard.”
The 125th Fighter Wing Public Affairs office provides internal communication, media relations, and community engagement support for more than 2,000 Airmen across Florida.
For more information about the Florida Air National Guard, visit www.125fw.ang.af.mil.
| Date Taken: | 05.05.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 05.05.2025 16:26 |
| Story ID: | 497065 |
| Location: | JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 27 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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