BISMARCK, N.D. — The North Dakota National Guard’s Public Affairs Office came out on top in several Army-wide level awards recently. The Maj. Gen. Keith L. Ware Competition, which recognizes journalistic excellence throughout the Department of the Army, named the North Dakota Guard winners in three categories.

The Public Affairs Office for the North Dakota National Guard won the first place award for “Outstanding Initiatives in News Media.” The honor recognizes the Guard’s efforts in social media as the best among all other Army National Guard, Army Reserve and active-Army forces.

 Staff Sgt. Amy Wieser Willson received an individual first place award for Story Series for a string of three art-inspired stories, including the “Art of War,” “Brush with Greatness” and “Carving Out a Niche.” Sgt. Eric W. Jensen won an individual second place award in the Commentary-Military category for his piece, “Online Communities Make Faces Stick out in Crowd.”

“Whether conventional print, broadcast or new media, our public affairs specialists continue to do a great job telling the story of the outstanding citizen-Soldiers and citizen-Airmen of the North Dakota National Guard,” said Maj. Gen. David Sprynczynatyk, North Dakota adjutant general.

To compete in the Ware Competition, entries for the Guard first must place in the National Guard Bureau Media Contest, which accepts entries from all Army and Air Guard units in the United States. Army Guard winners there then advance to the Maj. Gen. Keith L. Ware Competition, where they’re judged alongside active-Army forces and the Army Reserve.   

The 2009 National Guard Bureau Media Contest was a landmark in accomplishments for the North Dakota National Guard, with the public affairs departments raking in eight awards at the competition, more than any other state.

All of the submissions for the print awards and social media competition can be viewed at www.army.mil/klw/print.html.

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Since the 2001 terrorist attacks on America, the North Dakota National Guard has mobilized more than 3,500 Soldiers and more than 1,800 Airmen in support of the Global War on Terrorism. Currently, about 800 North Dakota Guardsmen are serving overseas.  With a total force of about 4,400 Soldiers and Airmen, sufficient forces remain in the state for emergency response and homeland defense.

For more information:

N.D. National Guard News Release (3/11/2010)
North Dakota Excels in National Guard Bureau Media Awards