Top Public Affairs Efforts Recognized

Eleven public affairs officers from eight wings in six regions have been recognized with Maj. Howell Balsem Civil Air Patrol Public Affairs Exceptional Achievement Awards for work performed in 2023, ranging from a short video styled like a vintage silent movie to a  focus on one squadron’s participation in an annual observation paying tribute at veterans’ graves the day before Memorial Day.

In all, 14 awards were announced:

Lt. Col. Liz Dunster, North Carolina Wing assistant public affairs officer, was chosen for the Maj. Al Pabon Best in Show Award for her External Media category winner. Her May 28, 2023, news release garnered newspaper coverage of Tar River Composite Squadron members’ involvement in the previous day’s Memorial Day flag ceremony at Maplewood Cemetery in Wilson.

“Your efforts resulted in solid coverage in multiple papers,” a judge wrote in evaluating Dunster’s entry. “I particularly liked all of the quotes from the cadets and other participants that you included. 

“That brought the story to life.”

The Pabon award was Dunster’s second.  She also was honored with Best in Show in 2021 for generating local coverage for the Tar River Composite Squadron, where she has served as PAO since August 2014.

First Lt. Dustin  Chandler, Oklahoma Wing assistant PAO, received a pair of first-place Balsem Awards, for Creative Services and Digital Engagement.

Chandler’s Creative Services submission was easily the competition’s most distinctive — a 2:55 black-and-white video incorporating the look and feel of a silent film short from the 1920s.

The  wing commander at the time “wanted to do something special with the encampment PA team,” said Maj. Brandon Lunsford, then the Oklahoma Wing’s PAO. “ He let them choose and the cadets decided to do an old-time silent movie.“ 

First Lt. Jessica Schaefer, Chandler’s Wisconsin Wing counterpart, led the field with three awards — a Balsem for Photography, an Award of Excellence for External Media Coverage, and a Certificate of Merit for Digital Engagement.

In all, 15 awards were announced:

·         Five first-place Balsems

·         Six second-place Awards of Excellence, and

·         Four third-place Certificates of Merit were chosen.

Judges were members of the Marketing and Strategic Communications Department’s national volunteer staff. Members didn’t judge entries from their own wings.

Here are the award recipients –

Marketing materials developed for external public relations, marketing and/or promotional purposes, such as brochures, posters, flyers, non-vendor-produced magazines, and presentations.

•   Balsem Award 1st Lt. Dustin ChandlerAssistant PAOOklahoma Wing“Fun with the CAP Team: The Wing Commander Inspects New Asset” — YouTube video

•   Award of ExcellenceMaj. Mary BryantPAOBowling Green Senior SquadronKentucky Wing“November 2023 Diversity Newsletter”

•   Award of Excellence1st Lt. Jessica SchaeferAssistant PAOWisconsin Wing“New Family Guide to Civil Air Patrol”

Appropriate, effective, properly formatted content posted on official social media channels.

•   Balsem Award1st Lt. Dustin ChandlerAssistant PAOOklahoma Wing “Oklahoma Wing Chinook Rides from the Oklahoma Army National Guard” — July 15, 2023, Facebook

•   Award of ExcellenceCol. Michael MarekPAOSouth Dakota Wing“Scheduled Exercise Public Notification” — March 10, 2023, Facebook 

•   Certificate of MeritCapt. Brooke EriksonAssistant PAO“Cadet Orientation Flights” — March 10, 2023,  Facebook  

•   Certificate of Merit1st Lt. Jessica SchaeferAssistant PAOWisconsin Wing“Wisconsin Wing Encampment” — June 25, 2023, Facebook  

•   Certificate of Merit2nd Lt. Treicy SotoPAOPines-Miramar Composite SquadronFlorida Wing“McPeek Growths Up” — Instagram—

Photos not used in other categories.

•   Balsem Award 1st Lt. Lu ChandlerAssistant PAOOklahoma Wing“Oklahoma Wing Encampment” •  Balsem Award1st Lt. Jessica Schaefer,Assistant PAOWisconsin Wing“Wisconsin  Wing Encampment”

News articles and feature articles used by external print or broadcast media or posted online by an external media outlet; or news media coverage resulting from a CAP-issued news release, media advisory, or social media post. Submissions to Volunteer, CAP.news, PROPS, or any other CAP-managed publication do not qualify.

•   Balsem AwardLt. Col. Liz DunsterAssistant PAONorth Carolina Wing“Memorial Day Flag Ceremony held in Wilson, N.C.” — May 28, 2023, news release

•   Award of ExcellenceMaj. Brent WootersAssistant PAONorth Carolina Wing“North Carolina Wing Civil Air Patrol Increases Mission  Capabilities with Delivery of 10 New Drones” — May 6, 2023, news release

•   Award of Excellence1st Lt. Jessica SchaeferAssistant PAOWisconsin Wing“Stevens Point Youth Win National Title in Civil Air Patrol High-Altitude Balloon Challenge” — Oct. 24, 2023, news release

•   Award of Excellence2nd Lt. Krystal ShannonPAOJesse Jones Composite Squadron 304Pennsylvania Wing“CAP Cadets Participate with Wreaths Across American at Indiantown Gap Cemetery” —  Dec. 16, 2023, news release

•   Certificate of Merit 1st Lt. Stacey FeeneyPAOCurtiss-Wright Composite SquadronNew Jersey Wing“Serving Our Country: Flying High” —  Diversity in Action, Summer 2023