MCHF - April Marine Minute: Virtual Awards Ceremony Recognizes Distinguished Honorees

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Virtual Awards Ceremony Recognizes Distinguished Honorees The Marine Corps Heritage Foundation presented the Lejeune Recognition for Exemplary Leadership Award to Major General Charles F. Bolden, Jr. USMC (Ret) and the Heritage Award to Lieutenant General Robert R. Blackman, Jr. USMC (Ret) during a virtual production of our Annual Awards Ceremony on Saturday 24 April 2021. MajGen Bolden and LtGen Blackman received their awards along with 19 other honorees being recognized for journalism, photography and the arts. The program celebrated distinguished leadership and outstanding portrayals of Marine Corps history, traditions and culture. The virtual setting for the ceremony provided the Foundation the opportunity to show audiences a variety of spaces in the National Museum of the Marine Corps including Leatherneck Gallery, the Combat Art Gallery and the expansion of Legacy Walk that opened last year.    You can watch the entire ceremony on the Foundation's YouTube here. The ceremony included acceptance remarks from MajGen Bolden, 12th Administrator of NASA and LtGen Blackman, former MCHF President and CEO; remarks from General David H. Berger, 38th Commandant of the Marine Corps, and Sergeant Major Troy E. Black, 19th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps; and performances by “The President's Own” United States Marine Band. The complete list of recipients and links to their award-winning works are below. We would like to extend a special thank you to our sponsors for making this event possible: General Dynamics, Vion, Sim-Tex, John and Elaine French, Richard Hartnack, Paul and Coleen Kalsbeek, Richard Moxley and David Stulb. The Lejeune Recognition for Exemplary Leadership Award - The Lieutenant General John A. Lejeune Recognition for Exemplary Leadership recognizes an individual who has demonstrated leadership in their chosen profession or appointed or elected position that is clearly exemplary and worthy of emulation. The recipient must epitomize the core values of honor, courage and commitment and practice the leadership traits and principles ascribed to by General Lejeune and the United States Marine Corps. Major General Charles F. Bolden, Jr. USMC (Ret), 12th Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration The Heritage Award - The Heritage Award recognizes an individual who has provided unique and significant service to the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation in the fulfillment of its mission to preserve and promulgate the history, traditions and culture of the Marine Corps and educate all Americans in its virtues. Lieutenant General Robert R. Blackman, Jr. USMC (Ret), Former President & CEO, Marine Corps Heritage Foundation Biography – The Colonel Joseph Alexander Award for a distinguished book of biographical literature about a Marine. Dr. Joseph Arthur Simon: The Greatest of All Leathernecks: John Archer Lejeune and the Making of the Modern Marine Corps Feature Writing (Enlisted) – The Master Sergeant Tom Bartlett Award, named for the late Managing Editor of Leatherneck magazine and a leading Marine photojournalist, is given for superior writing pertinent to Marine Corps history during the preceding year by an enlisted writer in any medium. LCpl Ryan Hageali USMC: “A Marine's Mom” Drama - The Bill Broyles Award is given for a distinguished play or screenplay by a playwright or screenwriter, dealing with U.S. Marine Corps heritage or Marine Corps life. Mr. Allston James: A Hill in Time Photojournalism (Album) – The Sergeant Major Dan Daly Award for a distinguished example of still photography by an individual, consisting of a collection of black and white or color photographs capturing U.S. Marines or Marine Corps life. Mr. Lucian Read: All of Which I Saw Poetry – The Robert A. Gannon Award for a distinguished volume of original verse by a poet dealing with Marine Corps life. Mr. Justin Eggen: The Sun Rises in Helmand Feature Writing (Aviation) – The General Roy S. Geiger Award, sponsored by Colonel G. F. Robert Hanke USMCR in memory of his father, Wing Commander Ralph Hanke, Royal Air Force. This award is given to the author of the best article in the field of Marine Corps Aviation published during the preceding year. MSgt Jeff Dacus USMCR (Ret): “Don't Strafe Kahili” (Page 16) Documentary Short Subject – The Sergeant William Genaust Award for a producer of a documentary and short subject (motion pictures with a running time of 40 minutes or less, including all credits) dealing creatively with U.S. Marine Corps heritage or Marine Corps life. CWO3 Michael Kropiewnicki USMC: Marine Corps Base Hawaii- Warrior Genesis General Non-Fiction – The General Wallace M. Greene, Jr. Award for a distinguished non-fiction book dealing with U.S. Marines or Marine Corps life. Mr. James H. Hallas: Saipan: The Battle That Doomed Japan World War II History of Women Marines - The Colonel Julia E. Hamblet Award, named for the longest serving Director of Women Marines, is funded by a bequest from the estate of Lotus Mort and judged by the Women Marines Association. It is given to the individual or team who has done the most to further the recognition of the history of women who have earned the title Marine. MSgt Laura Dennis USMCR, awarded posthumously Documentary Feature – The Major Norman Hatch Award for a producer of a documentary feature (motion pictures with a running time of more than 40 minutes) dealing creatively with U.S. Marine Corps heritage or Marine Corps life. Ms. Laura Froidefond & Mr. Antoine Favre: The Devil Dogs Feature Writing (General) – The Colonel Robert Debs Heinl, Jr. Award for a distinguished example of feature writing by an individual dealing with U.S. Marine Corps history or Marine Corps life, giving prime consideration for high literary quality and originality. Mr. Michael M. Phillips: “The Bravest Thing Col Randy Hoffman Ever Did Was to Stop Fighting” published in The Wall Street Journal Photojournalism (Single) – The Sergeant Major Bradley Kasal Award for a distinguished example of still photography by an individual, in black and white or color, which consists of a single photograph capturing the character of the individual Marine and the core values of the U.S. Marine Corps. Cpl Dalton Swanbeck USMC: Darkhorse Dispatch Reporting – The Major Megan McClung Award for a distinguished example of reporting by an individual covering U.S. Marines abroad. Mr. Dan Lamothe: “Maybe This is How Vietnam Vets Felt: Americans Who Fought in Afghanistan Wait to See How Their War Ends” published in The Washington Post Local Reporting – The General Oliver P. Smith Award for a distinguished example of local news reporting by an individual that illuminates the U.S. Marine Corps' relationship with local communities. Ms. Erika Ritchie: “Marines Who Went to Hell and Back Nearly 10 Years Ago Rely on Camaraderie, Community to Heal” published in The Orange County Register Memoir – The Eugene Sledge Award for a distinguished autobiography or memoir in book form about a Marine. Gen James Mattis USMC (Ret) & Mr. Bing West: Call Sign Chaos: Learning to Lead Combat Art – The Colonel John W. Thomason Jr. Award is given to an individual for a distinguished work depicting some aspect of Marine Corps life. Mr. John Deckert: Marine Corps Painting & Drawings 2017-2019 Fiction – The James Webb Award for distinguished fiction book dealing with U.S. Marines or Marine Corps life. Mr. Carlos G. Cooper: Chain of Command Ceremony Available for Online Viewing Here

Charitable Giving Tip With the changes that the 2020 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act made to individual and business income tax, as well as the estate tax, you may be thinking about how best to support your favorite charities in 2021, including the MCHF.  We have summarized “Five Quick Tips” that may help your charitable gift planning, including how to make itemizing work for you. Learn about all of them here.   If you have any questions and/or would like to explore ways to include the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation in your estate plans, please contact Gayle Union, at union@marineheritage.org, or call 703.586.7463. There is, of course, no obligation and all inquiries are confidential. Thank you!

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