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Combat Reporters Win
Top Honors

Three Marines in a fire fight pictured here.

The photo at left was awarded 1st place in the combat photography category.

Story compiled by the Scout Staff

Los Angeles, CA. September 20, 2007 -- Four-star general nominee Lt. Gen. James N. Mattis awarded 10 Marine journalists the highest honor for combat correspondence at an awards ceremony in Los Angeles Sept. 13.

During the four-day 66th annual United States Marine Corps Combat Correspondent Association Conference, Mattis handed 1st place plaques to Cpl. Ray Lewis for combat and stand-alone photography, Sgt. William B. Skelton for combat reporting, Cpl. Ryan Trevino for commentary, Cpl. Nathaniel Sapp for portrait photography, Sgt. Luis R. Agostini for sports article and Staff Sgt. Amy Forsythe for broadcast journalist of the year.

"I'm impressed how these Marines come back from war zones into the paper and refocus their energy into what we do here," said John Raifsnider, 48, entertainment editor with The Scout. "It takes a lot of dedication from the Marines to continue the legacy that was established a long time ago and there's been no fall off of effort and talent for the better part of the decade. We still are the best. We win awards. It's kind of cocky, but it's true."

“It’s crazy that so many Marine reporters from Camp Pendleton took home awards,” said Cpl. Ray Lewis, 25, press chief for the Scout. “It doesn’t seem fair. I know when we deploy to Iraq again we’ll do even more great things.”

Cpl. Nathaniel Sapp receiving an award for meritorious achievement.

Cpl. Nathaniel Sapp a combat correspondent with 1st Marine Division, received an award for meritorious achievement while deployed to Iraq with 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance. Pictured with him are Lt. Gen. James N. Mattis and Brig. Gen. Robert E. Milstead.

Other award recipients were Cpl. Brian Reimers for 2nd Place news article, Cpl. Ben Eberle for 3rd place stand-alone photo, Cpl. Terence L. Yancey for 2nd Place photojournalism and Cpl. Antonio Rosas for 2nd place in photojournalist of the year.

The awardees also took home the plaque for being a part of the best metro format newspaper in the Marine Corps, the Camp Pendleton Scout.

“It’s actually nice to know that someone looked at your work and appreciated it,” said Yancey, 21, a Scout news editor.

The Scout’s sports editor took home an award for his excellence while working with the Marines.

“As a civilian, it’s a great honor to work with you Marines,” said Richardson Miron, 30, sports editor for the Scout. “I have so much respect for you guys and our goal with the sports section is to highlight the accomplishments and activities Marines are involved with. With that goal in mind, winning an award like this is special.”

The Marines here now join the likes of past award-winning combat correspondents and continue a tradition that began in 1941.