Condoleezza Rice honored by Marine Corps Heritage Foundation in annual awards

The Marine Corps Heritage Foundation announced the recipients of the Foundation’s 2022 Annual Awards. The recipients will be honored at the Foundation’s Annual Awards Dinner on April 30 at the National Museum of the Marine Corps.

Among the award winners are former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, winner of the Lejeune Recognition for Exemplary Leadership Award; Vice-Chairman of the MCHF Foundation Paul Kalsbeek, winner of the Heritage Award for outstanding support of Foundation’s mission and former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Bing West, winner of the James Webb Award for his book “The Last Platoon: A Novel of the Afghanistan War.”

Award winners are recognized for their outstanding portrayal of Marine Corps history, traditions and culture in a broad range of fields, including photography, documentaries, journalism, poetry, nonfiction and fiction writing.

“The Foundation’s Annual Awards are a mark of distinction for professionals and talented artists who dedicate themselves to exploring the rich history, traditions, and culture of the Marine Corps with accuracy and authenticity,” said Maj. Gen. James W. Lukeman, USMC (Ret), president and CEO of the Foundation. “We hope this recognition shines a light on the work of our winners and inspires others to tell the story of our Marine Corps.”

The Annual Awards are judged by accomplished Marines and civilian experts.

Each winner receives a gold medallion, a commemorative brick along the Semper Fidelis Memorial Park pathway adjacent to the National Museum of the Marine Corps and for some awards, a cash prize.

• Lejeune Recognition for Exemplary Leadership Award
  Condoleezza Rice
• Heritage Award (outstanding support of Foundation’s mission)
  Paul Kalsbeek
• The Colonel Joseph Alexander Award (biography or autobiography)
  Jane Waterhouse for “Valor in Action: The Medal of Honor Paintings of Colonel Charles Waterhouse”
• The Master Sergeant Tom Bartlett Award (feature writing by an enlisted Marine)
  Gunnery Sergeant Brian Knowles, USMCR for “James Ayling: From Immigrant to a Founding Member of the Marine Corps Reserve”
• The Sergeant Major Dan Daly Award (photography – album)
  David P. Gilkey (post-humously) for “Pictures on the Radio: The Work of NPR Photojournalist David P. Gilkey”
• The Robert A. Gannon Award (poetry)
  Michael Closz for “The Haunted Garden”
• The General Roy S. Geiger Award (published aviation article)
  Patrick Reed for “Guadalcanal Fighter Pilot”
• The Major Norman Hatch Award (feature documentary)
  David Harl and Colonel Bill Davis for “Tomorrow’s Leaders”
• The Colonel Robert D. Heinl, Jr. Award (feature writing)
  James P. Gregory Jr. for “A Calamity of Errors: The Untold Story of the 5th Regiment at Blanc Mont Ridge on October 4 1918”
• The Sergeant Major Bradley Kasal Award (single photo)
  Tia Dufour for “Behind the Scenes”
• The Major Megan McClung Award (reporting by an individual covering U.S. Marines abroad)
  Elliott Woods, Tommy Andres and Maria Byrne for “Third Squad: After Afghanistan”
• The Eugene Sledge Award (memoir)
  Frank “Gus” Biggio for “The Wolves of Helmand”
• The General Oliver P. Smith Award (local news reporting)
  Erika I. Ritchie for “Most Influential: After a military death, this Garden Grove woman honors the fallen”
• The Colonel John W. Thomason, Jr. Award (combat art)
  Craig H. Streeter, Colonel USMC (Retired) for “Taxis and Terror in An Nasiriyah”
• The James Webb Award (fiction)
  Bing West for “The Last Platoon: A Novel of the Afghanistan War”

Previous winners include best-selling authors, celebrated novelists, national columnists, network producers, and active duty Marines with extraordinary talent. The Foundation honors their work in recognition of the difficulty and importance of accurately telling the Marine Corps story. Many past recipients have put themselves in harm’s way to witness first-hand the dangerous work of Marines operating in the world’s most remote locations.