2025 Marine Corps Visual Information and Excellence in Communication Awards Program Announcement

1.  Purpose:  This MARADMIN announces the call for 
nominations for the 2025 Marine Corps Visual Information and
Excellence in Communication (VIEC) awards program.  This program
recognizes Communication Strategy and Operations (COMMSTRAT) units,
officers, enlisted Marines, and civilians whose leadership, writing,
photography, videography, graphic design, and communication planning
have promoted the Marine Corps.
2.  Background:  The Marine Corps VIEC awards program is
administered by HQMC Communication Directorate (CD) and the U.S.
Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Association (USMCCCA).  The
Marine Corps VIEC program is used to select Service winners. 
3.  Eligibility:  VIEC Defense Visual Information Distribution
Service (DVIDS) award portal categories for photography,
videography, graphic design, and written communication are open to
second lieutenant through captain and private through staff
sergeant, to include reserve Marines on active duty, reserve
Marines attending regular drills, members of mobilization training
units for COMMSTRAT, and any Government Service (GS) civilians
assigned to COMMSTRAT (GS-1 through GS-6).  Command endorsed
COMMSTRAT "of the Year" categories are open to eligible grades of
the associated MOS per reference (a).  All entrants must be
officially engaged in the production of VI for the Marine Corps.
See reference (a) for further information on eligibility.
4.  Submission entries into the Marine Corps VIEC awards program
will be accomplished through the DVIDS at
https:(slash)(slash)www.dvidshub.net.  Enter through the awards
media contest interface module within admin tools.  Entries not
uploaded to DVIDS as required in the category descriptions will be
disqualified.  Send COMMSTRAT Unit/Marine/SNCO/Visual Information
Officer/Officer of the Year/ Visual Information Plan of the Year,
Communication Strategy of the Year and Communication Plan of the
Year nominations to MARADMIN POCs.  Marines may submit no more than
one submission per category.  Units may only submit one Marine for
each COMMSTRAT "of the Year" category. 
5.  All content must have been created and published on DVIDS
between 1 January 2025 and 31 December 2025.  Submissions for the
Marine Corps VIEC awards program must arrive by 2359 EST, 21
February 2026.  All entries must be submitted in accordance with
contest guidelines, reference (a),
https(slash)(slash)www.dvidshub.net/awards/guidelines.  Improper
submissions will be disqualified unless fixed by the submitter/unit
prior to the deadline date. 
6.  Command endorsed COMMSTRAT "of the Year" awards include:
6.a.  COMMSTRAT Marine of the Year (E-1 through E-5)
6.b.  COMMSTRAT SNCO of the Year (E-6 through E-8)
6.c.  COMMSTRAT VIO of the Year (WO through CWO3)
6.d.  COMMSTRAT Officer of the Year (O-1 through O-4)
6.e.  Visual Information Plan of the Year 
6.f.  Communication Plan of the Year 
6.g.  Command Communication Strategy of the Year 
6.h.  COMMSTRAT Unit of the Year
7.  For the full list of Marine Corps award categories and VIEC SOP
visit reference (a) at the link above.
8.  Submissions will be subject to major command judging.  Eight
major commands will be used to judge at the regional level in order
to submit the most competitive entries to the branch level.  Refer
to reference (a) for more information.
9.  Winners will be notified by MARADMIN.  Awards will be presented
at the annual COMMSTRAT Training and Leadership Development Summit
hosted by CD, HQMC, in coordination with the USMCCCA.  Details will
be passed via SEPCOR.
10.  Contact POCs for further information and clarification of
submission guidelines.  
11.  Release authorized by Colonel John O. Caldwell, Director of
Communication, Communication Directorate, Headquarters Marine
Corps