Baltimore District Corporate Communication Office receives national awards for excellence in journalism

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District
Published March 22, 2016
Thousands of volunteers placed approximately 230,000 evergreen wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery as part of the Wreaths Across America program on Dec. 13, 2015. The holiday tradition began in 1992 with 5,000 wreaths, and now has expanded to more than 1,000 fundraising groups in all 50 states, who place wreaths at hundreds of cemeteries and other military memorial sites across the country.

Thousands of volunteers placed approximately 230,000 evergreen wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery as part of the Wreaths Across America program on Dec. 13, 2015. The holiday tradition began in 1992 with 5,000 wreaths, and now has expanded to more than 1,000 fundraising groups in all 50 states, who place wreaths at hundreds of cemeteries and other military memorial sites across the country.

Alex Baldowski, Baltimore District civil engineer, checks for cracking in a floodwall in Johnson City, New York, July 8, 2015. The condition of floodwalls is an important part of the levee inspection checklist to determine how the levee may perform during the next flood. The levee was built by the Corps, and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation operates and maintains the levee.

Alex Baldowski, Baltimore District civil engineer, checks for cracking in a floodwall in Johnson City, New York, July 8, 2015. The condition of floodwalls is an important part of the levee inspection checklist to determine how the levee may perform during the next flood. The levee was built by the Corps, and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation operates and maintains the levee.

Members of the Baltimore District Corporate Communication Office received honors as part of the 2015 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Herbert A. Kassner Public Affairs Competition, as well as the U.S. Army’s 2015 Major General Keith L. Ware Public Affairs Competition.

The annual competitions recognize Soldiers and Department of the Army civilians for excellence in achieving the objectives of the Army Public Affairs Program. Awards are given in categories such as Special Event, News Publication, Outstanding Digital Presence, Outstanding Communication Campaign, News Article, Feature Article, Commentary, News Photo, Feature Photo and Video Spot Production.

Award submissions for the Kassner awards were due in January, and winners were announced in March 2016. The top award winners for the Kassner competition go on to compete with Big Army agencies and units.

Christopher Augsburger, chief, Corporate Communication Office, Baltimore District, received top honors in the "News Article" category of the Kassner Competition. His article was then forwarded to the U.S. Army Office of the Chief of Public Affairs for submission in the Ware Public Affairs Competition, where it was also awarded first place.

Augsburger will receive the Golden Quill award and a letter signed by the Chief of Engineers. His award-winning article, "Engineer Team Inspects Damaged Georgian City," can be accessed here


Public Affairs Specialists Cynthia Mitchell and Sarah Gross were both awarded in the “Feature Photo” category of the Kassner Competition. Mitchell’s submission features Arlington National Cemetery adorned in holiday wreaths, while Gross’s photograph captures the inspection of a floodwall in Johnson City, New York.