I have frequently tried to convey the skills, dedication, heroism and sacrifices of our military through images and I have generally chosen the images from among hundreds of photos published weekly by the military Services based largely on personal taste and preference.
This time, the five photographs shown here were selected by the Poynter Institute, a nonprofit school of journalism in Sarasota, from 266 photos submitted by the Department of Defense to the Institute. Those 266 photos had been in turn selected by Steve McGill, multimedia manager at the Defense Imagery Management Operations Center (DIMOC) from among thousands of photos taken by military photographers on active duty.
More from the American Forces Press Service:
The five photos will be among 49 included in the “Witness to Mission” exhibit that will be displayed on standing marble tablets at Patriot Plaza at the Sarasota National Cemetery in Sarasota, Fla.
“Witness to Mission” will be one of two exhibit themes and will depict the mission of the U.S. military since the Civil War shown through the experiences of the men and women who made the history. The other theme will be “Service, Support, Sacrifice” and will capture personal stories of those who experienced military life, according to Lawrence A. Sichter, Defense Media Activity.
The images competed with the work of some of the finest, award-winning photographers in the world to get their shots of the U.S. military included in the $2 million art portion of the Patriot Plaza project, officials at DIMOC said.
“It’s truly an honor to have DOD imagery displayed in a permanent exhibit alongside Pulitzer Prize-winning pictures,” said Gregg Porter, DIMOC director.
The Patterson Foundation in Sarasota is funding the $10 million project to build Patriot Plaza, which will be donated to the Veterans Affairs Department’s National Cemetery Administration. Patriot Plaza will be dedicated in spring 2014 and will be a gathering point for patriotic events in Sarasota.
These are the selected images, in addition to the lead image.
All images and captions: DOD
The author is a retired U.S. Air Force officer and a writer.