Marines from all over the world came to The Clubs of Quantico on Feb. 3, 2014, to be recognized for their outstanding performance in the last year as a part of the Commandant of the Marine Corps Combined Awards Program. The top two Marines in several categories were brought in and the announcement was made about who won the top spot.

The Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. James Amos and Sgt. Maj. of the Marine Corps Micheal Barrett presented the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal to all of the finalists in recognition of their high-level performance.

The categories for the awards are Recruiter of the Year, Prior Service Recruiter of the Year, Drill Instructor of the Year, Marine Combat Instructor of the Year, Marine Security Guard of the Year, and Male and Female Athlete of the Year.

The finalists for the Recruiter of the Year were Sgt. Iasia Brown from the 12th Marine Corps District in Los Angeles, and Staff Sgt. Richard Castro of the First Marine Corps District in New York City. The winner was Brown, who was meritoriously promoted to staff sergeant. 

The finalists for the Prior Service Recruiter of the Year were Staff Sgt. Victor Perez  from the Eighth Marine Corps District in Fort Worth, Texas, and Gunnery Sgt. Fitzpatrick Givans from the Fourth Marine Corps District in New Cumberland, Penn. The winner was Perez, who was meritoriously promoted to Gunnery Sgt.

The finalists for Drill Instructor of the Year were Gunnery Sgt. Michael Wampler from Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, Calif., and Gunnery Sgt. Christian Appleman from Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C., Wampler was the recipient.

The finalists for Marine Combat Instructor of the Year were Gunnery Sgt. Aubrey Wrenn from the School of Infantry East on Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune N.C., and Staff Sgt. Christopher Carney from the School of Infantry West on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif. The winner was Wrenn.

The finalists for Marine Security Guard of the Year were Staff Sgt. Stanley McCaskey Jr. from the Embassy of the United States in Tunis, Tunisia, and Sgt. Lindsay Gunter from the Embassy of the United States in Chengdu, China. McCaskey was selected as the winner.

The finalists for Career Planner of the Year were Gunnery Sgt. Wesley Helms from the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., and Sgt. Jarod Mason from 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division on Lejeune, N.C. Helms won the award.

The Male Athlete of the Year was Staff Sgt. David Arendt Jr. from Headquarters and Service Battalion on Camp Lejeune, and the Female Athlete of the Year was Capt. Christine Taranto from Marine Air Support Squadron 272, Marine Aircraft Group 26, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, Marine Corps Air Station New River, N.C.

Each Marine received personal recognition from the Marine Corps Association and Foundation, the Fleet Reserve Association, USAA, GEICO and the Military Personnel Services Corporation.

After the presentation of awards and recognizing of the outstanding performance these Marines demonstrated, Amos said a few words to the contestants and crowd. He focused on the fact that all of the jobs that these Marines were recognized for were secondary jobs. Meaning that these Marines were doing these jobs for a limited time before they returned to their primary military occupational specialty.

“These Marines volunteered to do these jobs,” said Amos. “They took the jobs that can be very stressful and they excelled in them. They set the example for the Marine Corps as a whole to aspire to.”

 “After a lot of hard work, it’s cool to be recognized,” said Perez after the ceremony was over. “Especially by so many of the top leadership in the Marine Corps.”

“We were very excited to have so much leadership here,” said Maj. Stacey Colon, action officer for the event. “We are glad the commandant and the sergeant major of the Marine Corps were able to make it and personally present the medals and awards.”

Looking forward to next year, many of the contestants want to inspire others to excel as well.

“As a company commander, it is my job to get my Marines to push themselves,” said Taranto. “I’m proud to be a Marine and especially to be a Marine Corps athlete and I hope to show my Marines that our efforts do pay off.”