U.S. Marine combat correspondent and DVIDS Journalist of the Month Cpl. Timothy Lenzo documents the progress in Afghanistan for Regional Command Southwest. He has also captured some of the non-mission life moments of his fellow... read more
U.S. Marine combat correspondent and DVIDS Journalist of the Month Cpl. Timothy Lenzo documents the progress in Afghanistan for Regional Command Southwest. He has also captured some of the non-mission life moments of his fellow deployed Marines. <br />
"Cpl. Lenzo has spent the last 11 months on the frontlines with the infantry battalions in Afghanistan," said Master Sgt. Brenda Varnadore, public affairs chief for RC-SW. "He has made himself part of the team every time he has covered a different unit." <br />
Lenzo's news articles and images work together to illustrate the changes in Afghanistan. For example, his article about Marines returning to Marjah, notes the improvements in the area, contrasting the present situation to the Marines' previous experience. "Last deployment, the Marines worked relatively independent of their Afghan counterparts," but now the Afghan National Army soldiers are "'running their own operation.'" <br />
Another one of Lenzo's articles details how the Marines worked with the Afghan Uniformed Police for months until they were no longer needed, allowing them to pack up and move to another location. The entire article explains the progress the Marines made in the area. <br />
With more than 2,470 image views, Lenzo's images definitely help draw attention to his news articles. His images were download more than 440 times in November. Most likely as a result, the media used his images almost as many times as any other journalist who submitted to DVIDS during the month. <br />
Lenzo's photography technique may be one reason his photos get so much attention. His use of silhouettes and detail shots make his photography stand out and show his technical skill. He also snaps excellent images of Afghan children, including ones where two girls are "curiously watch[ing] a partnered patrol of Afghan National Army Soldiers and Marines." <br />
Some of Lenzo's coverage documents the lives of his deployed comrades like his coverage of the Thanksgiving celebration in Helmand province or Marines flipping tires more than a mile around base as part of an exercise routine. <br />
So from stories and images about the progress in Afghanistan to those covering Marines flipping giant tires, Lenzo makes a well-rounded journalist of the month. <br />
"His stories not only include the communication objectives, but are advanced beyond his years in the Corps," Varnadore said. "Cpl. Lenzo is not only a talented Combat Correspondent, but a Marine capable of telling any story." <br />
show less
