Through the Eye of a Lens: Combat Camera Competitors Meet Army Reserve’s Best Squads
Hosted as part of the Army’s continued transformation of public affairs capabilities, the competition challenged competitors to operate as tactical storytellers while documenting physically demanding events, marksmanship, and the human moments that unfold between missions.
This year’s competition paired Combat Camera teams directly with Army Reserve Best Squad competitors during the squad movement lanes, requiring visual storytellers to maneuver alongside squads through land navigation, live-fire ranges, ruck marches, and an objective assault. The embedded format evaluated competitors’ ability to remain tactically proficient while capturing accurate, compelling visual narratives under pressure.
The competition honors Spc. Hilda I. Clayton, a Combat Camera Soldier assigned to the 55th Public Affairs Company (Combat Camera), who was killed in Afghanistan in 2013 while documenting an Afghan training exercise. Her legacy continues to inspire public affairs professionals across the Army.
For Combat Camera competitors, the event represented more than writing, photography, and video production. It reinforces the role of military public affairs mass communication and visual information specialists as operational communicators who preserve history and tell the Army’s story while delivering the commander’s communication objectives.
“We don’t get to experience a lot of infantry movements,” said Sgt. Luciano Acala, a public affairs mass communication noncommissioned officer assigned to the 20th Public Affairs Detachment. “It’s a really good opportunity to do Soldier skills and basic Soldier tasks.”
Reserve Soldiers participating in the Best Squad Competition did not expect Combat Camera embeds. This unique experience gave Soldiers an additional sense of purpose as Combat Camera teams documented their actions.
“It’s the first time I’ve seen them in my career,” said Staff Sgt. Omar Gonzalez Hernandez, a unit supply noncommissioned officer assigned to the 1st Mission Support Command. “It’s pretty exciting to see how the team gets embedded with us and actually gets in the action on time.”
Competitors produced video packages, photo and feature stories, interviews, and a final video product designed to showcase the essence of the competition and depict the evolving role of tactical visual information within the Army’s ongoing public affairs transformation.
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