DVIDS April Journalist of the Month, Sgt Michael S. Cifuentes, is a favorite among DVIDS users because of his subjects. The 1st Marine Division journalist gives a face to the Marines serving in Afghanistan by writing many features on i more

DVIDS April Journalist of the Month, Sgt Michael S. Cifuentes, is a favorite among DVIDS users because of his subjects. The 1st Marine Division journalist gives a face to the Marines serving in Afghanistan by writing many features on individuals.

Cifuentes challenges the readers’ views of a Marine with his profile of Lance Cpl. Samantha C. Catoe, a data network specialist who is "5 feet 1 inch and shy of 100 pounds..." He succeeds at explaining her contribution to the mission, and DVIDS users have currently rated his feature photo of Catoe among the top 15 photos.

"Sergeant Cifuentes is a true storyteller," said Capt. Lisa Lawrence-Arocho, public affairs officer for Task Force Leatherneck, 1st Marine Division Foward. "Whether it's print, photos, video or multimedia stories, he has the uncanny ability to tell the Marine Corps' story from the personal view of the individual."

He humanizes the news from Afghanistan with feature pieces like a "Flag from a father-to-be: Marine in Afghanistan dedicates flag to baby boy."

The story reminds readers that the deployed Marines miss out on key events back home, and shows how one Marine tries to stay connected with one of these life-changing events—the birth of a child.

Cifuentes also shows the difficult side of deployment with photos of Marines saluting a fallen brother. His story allows comrades to reflect on their fallen friends: how he had contributed to the mission and how he always had a joke for something.

These written and photo features on fellow Marines are what make Cifuentes excel among DVIDS users. His products rank among the top 20 for downloads, distributions and views. His photos have more than 3,000 views just in April.

His success at capturing the attention of DVIDS users is not limited to his photographs. His videos also rank in the top 20 for downloads, views, distributions and media placements.

Cifuentes allows his fellow service members to tell the story rather than just showing video with his own voiceover. For example, in a video montage he makes the photos of the memorial service come to life with emotion by overlaying service members talking about their fallen brother to the sound of "Taps."

However, he doesn’t only report on the personal side of events in Afghanistan.

"He is able to break down complex, abstract ideas into a story most can understand and conveys to the American public the successes that have been achieved during these final stages of the war using the full spectrum of topics, from the efforts of the Marines on the front lines to those who support the them," added Lawrence-Arocho. "His on-the-ground perspective is what makes him a true combat correspondent capable of telling the Marine Corps story as it happens."  less