Buffalo H.S. grad's team tops in military camera competition

Posted September 19, 2015 10:00 am

Daily Herald staff report

Air Force Staff Sgt. Steven R. Witt, a 2006 Buffalo Grove High School graduate, was named as a member of the best Combat Camera Team in the Department of Defense at the third annual Spc. Hilda I. Clayton Best Combat Camera Competition held at Ft. Meade, Maryland. Witt, a 1st Combat Camera Squadron (CTCS) combat broadcaster, and Staff Sgt. Samuel Weaver, 1st CTCS combat cyber transportation specialist and photographer, finished in first place after a rigorous weeklong event hosted by the U.S. Army 55th Signal Company (Combat Camera) designed to test the technical and tactical skills of 12 visual information teams. Two-person teams were required to complete in eight events which included a seven-mile ruck march, an M4 carbine qualification round and an obstacle course. The teams were also required to submit products created with images and video they captured throughout the competition. The competition was held in honor of U.S. Army Spc. Hilda Clayton, a combat photographer assigned to the 55th Signal Company, who was killed in Afghanistan on July 2, 2013, while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Witt is the son of Woody Witt and Eileen Bowen of Northbrook.

• Walter Anderson, general manager of the Red Lobster at 800 E. Golf Road, Schaumburg, was awarded the company's People Developer Award. Presented annually, the Red Lobster People Developer Award recognizes restaurant leaders who consistently help Red Lobster managers and team members grow within the company and serve as a mentor to others. Anderson has worked for the company for 29 years and has mentored, trained and prepared more than 20 team members for Red Lobster's Manager in Training program.

• The following Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, students spent their summer 2015 semester learning in a new country as part of study abroad programs: Karl Sissman, Park Ridge, traveled to United Kingdom and France; Andrew Napora, Arlington Heights, traveled to Germany; Harrison Fox, South Barrington, traveled to China; Joyce Lee, Des Plaines, traveled to France; Jeremy Schuster, Buffalo Grove, traveled to Korea; Taryn Neubecker, Schaumburg, traveled to United Kingdom; John Strauss, Barrington, traveled to China and Japan; Caroline Cliff, Barrington, traveled to Spain; Jacqueline Barry, Barrington, traveled to Ireland, United Kingdom and France; Caitlin Barry, Barrington, traveled to Germany, United Kingdom, Italy, France and Czech Republic; Kelly Gerrard, Inverness, traveled to Germany, United Kingdom, Italy, France and Czech Republic; Alannah McBreen, North Barrington traveled to Luxembourg, France and Switzerland; Madeline Quayle, Northbrook, traveled to United Kingdom and France; and Laura Paprocki, of Palatine traveled to Spain, Denmark, Germany, United Kingdom and France.

• Send your 'Neighbors in the News' items to Norrine Twohey at ntwohey@dailyherald.com.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Sam Weaver and U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Steven Witt, won the Department of Defense "Best Combat Camera Team" at the third annual Spc. Hilda I. Clayton Best Combat Camera Competition. Courtesy of Joint Hometown News Service

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