PLawlor

Peter Lawlor

MPJ, Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class, Navy

Profile

Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Peter D. Lawlor

Peter D. Lawlor is a Military Photojournalism student at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.

After completing journalist apprentice school at the Defense Information School in September of 2004, Lawlor served a tour of duty as a radio broadcaster at the Naval Media Center detachment in Guantanamo Bay from September 2004 until April 2005. 
 
After a successful 18-month tour on “The Rock,” Lawlor crossed the Pacific Ocean and earned his salt aboard the 7th Fleet flagship, USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) permanently forward deployed to Yokosuka, Japan, where he served as a dynamic team player supervising the ship’s television broadcast and print story operations. 
 
In 2007 Lawlor was sent back to DINFOS for advanced training in the Intermediate Photojournalism Course where his passion for photography developed and he finished at the top of his class receiving the “Top Shooter” award. 
 
Lawlor’s transformation into a true mass communications specialist with the newly added ability to make stunning images as well as write and shoot video earned him a spot as his division’s chief story and photo assignments editor.
 
Lawlor’s contributions as a Sailor aboard the ship were dually noted as he served as his 64-man department’s Maintenance, Material, and Management manager responsible for overseeing the preservation and integrity of each piece of shipboard equipment in more than thirty of his four divisions’ spaces. 
 
He also served as a Damage Control Training Team member helping to train the more than 800-man crew how to combat fire, smoke, gas, chemical, weapon, and water casualties aboard the 40-year-old Blue Ridge.
 
Lawlor made good use of his spare time while serving in Japan. Despite having an already arduous schedule to contend with, he completed his bachelor’s degree in business management from Columbia College of Missouri with a 3.46 grade point average.
 
For his efforts, Lawlor was awarded the Sailor of the Quarter Award in 2008 as a standout performer by a board of senior enlisted chief petty officers and his commanding officer.
 
Lawlor transferred from Blue Ridge on June 1, 2009 after being accepted as one of only four Navy still photographers selected each year into the military’s visual information program at the prestigious S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.
 
Since becoming a journalist in the Navy, Lawlor has had numerous photos and articles published in Department of Defense and civilian publications helping to tell the Navy’s story around the world.
 
Lawlor was born August 26, 1979 in Warren, Mich. on the outskirts of Detroit where he lived until moving to Roseville, Mich. two years later. 
 
Lawlor remained in Roseville working in various career fields and attending Macomb Community College until enlisting in the Navy’s delayed entry program on the 59th anniversary of the D-Day invasion, June 6, 2003.
 
Lawlor’s first day of active duty was six months later, Dec. 6, 2003 and he has enjoyed every day of it. “Even the tough days have silver linings.”