Richardcalmes@gmail.com

Hi Richard,

My name is Mateo Hevezi. I am a 58-year-old 100 percent disabled former Marine Corps combat correspondent and engineer mechanic. I served November 1987 to September 2005.

I was the senior photographer in the Marine Corps at the time I left the service due to a severe TBI/CTE injury.

I am contacting you for a few reasons.

#1 To ask if you have any plans for your military photographer archive (prints & negatives) ?

# 2 To ask if you would be interested to donate some prints to a wonderful gallery exhibit I am working on in Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia. I want to find a dozen or so artists who served in the region during the conflict and put together a show for 2026 or 2027. I am in the early stages of planning.

#3 I hope you are well and want to again praise your body of work. It is top shelf work sir.

Sincerely,

Mateo

PS: I have attached my credentials below for your information and consideration

********

Matthew James Hevezi (Mateo)

Profile and Background

Military Service and Career

Enlistment: Matthew (also known as Mateo) James Hevezi enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on November 16, 1987, in Oakland, California.

Training: He completed boot camp at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, CA, followed by Military Occupation Specialty (MOS) training at the U.S. Marine Corps Engineer School, Camp Lejeune, NC.

Early Assignments: Assigned as an engineer equipment mechanic to the 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division at Camp Pendleton, CA.

Overseas Duty: In 1990, transferred to Okinawa, Japan, serving as Hazardous Materials and Safety Noncommissioned Officer-in-Charge at the 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 3rd Force Service Support Group.

Combat Correspondent: Reenlisted in 1991 as a Combat Correspondent. Served in Compton, CA during the 1992 Los Angeles Riots with the 1st Marine Regiment.

Public Affairs Chief: Deployed in 1993 to Camp Doha, Kuwait, with the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), serving as Public Affairs Chief. Provided staff support to senior officers and trained junior officers in public affairs.

Military Photojournalist: Competitively selected as a military photojournalist. His work covering 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment training at the Jungle Warfare Training Center was published in the Harper Collins book “Day in the Life of the U.S. Armed Forces” (2003).

Awards and Recognitions
Twice awarded the Navy-Marine Corps Achievement Medal for professional excellence and leadership (1993 and 1999).

Nominated for the Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal in 1997; selected as RS Albuquerque’s Marine of the Year.

Nominated for the Army Achievement Medal in 1997 for leadership during joint operations at Fort Bliss, TX.

Nominated for a third Navy-Marine Corps Achievement Medal in 2002 for performance as Operations Chief during Cobra Gold-02 but declined the award, insisting it be given to a junior subordinate.

Graduated second overall in his class at NCO Leadership School in 1992 with a 97.2% average.

Received a Certificate of Commendation from the Director of Marine Corps Public Affairs in 2004.

Awarded a Merit Award in 2005 from Marine Corps Headquarters Division of Public Affairs for journalistic excellence.

Later Life
In 2023, Matthew reportedly became a cannabis farmer in Cambodia, where he lives and shares his stories online, including with groups like Alcoholics Anonymous.