From communications to special operations<\/a>, photojournalism to documentary series, these veterans demonstrate the value of military experience in journalism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cVeterans have a unique perspective on how the community and government interface,\u201d said John Seward, a spokesman for MVJ\u2019s awards and outreach. \u201cThere aren\u2019t a ton of industries where the paycheck that you\u2019re getting is directly supported by the people that you\u2019re doing it for.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n If veterans<\/a> can find ways to overcome knowledge gaps about how newsrooms operate and build a strong portfolio, their determination and unique perspectives can make them invaluable assets, Seward said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Knowledge gaps and difficult hiring processes<\/a> are exactly the types of obstacles MVJ hopes to help veterans overcome by providing fellowships, educational events, and virtual newsroom tours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Military Times spoke with award recipient Sara Sneath about her experience transitioning into journalism from the military.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt always bothered me in the military that you really can\u2019t ask a lot of questions,\u201d Sneath said. \u201c\u2026 journalism felt like a natural thing, because then I could ask anyone anything I want to.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sneath enlisted in the Marine Corps straight out of high school as an aviation electrician and extended her five-year contract by five months to serve as an embassy security<\/a> guard. Following the Marine Corps, she studied journalism at the University of Kansas, where she became interested in the environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After reporting for newspapers in Texas and New Orleans, Sneath went freelance, finding and pitching her own stories to relevant outlets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI think it\u2019s a great path if you have a body of work built up,\u201d Sneath said about freelancing, warning that it can be difficult to pitch stories without evidence of previous successes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Her experience with the \u201churry-up-and-wait\u201d of the military was fitting preparation for badgering sources and dealing with the bureaucratic hurdles journalists encounter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI don\u2019t expect anything to be easy,\u201d Sneath said. \u201cDon\u2019t expect people to answer your calls the first time\u2026 leave room for multiple times to contact them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n But Sneath wouldn\u2019t have been named one of the top veterans in journalism if she didn\u2019t enjoy a challenge. Her work has brought her trudging through swamps and knocking on door after door. She\u2019s even found ways to be paid for writing about her 100-mile bike rides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The story that earned her spot on MVJ\u2019s list required hours of reading through and hand-copying public records under the supervision of a U.S. marshal and extensive data analysis without the support of an outlet behind her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Her No. 1 tip for aspiring veteran journalists? Don\u2019t be discouraged. Focus on the step ahead, whether it\u2019s applying for a good school, writing the next story, or getting an internship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The GI Bill<\/a> and organizations like MVJ are there to assist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s so hard to get into journalism. A lot of people in there grew up with more money and doing the free internships,\u201d she said. \u201cThat\u2019s why I\u2019m so happy to see [MVJ] exist.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The 2020 Top Veterans in Journalism<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Kelly Kennedy<\/a> \u2013 A freelance journalist and combat veteran, Kennedy has authored books, embedded with troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, and been published by the New York Times. The story that won her a spot on the list explored conversations about military infertility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Tawnell Hobbs<\/a> \u2013 Hobbs, a senior special writer at the Wall Street Journal and former Air Force operations resource management specialist, was recognized for her work investigating the effects of pandemic shutdowns on already disadvantaged students in Mississippi\u2019s Jackson Public Schools District.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Kaj Larsen<\/a> \u2013 Known for his work with Vice News and CNN and reporting on enhanced interrogation techniques, this former Navy SEAL was awarded for his role as creator and executive producer of Netflix\u2019s \u201cThe Business of Drugs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Chris Jones<\/a> \u2013 After serving as a Marine infantryman in Afghanistan, Jones\u2019s freelance photojournalism appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, and USA Today. As a member of Report for America, Jones now covers white supremacy and disinformation in Appalachia, including his winning piece on election threats in West Virginia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Tony Mobley<\/a> \u2013 Mobley is a Navy veteran whose photojournalism has taken a focus on protests and documentary images. He has also covered concerts and events, with work featured in Vogue and Buzzfeed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 JP Lawrence<\/a> \u2013 As a reporter for Stars and Stripes, Lawrence covered the continued threat from ISIS as the group made efforts to recruit members of the Taliban. Lawrence is an Army veteran and has reported for numerous outlets including the Associated Press and Vice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Kevin Sullivan<\/a> \u2013 Episode 35 of Sullivan\u2019s Twenty One Gun Podcast featured Iraqi spy Hamody Jasim, who the podcast describes as \u201cone of America\u2019s greatest weapons in fighting the war against Al Qaeda and ISIS.\u201d Sullivan served as an Air Force C-130 navigator from 2003-2007.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Andrew Dyer<\/a> \u2013 Reporting for the San Diego Union-Tribune, Dyer was recognized for an investigation into racism and conspiracy theories in a Facebook group of more than 20,000 members organized to defend their county against Black Lives Matter protests. Dyer is a ten-year Navy veteran.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"An](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1989906.jpg.jpg\")