Wounded Warrior Project, National Press Foundation Honor Journalism That Deepens Understanding of Veterans

Freelance journalists Patricia Kime and Ilie Mitaru are the 2025 winners of the National Press Foundation’s Wounded Warrior Project® Award for Excellence in Coverage of Veterans. 

The award recognizes reporting that helps the public better understand the lives of our nation’s veterans, the challenges they face when they return from service, and the contributions they make in their communities. 

Honoring journalism about veterans’ issues matters even more as America approaches its 250th anniversary, a moment that invites reflection not just on military service, but on how well we listen to veterans’ experiences and respond to their concerns. 

This year’s awards recognize two distinct approaches to veteran-focused storytelling. The first centers on a deeply reported accountability journalism piece examining access to mental health care. The other presents an immersive visual journey exploring trauma, rehabilitation, and second chances. 

Each winner will receive a $5,000 prize and be honored at the National Press Foundation’s annual journalism awards dinner on March 12, 2026, in Washington, DC. 

Holding the System Accountable 

Kime was honored for her reporting for Military.com, which investigated the barriers veterans face when seeking mental health care. Her work examined issues including appointment cancellations, staffing shortages, and gaps in coordination across the health care system. 

Kime’s reporting combined data analysis with firsthand accounts from veterans whose care was delayed or disrupted. Her work revealed patterns that extended beyond individual cases and raised broader questions about how complex systems respond to rising demand for mental health services. 

“Kime’s work is the kind of journalism we need and that journalists aspire to,” the NPF judges wrote, adding that she “got all the data, then found individual stories that matched that data and made the numbers relatable.” 

For Kime, the reporting was the result of long-term relationship-building and persistence. Both are hallmarks of her decades-long career covering military personnel, veterans health care, and military families.  

As a military family member herself, she said she approaches her reporting with empathy and patience, recognizing that trust is earned over time, not in a single interview. 

Her stories prompted lawmakers from both sides of the aisle to call for action and underscored the importance of sustained attention to veterans health care as veterans age and their needs evolve. 

Capturing the Humanity 

Mitaru was recognized for his feature and photo essay in BBC Future documenting an experimental program that pairs incarcerated combat veterans in Texas with horse-assisted therapy. 

The photos bring viewers inside the Veterans Accessing Lifelong Opportunities for Rehabilitation (VALOR) program, one of the few initiatives in the country designed specifically for incarcerated veterans. Through intimate photography and careful reporting, Mitaru explored how equine therapy — built on presence, trust, and cooperation rather than control — can help veterans process trauma and regain emotional regulation. 

“Mitaru’s work brings attention to an underreported aspect of incarceration,” the NPF judges said. “Access and trust are at such a premium in this story, and only a very skilled and sincere photojournalist could bring this story into public discourse.” 

Mitaru said he spent months building trust with program leaders, prioritizing transparency and consent at every step. Rather than pushing veterans to relive trauma on camera, he allowed stories to unfold organically, resulting in a piece that feels intimate without being intrusive, and powerful without being sensational. 

His work reframes conversations around incarceration, trauma, and rehabilitation, cutting across political lines and focusing instead on shared humanity and practical solutions. 

Inspiring Better Journalism, Stronger Understanding 

Together, Kime’s and Mitaru’s work reflects the journalism this award was created to honor, said Sherry Sanderford, WWP’s director of public relations and thought leadership. 

“Veterans’ stories are rarely simple, and strong journalism helps ensure those complexities are understood,” Sanderford said. “We appreciate Patricia Kime and Ilie Mitaru for helping bring important conversations about veterans’ experiences to the public.” 

Contact: Julian Routh, Public Relations, jrouth@woundedwarriorproject.org, 904.544.0195 

About Wounded Warrior Project 

Wounded Warrior Project is our nation’s leading veteran services organization, focused on the total well-being of post-9/11 wounded, ill, or injured veterans. Our programs, advocacy, and awareness efforts help warriors thrive, provide essential lifelines to families and caregivers, and prevent veteran suicides. Learn more about Wounded Warrior Project.