The Gazette and reporter Dave Philipps win Pulitzer Prize

http://gazette.com/the-gazette-and-reporter-dave-philipps-win-pulitzer-prize/article/1518222

The Gazette and reporter Dave Philipps win Pulitzer Prize
By Rich Laden Updated: April 14, 2014 at 9:47 pm • Published: April 14, 2014

The Gazette was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in National Reporting on Monday for "Other Than Honorable," Dave Philipps’ three-day investigative series last year that examined how soldiers injured during war were being discharged without benefits.

The Pulitzer is journalism’s most prestigious honor; the series was recognized in the category of national reporting. It’s the second Pulitzer in The Gazette’s 142-year history.

“Disbelief,” Philipps said via telephone from Washington D.C., minutes after he learned of the award. “We didn’t do this work for any recognition. With what we were able to achieve without it, we would have been thrilled. To have national recognition, with what we were able to do and at a medium-sized newspaper and for this issue, is amazing.”

The Gazette published “Other than Honorable” from May 19-21 in print and on gazette.com. The series used Army data to show that the number of soldiers being discharged for misconduct annually had surged to its highest level since 2009 at posts with the most combat troops.