Texas Public Radio News reporter Ryan Loyd received a Michael E. DeBakey Journalism Award for his feature on story, Military Dogs Showing Signs of PTSD From Combat Deployments,which ran locally and on NPR's "All Things Considered."
The story gave a look into the Department of Defense military dog training facility at Lackland and explored evidence that combat dogs exhibit symptoms of a post-traumatic stress disorder, similar to what human soldiers experience.
The Michael E. DeBakey Journalism Award honors professional journalists whose reporting has enhanced public understanding of how the humane and responsible use of animal models leads to medical and scientific discoveries.
Loyd acceped the award on May 14 at a ceremony held in Washington, D.C.
"It's an honor to have work that I love to do recognized," Loyd said. "Having worked in broadcast journalism for a decade, I'm sincere when I say I finally found my niche. Texas Public Radio allows me to do the stories that really matter to the community, and through the direction of our news department and news director, David Martin Davies, I feel like I'm doing work that is meaningful."
Ever the journalist, Loyd continued, "One of the first thoughts I had was who can I contact at the White House or on Capitol Hill to do a story while I'm in D.C.?"
A second award, the Reporting on Open Government award from the Society of Professional Journalists, Fort Worth Chapter, was also presented to Loyd for his stories relating to the sex scandal at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland.
The stories contributed to the Air Force's increased transparency to the media and to the public. The sex scandal tarnished the Air Force's reputation and resulted in several reassignments, including the dismissal of Col. Glenn Palmer, the man who oversaw basic training.