Diana Stancy awarded prize by Military Reporters & Editors
WASHINGTON — During its annual conference for journalists, Military Reporters & Editors presented awards to the winners of the 2025 MRE Journalism Contest. Diana Stancy garners MRE’s Best Breaking News (Division 2) award for Navy Times story.
Award Summary
Article: “Former USS Howard CO was fired after ‘racially harassing comments’”, Navy Times, published 4/22/2024
Prize Category: Best Breaking News / Division 2, Text journalism published in traditional print or online media.
Best work exemplifying breaking coverage of a major news event on deadline, published by a news organization with fewer than 20 reporters.
Judges’ Comments:
Diana Stancy of Navy Times uncovered records showing that Cmdr. Cameron Dennis was relieved of command of the destroyer Howard because of several “racially harassing comments;” the Navy had said publicly that he was relieved due to a loss of confidence in his ability to carry out his duties. Using records she received after filing a Freedom of Information Act request, Stancy was able to provide in vivid and unsettling detail the derogatory remarks Dennis made to Black female sailor and, in a separate incident, to a Black male officer.
Read the Winning Article
- Former USS Howard CO was fired after ‘racially harassing comments’, Navy Times (4/22/2024)
Journalist Biography
Diana Stancy
Diana Stancy is a politics reporter with Fox News Digital covering the White House.
Diana previously worked for Military Times and Navy Times covering overseas operations, leadership, and personnel issues.
Prior to joining Military Times, Diana worked as a breaking news reporter with the Washington Examiner reporting on politics, the Department of Defense, the Justice Department, and transportation and infrastructure policy.
She studied political science and journalism at Elon University, and is currently obtaining her master’s degree in journalism at Georgetown University.