NICEVILLE, Fla. — A Niceville High School graduate is among the 2023 U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) journalism award winners in two photojournalism categories.
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Petty Officer Second Class Gabriel Wisdom, a native of Niceville and a 2011 graduate of Niceville High, has won second and third place in the prestigious Haley-Simpson Public Affairs Awards for the best Photo Series and best Portrait, respectively. The winners were announced on April 12.
Wisdom’s award in the best photo series division was for his photographs of the USCG training with the U.S. Army at U.S. Naval Air Station Pensacola. His award for the best portrait was for his image of U.S. Coast Guard Rear Adm. Christopher Bartz, assistant commandant for Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Information Technology.
The Chief Journalist (JOC) Alex Haley Award recognizes the outstanding achievements of authors, photographers, and writers whose published work raises service visibility. The Cmdr. Jim Simpson Award is named for the first press assistant to the Commandant and recognizes unit excellence in public affairs.
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Petty Officer Wisdom took the winning photos while stationed in New Orleans at the Coast Guard District Eight External Affairs office. He has responded to several incidents and natural disasters, such as Hurricane Ian, Hurricane Ida, the American Jazz grounding, and the Hafnia Rhine oil spill. Currently, he attends Tulane University through a USCG-funded program.
“I only got to capture Coast Guard photos for the first half of 2023, but I’m happy the small sample size of work I did was recognized in some capacity,” said Wisdom.
He said he most enjoys capturing human interest photos and portraits.
Born and raised in Niceville, Petty Officer Wisdom enlisted in the USCG at age 25 in 2018. He attended the Mass Communication Foundations course, where he said he learned the basic skills of a military communicator.
An honor graduate, Wisdom was awarded the Best Storyteller Award.
Last year, he was named a 2022 Chief Journalist Alex Haley Award winner for his photo series capturing the USCG response to Hurricane Ian.
Petty Officer Wisdom has cherished memories of growing up in Niceville, where he enjoyed skimboarding and surfing. He also played football while studying at Ruckel Middle School and was a member of Niceville High’s Opus One choir.
He is the son of Anna Rizza Wisdom of Niceville.
Click here to view Wisdom’s photos and videos.
