By Senator Kay Hagan
www.fayobserver.com

I was sad to hear last week about the passing of Henry Cuningham, the Observer's longtime military editor and founder of its weekly Military section. North Carolina is the most military-friendly state in the nation, and Henry's coverage of our armed forces was immensely valuable to the brave service members who call North Carolina home.

Cuningham was the real deal - a tenacious and versatile reporter and editor, who wasn't afraid to risk his life following our troops halfway across the world to war zones like Iraq and Afghanistan in pursuit of an important story. The decades of credibility he built as an expert on military issues helped him land major interviews with high-ranking military leaders. Not surprisingly, he earned the respect and admiration of four-star generals for his commitment to fairness and accuracy.

For more than 25 years, Cuningham covered it all: presidential visits, tragic deaths, base closures, foreign conflicts, shifts in federal policy and the evolving role of women in the military. He never lost sight of the human dimension of a story - how a decision or a policy affected service members, veterans or their families on a personal level. Cuningham's passion for his profession as a journalist kept our military more transparent and accountable while keeping readers engaged and informed.

Like many Observer readers, I will miss Henry Cuningham's insightful coverage of military issues that affect our state and country. He was an incredible talent, and his death is a real loss for The Observer and the community of readers it serves.

To read this letter to the editor at The Fayetteville Observer, please click here.