with military units in Afghanistan and Iraq, often for extended periods. Embedding gives journalists access to the people doing the fighting, as well as an up-close perspective on each conflict. Embedding also brings correspondents closer to Iraqi and Afghan military officials and civilians, who are essential to the overall story. Gordon has embedded with nu-
merous units throughout Iraq, and he admits it often takes time for soldiers and Marines to feel comfort- able having a reporter among them as they do their jobs. “Sometimes they take their cue
from the commander, so if the com- mander says, ‘This guy is from The New York Times, he’s trustworthy,’ that can make a difference,” Gordon says. “But in this day and age, these guys can access your stories online and get a sense of whether they think you’re being fair. I tell them I’m not going to pull any punches; I’m not going to write propaganda or press releases, but I’m also not going to take any cheap shots. And I try to be fair and accurate.” Tyson agrees. “I always knew I had
to prove myself each time,” she says of her multiple embeds. “I did that by showing them that I could observe and listen without interfering. My goal was almost to make [the troops] forget I was there.” Chris Chivers, also with The New
York Times, is unusual among war re- porters today in that he was an infan- try officer in the Marine Corps before becoming a journalist. He says his military background gives him a bet- ter understand- ing of tactics and weapons, but it also can be a source of frustration.
6 0 MI L I T A R Y O F F I C E R O C TO B E R 2 0 1 0
Media personnel learn “buddy care” (above) before embedding. (right) Edward R. Murrow, left, interviews a Marine in Korea.
“I know the bureaucracy and
some of the more annoying person- ality types in the military, and my tolerance of the nonsense is even less than what it was when I served,” Chivers explains. “I keep quiet about these things while on the job, and they almost always evaporate the further out in the field we go and the lower we go in the hierarchy.”
A challenging post The logistics of covering a war can be daunting. Combat reporters are expected to supply their own pro-
tective gear — including a Kevlar helmet, body armor, and eye protec- tion — and haul their own supplies. No one receives special treatment; it’s understood the military will provide little except perhaps food
MOAA Advisors Share Their Views
MOAA surveyed members of its MOAA Advisors program for their thoughts on the media and combat. Reponses varied widely, with 12.6 percent of collected responses indicating reporters should ”have complete access and report what they see” and a nearly equal number indicat- ing reporters “have no business in a combat zone.” Most respondents (53.7 percent) agreed the media “should be governed by strict security rules.” “Free press is important,” commented CWO3 Tracey C. Roberts, USA-Ret., “but not when it compromises classified information.” MOAA Advisors are association members who’ve agreed to contribute their opinions on subjects important to military officers. To learn more, visit
www.moaa.org/advisor.
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