Posted: 3/31/2003 2:49:10 PM EDT
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[url]http://www.mediainfo.com/editorandpublisher/headlines/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1852951[/url] MARCH 31, 2003 10 Embedded Journalists Leave Their Posts Others Stay to Preserve Their Employers' Slots By Joe Strupp NEW YORK -- At least 10 embedded journalists have left their assigned slots with U.S. military units in Iraq, according to a Pentagon spokesman, who said twice as many people have requested to leave but chose to stay after being told their news organizations would lose the slots for good if they departed. "If you leave, you give it up," said Col. Jay DeFrank, director of press operations for the Defense Department. "You can be put back on the list along with everyone else, but once you leave, someone else can take the slot." DeFrank said the embedded reporters who have given up their spots have done so for a variety of reasons, ranging from weariness of the battlefield to concerns that they are not getting many good stories from the units they are with. "Some are convinced that they have seen everything they will see from a particular unit," DeFrank said. "It is a relatively small number." Among those who have given up their slots is photographer Damir Sagoj of Reuters, who was forced to leave the Third Battalion of the First U.S. Marine Regiment in Iraq after breaking his foot, according to Reuters spokeswoman Nancy Bobrowitz, who said he is now in Kuwait City. "He couldn't travel and that is unfortunate," she said. "We are hoping, given the circumstances, that we can replace him in that unit." Sagoj left the Marines shortly after taking the moving photograph, which appeared on numerous newspaper front pages Sunday, of a Marine doctor holding a child whose mother had been killed in recent fighting in Iraq. Jerry Zremski of The Buffalo (N.Y.) News also gave up an embedded position with a U.S. Army unit, relocating to Kuwait on Friday due to safety concerns. "I feel like a hostage," he said in an e-mail that was published on USAToday.com. "I was told I would be going to Iraq for two days, but a general's change in plans changed this to at least a five-day adventure -- and far more danger than I'd expected." Other news organizations have asked to switch embedded journalists from one unit to another, a practice that has been regularly denied, DeFrank said. "Those requests are contrary to what the embeds are doing, which is to see the war from the view of one unit," he explained. More than 600 journalists have been embedded with U.S. troops in or headed to the Middle East. DeFrank said more slots may become available as more troops are sent to the war region, but offered no specifics on how many might open up or when. "There will be some additional opportunities," he said. "We will work with them as that happens." |
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Quoted: Jerry Zremski of The Buffalo (N.Y.) News also gave up an embedded position with a U.S. Army unit, relocating to Kuwait on Friday due to safety concerns. "I feel like a hostage," he said in an e-mail that was published on USAToday.com. "I was told I would be going to Iraq for two days, but a general's change in plans changed this to at least a five-day adventure -- and far more danger than I'd expected." He wasn't signing up for a boy scout jamboree. I am not a journalist, but I would be willing to take his place and then write about it on arfcom. |
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We got doctors in the Marine Corps now??? I don’t think so… But I saw a story the other day about a group of doctors that have volunteered to work with the Marines (and were in country) because the Marines do not have their own doctors. Maybe it was one of those doctors. |
| This is the real deal. This a true case of the old saying of "baptism by fire." These guys just don't get what a real war is like, when people are getting shot and killed. These guys are getting a taste what the real soldiers are enduring its tough, dirty, monotous; not as glamours are the Hollyweird movies make it out to be. They are a bunch of wusses, i.e., a bunch of candies, when it rains they just melt away. |
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Quoted: And some people were asking why Geraldo [b] was kicked out[/b] the friggen coward, he got himself kicked out, I hope this dogs him for the rest of his days. He wasn't kicked off. He still there, alive and well. Someone is playing games with the news media. |
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This a true case of the old saying of "baptism by fire." These guys just don't get what a real war is like, when people are getting shot and killed. These guys are getting a taste what the real soldiers are enduring its tough, dirty, monotous; not as glamours are the Hollyweird movies make it out to be. They are a bunch of wusses, i.e., a bunch of candies, when it rains they just melt away. With hundreds of embedded journalists out in the field, 10 puss-outs isn't particularly significant. Many of the ones who are sticking it out with their units are better men for the experience. Seeing the professionalism, courage and humanity of our soldiers under fire is a powerful antidote to the anti-military attitude so common among journalists who merely cover the war from afar. Embedding journalists was a stroke of genius. You can't [i]help[/i] but root for The Home Team when they are (literally) defending your life. |
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Quoted: This a true case of the old saying of "baptism by fire." These guys just don't get what a real war is like, when people are getting shot and killed. These guys are getting a taste what the real soldiers are enduring its tough, dirty, monotous; not as glamours are the Hollyweird movies make it out to be. They are a bunch of wusses, i.e., a bunch of candies, when it rains they just melt away. With hundreds of embedded journalists out in the field, 10 puss-outs isn't particularly significant. Many of the ones who are sticking it out with their units are better men for the experience. Seeing the professionalism, courage and humanity of our soldiers under fire is a powerful antidote to the anti-military attitude so common among journalists who merely cover the war from afar. Embedding journalists was a stroke of genius. You can't [i]help[/i] but root for The Home Team when they are (literally) defending your life. Yep, I agree. This way also the Pentagon can cut down on the number of military reporters thus saving money. The civilian reporters also provide civilian view point of the war rather the USA military. |
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I've also noticed that the embedded reporters have picked up on the slang of the service they're with, like rattling off the acronyms just like any other GI, and the good ones have bonded with their unit. These are also the same ones that do the best job at reporting. I've seen this both with the folks on Fox, and also on BBC with some of their folks embedded with the Brits. Ross |
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I've watched the embedded journalist with great interest. This hasn't been done since WWII. In Vietnam, the journalist would come in after the fact and second guess, which you all know how that turned out. This is much different. These guys are seeing first hand what our guys are doing and enduring. I haven't seen war reporting so patriotic in my lifetime. My hat's off to them and those that put them there. I feel it is moving the entire press to a more pro-military stance. As for the 10 that have left, I guess combat was more than they expected which it is for any that have not been there before. How I feel is best described by an interview of a wounded sargent I saw on MSNBC. I watched as this young man teared up at the thought he couldn't go back to be with his squad. "I told them that I would bring them back alive. Now, I won't be there to make sure it happens." Nuff said. |
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TomJefferson posted: "In Vietnam, the journalist would come in after the fact and second guess, which you all know how that turned out. [b]Wrong.[/b] We had a reporter from Newsweek, Kevin Buckley, who was with our unit during a fire fight with the NVA near the Cambodian border in Vietnam. His report was printed in Newsweek on October 14, 1968. I have this copy of Newsweek and if your interested I can scan the article and e-mail it to you. Or I can post a link to the article. But....in your defense, I don't know how wide spread field reporting was but he did have to wire back the report so it wasn't live reporting as we see it in Iraq. Who is that female red headed reporter for NBC that's at the Central Command briefings? I just saw her on TV - Kelly O'Donnell. I want her embedded with me, I'd show her some good maneuvers. [8D] |
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Quoted: TomJefferson posted: "In Vietnam, the journalist would come in after the fact and second guess, which you all know how that turned out. [b]Wrong.[/b] We had a reporter from Newsweek, Kevin Buckley, who was with our unit during a fire fight with the NVA near the Cambodian border in Vietnam. His report was printed in Newsweek on October 14, 1968. I have this copy of Newsweek and if your interested I can scan the article and e-mail it to you. But....in your defense, I don't know how wide spread field reporting was but he did have to wire back the report so it wasn't live reporting as we see it in Iraq. Who is that female red headed reporter for NBC that's at the Central Command briefings? I just saw her on TV - Kelly O'Donnell. I want her embedded with me, I'd show her some good maneuvers. [8D] LOL! Can you email me that article please? Thanks! |
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Lack of good stories/ action? Who were these guys embedded with? A dumpster deployment squadron (air mobile)? I think the other problem is too many reporters think this will be their big chance to become a household name. Others are realizing that war is composed of large periods of boredom broken up with intense periods of action, and you better be ready for it 24/7. They better be careful what they ask for. |
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"...and far more danger than I'd expected." What did you expect when you go to war? "not getting many good stories from the units they are with?" Where were they imbedded? The 357th Latrine Cleaning Regiment? From what I've seen, any unit has the possibility of engaging in combat. What about those troops that took the wrong turn? Weren't they a transport/maint. unit? RAMBOSKY - [/homer]mmmmmm...Kelly O'Donnell[/end homer]. I second that "imbedment". Red on the head, fire in the hole! |
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Quoted: TomJefferson posted: "In Vietnam, the journalist would come in after the fact and second guess, which you all know how that turned out. [b]Wrong.[/b] We had a reporter from Newsweek, Kevin Buckley, who was with our unit during a fire fight with the NVA near the Cambodian border in Vietnam. His report was printed in Newsweek on October 14, 1968. I have this copy of Newsweek and if your interested I can scan the article and e-mail it to you. Or I can post a link to the article. But....in your defense, I don't know how wide spread field reporting was but he did have to wire back the report so it wasn't live reporting as we see it in Iraq. Who is that female red headed reporter for NBC that's at the Central Command briefings? I just saw her on TV - Kelly O'Donnell. I want her embedded with me, I'd show her some good maneuvers. [8D] Well, maybe if I had been with the "Big Red One" life would have been different.[:D] [inter Army rival slam][img]http://www.societyofthefifthdivision.com/Graphics/RED_Diamond60.JPG[/img] I was generalizing a bit. What I gather these guys are actually sticking with the units, good times and bad times. I didn't see that in my day. An occasional visit or outing but right there all the time??? I think I will write a movie. Instead of "We Were Soldiers". Hows, "We Were So YOUNG." |
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TomJefferson posted: I think I will write a movie. Instead of "We Were Soldiers". Hows, "We Were So YOUNG". In my case it would be "I Was so Young and Dumb". [8D] Kevin Buckley the reporter from Newsweek was only with us for three days. On the last day he look constipated and was hyperventilating. [:O] FLGreg: "Fire Mission; Fire in the hole, fire in the hole!" |