View Full Version : Daily Media Report..."Making of a Marine, kinda "
The aforementioned article was...IS a poor attempt at humor. Our concern with the "Comfort Level" of the media is misplaced. Their concern over OUR "Comfort Level" with THEM should be their priority. The result of the entire exercise was...zero ! No Marines were made, kinda or otherwise. These media reps knew it was only for a few days and didn't seem to take what they should have learned seriously. These are the same people that will be the first to critcise us again and use their newly acquired military expertise as justification to do so. You want the AP and /or UPI with the Marines ? Make them Marines first, then you'll have a mutual "Comfort Level". Until that happens, park them on the beach with the REMF's, feed them what you want them to have and send them off. Call me a little nutty but my experiences with the media dictate that you keep your distance. Maybe I'm overreacting and just need to vent but I'd sooner turn my back on my Mother-In-Law.
wrbones
11-21-02, 02:17 PM
If they'd report the news, I wouldn't have a problem. It seems that the maojority report thei own opinions on the news, and when they can't find anyone else to interview, they interview each other, thus reporting their opinions as news.
Editorializing is one thing. Rporting your own editorializing as news fact is quite another. Until the media learns the difference, I'm inclined to agree with you Jinx.
Another obvious problem is the gamesmanship going on with those who work at the Pentagon. One day a restricted or classified strategy meeting among the top dogs, the next Rumsfield says he ain't goin' into that room again. "It leaks."
We have several problems to address in this.
It is my opinion that the type of well respected combat reporters of the past are not going to be seen again.
firstsgtmike
11-21-02, 04:59 PM
Dominican Republic, 1965. Civil war, the US was not involved, but we were sent in to protect the Embassys and the International area. We set up roadblocks and bunkers on all streets leading into the area. They were attacked several times by carloads of passing rebels. (Drive-bys just to raise hell.)
We had a radio site set up on top of the Ambassador Hotel. C-Med was set up on the hotel grounds. I had just changed the radio watch and we, myself and six other Marines were heading back to our CP.
Hear the siren of a meat-wagon approaching and a doctor came our of the hospital tent to await its arrival. Seeing us, he asked me if we would guard the entrance gate until after he got the wounded out of the meat wagon and into the hospital tent.
It seems the reporters would come from the bar in the hotel, climb into and all over the meatwagon, keeping the medics out and ripping the dogtags from the wounded so they could name names in their press reports.
"Yes Sir, No Problem." We got in place before the 30+ reporters came running from the hotel bar. They arrived just as we were lettting the meat wagon through. We stopped the reporters.
"We are the press, you can't stop us from getting a story, we're going in."
"No need to go inside Sir, the story for the day is right out here."
I said that as I unholstered my .45, slid a round into the chamber, and placed it against his knee.
"The others will have a great story to report, but you won't be able to call it in until you recover from surgery, Sir."
He/they decided the story wasn't THAT important and went back to the bar.
Yes, I was on the carpet that afternoon. The Colonel was satisfied that I did what had to be done, (easier to do since nothing happened) and dismissed me. As I was leaving his office he asked me if I really would have shot the reporter if he pushed ahead.
In my best military manner I snapped to attention, grabbbed my dog-tags as if to read from them and said, "Sir, My name is Farrell, Michael J, Sgt. USMC, Serial number 1851779, and that is ALL I am permitted to say Sir."
"Will that be all, Sir?"
------------------------------------
I still don't like reporteers
Top, that wasn't you waving maggie's drawers on the cover of "Leatherneck" back in '65 was it?
Semper Fidelis, Frank