My mother worked in Public Affairs for as long as I can remember. So I always knew what you say at one end of the microphone can be turned into something bad after it gets to the editing room, and then released at press time. Reporters can be sneaky. If they are looking for a story, they will find one ( or make one up). I personally avoid them. The only ones I will talk to are from the military media (AFRTS, AFN…..etc) They have nothing to gain or loose, and off the record is OFF the record.

So, I may distrust the media at large, but I would never have targeted them…….EVER. They are doing their job, just like me.

During my stint at the 1st OIF, in the first days of the SCUD attacks, when the SCUD dive was the dance of the camp, the shelters could only hold so many people. During the day you ran for what ever one was closest; the ones near the operations center of the camp was always over-crowded during the day. A reporter was one of the last to run for shelter, I didn’t know who he was, what agency he was with. I always tried to get the corner of the shelter ( in case it collapse I might be able to survive it). I noticed right away he didn’t even have his kevlar helmet on…. but I had had my flack, kevlar, LBV(load-bearing-vest) M16, and gas mask. I grabbed his arm and pulled him towards me and put him in my corner and moved to stand at the entrace of the bunker.

Why did I do this? Simple… I had on about 15 pounds worth of gear and he didn’t. I didn’t think anything of what I might have lost, if a missile had struck the camp.

I still don’t know his name, but it doesn’t matter, he is a human being and he should expect no less from anyone in the military.