MAJ Caldwell's Article

Well, for the most part, here is the article I will submit for publishing with the Duncanville Suburban Newspaper, Duncanville, Texas - My hometown newspaper.... Wonder if it will make the cut....????

JOE

The U.S. Military’s relationship with the Media
MAJ Joseph R. Caldwell


The purpose of this editorial is to inform readers on a new educational initiative for field grade officers at The Command and General Staff College (CGSC), located at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. CGSC is the mid-level formal educational college for all U.S. Army service members (active duty) in the rank of Major. The Combined Arms Center’s Commander, Lieutenant General William B. Caldwell (no relation to me) has recognized the importance of the mass media and its influence on public opinion. Additionally, he sees the positive impacts professional blog sites have as a forum to spread information, discuss new ideas, and debate certain topics. He recognizes the lack of experience necessary our military officers need to have in interacting with the media. The Army does have specialized media personnel with Brigade size units. However, LTG Caldwell believes all field grade officers need skills to effectively work with the media. LTC Caldwell has since instituted a new requirement for all current CGSC students. We must interact with the mass media! We actually have four requirements. One is, publish a news paper article, conduct a public speaking engagement, be interviewed by a member of the media, and establish a blog site on the internet.

Encouraging blogging is a new occurrence in the military’s culture. In most cases, it has been strictly frowned upon. LTG Caldwell’s vision has been met with some discord with fellow military officials. Having mid-level military officers freely go to the internet or press and express their points of view is a new endeavor for the U.S. Army. However, in the case of Blogging, I think it is inevitable. Currently, there are tens of thousands of recognized professional blog sites on the internet. LTG Caldwell wants field grade officers to actively engage in thought provoking board discussions via this medium. LTG Caldwell’s vision for the importance for effective and productive media relations and use of internet blog sites will in essence, leave his mark on the U.S. Army Officer Corps for years to come.

The most beneficial block of instruction thus far at the Command and General Staff College was the importance of effective relations between the U.S. Military and the Media. Media relations must be considered a combat multiplier by U.S. Military commanders. Media relations focused on lessons learned from past failures between the military commanders and the media, an depth synopsis of today’s modern media, and most importantly, how to prepare and interact with the media during a crisis situation. Interaction with the media is an arena where a commander at any level can find themselves in hot water if unprepared or found to be untruthful. Being untruthful in one’s statements to the media may not be on purpose, but as a result of not gathering vital facts before going on the record. This boils down to a lack of respect for how the media affects your operation, public opinion of your mission, or even you as an individual member of the U.S. Military. As time progresses, the United States military’s interaction with the world media corps will continue to grow and become more interconnected. We must be able to meet these evolving requirements if we like it or not.

We had an opportunity to meet with a professional media panel of experts from across the country. Members of the panel worked for the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and LA Times. I found the interaction and questioning of the panel members very informative. They gave us their opinion on what their responsibilities are as journalists, and what they expect from the military. Real life events discussed during discussions with the panel gave a clear example of what to do, or what not to do when working with a media representative.

Since the existence of a unified United States Military, there has also been a following of their actives by newspapermen, story writers, or journalist of some sort. Throughout recent history, military commanders often find themselves at “war” with these very individuals. History shows us the painful lessons these commanders learned from their “hatred” of journalists and writers of the time. The news papers, (depending on which side you were behind) would outline and publish for the masses, every flaw or incompetence by that particular commander. Some newspapers in operation during the civil war had the capability to publish several thousand copies a day. Even more amazing, they could be distributed hundreds of miles on the same day of publication via rail road shipping. Blunders by military commanders where widely known within a week or two of event happening. History seems to repeat itself often when looking at the evolution of the interaction, or lack of interaction, between senior military officials and the media. Commanding officers were held accountable for the actions or inactions during their campaigns, just as they are today. As time progressed through the civil war, criticism from the media met stiff resistance from the military. No real trustworthy relationship was ever established. This is something we are working to eliminate today.

This same scenario happened to U.S. Military commanders in every armed conflict to present day. The United States public has become accustomed to having someone to blame for a mishap or failure. Today, politically charged journalists will do their best to paint the story in the manner in which best fits the political views or followings of their organization. We see this daily when viewing CNN verses Foxnews. And we, as military officers will find ourselves caught in the cross fire, and must be able to effective interact and function with opposing media view points. Again, this block of instruction hit the nail right on the head.

Today’s modern media comes in many forms. Mass communication is accomplished through television, radio, print, and via the internet. The internet, through relatively new, compiles most of the information or news transmitted on a daily basis. Through new technologies, people today have the ability read, see, and hear news reports as the event happens. In some cases, the event could be half way around the world and being reported in nearly real time. We as an American public have gotten used to this instant news coverage. In fact, we demand it now more than ever. Modern media will continue to become more advanced, and make mass communications from anywhere in the world instant. Military leaders must know how this rapid response of news coverage can and will affect their mission in a combat or peace keeping environment. Crises around the world will continue to happen. But now, with the advancement of the media’s ability to cover these events, military leaders must be prepared to interact with the media just as fast as they have to react to the crisis itself.

The most valuable lesson was how to plan, prepare, and execute a media engagement or interview during a crisis. How well a battalion commander reacts to a hostile media during a press conference could very well have an affect on the public’s opinion on the roll of the American military in that region. Again, the mass public at large is consistently looking for somebody to blame. And we, as a military have more to learn on effectively maintaining a balanced relationship with the media. Not so easy to do in some cases. We have seen recent events in Iraq, where the stupid actions of a young staff sergeant can have extreme damages to public opinion (both in the U.S. and Iraq). When an Army Staff Sergeant assigned to Multi National Division-Baghdad, used a Koran as a target on a rifle range, it made world news within one day of it being reported. It took the President of the United States to conduct “damage control” and make a statement on the U.S. military’s roll in Iraq. This event could have erupted into multiple violent actions across Iraq if not handled quickly and with precision. Keep this is mind, the actions of a staff sergeant made the President of the United States react to the media’s coverage of the event. If that is not powerful influence, I do not know what is. Media engagements during a reaction to a crisis situation or culturally sensitive action by a U.S. service member must be taking as seriously as the mission itself.

LTG Caldwell has the correct vision for education requirements of future senior leader in the U.S. Army. We must be able to effectively interact with the media. This is an area of operation that will continue to grow in depth and responsiveness. LTG Caldwell’s directive for CGSC students to actively interact with the media and participate in professional blog sites has been with some opposition. However, I personally feel his vision for what the future will demand from us as members of the U.S. Military are right on. I look forward to my next class on media relations.