Sunday, June 03, 2007
Military Cluelessness at the AP
Six long years of war and the Associated Press still can't find a damn reporter who can tell the difference between officers and NCOs.
Sure, some reporters are green. But why assign such a person to cover the military? And if you're going to assign her to an unfamiliar beat, is it too much to ask that she at least get an editor somewhere in her chain who can provide some backup?
Apparently, it is! From the AP:
Wrong, dorks. The Army has a twenty - division force today, not a ten division force: Ten active, ten more in the National Guard.
There are also thirteen shell divisions in the U.S. Army Reserve, though they don't currently oversee maneuver elements.
But the Associated Press, apparently, is totally unaware of the existence of half of the Army.
If you're going to do drive-by media coverage of the military, you need to at least slow down long enough to get an accurate sight picture before pulling the trigger.
Splash, out
Jason
WASHINGTON - Even as troops in Iraq and
Afghanistan are serving longer and more often — three, four, even five times — roughly half of Americans in uniform have not been sent at all.
That's partly chance, partly a matter of timing. It also illustrates the massive organization on the home front to support an army in the field.
Whatever the reason, it didn't seem fair to Marine Sgt. Matthew Clark, who sits behind a desk in Illinois but has asked to "go to the fight" instead.
"All these other Marines are going — they've been a couple times," said Clark, who's been in the service since 1998. "It's about time that I get out there and give someone else the opportunity to stay home."
The 28-year-old logistics officer at Scott Air Force Base will get his chance — he recently got orders to transfer this summer to a unit going early next year to Iraq.
Sure, some reporters are green. But why assign such a person to cover the military? And if you're going to assign her to an unfamiliar beat, is it too much to ask that she at least get an editor somewhere in her chain who can provide some backup?
Apparently, it is! From the AP:
When the number of troops in Vietnam peaked at more than half a million in 1968, the Army had more divisions deployed in Southeast Asia than it has in its 10-division force today. The military shrank for decades after that war, the draft was abolished and the professional, all-volunteer force started.
Wrong, dorks. The Army has a twenty - division force today, not a ten division force: Ten active, ten more in the National Guard.
There are also thirteen shell divisions in the U.S. Army Reserve, though they don't currently oversee maneuver elements.
But the Associated Press, apparently, is totally unaware of the existence of half of the Army.
If you're going to do drive-by media coverage of the military, you need to at least slow down long enough to get an accurate sight picture before pulling the trigger.
Splash, out
Jason
Labels: Media
Comments:
GolbalSecurity is grossly outdated. The correct info is that there are only 8 divisions in the NG. (The 7th and 24th have become Training Divisions West and East, respectively.)
That said, the NG divisions are huge organizations, even if it's only for training oversight. My brigade falls under 36th Division for TRO. There are 11 brigades under the division now and will be 12 when a new BfSB is stood up. (3 IBCTs, 2 HBCTs, 2 AV Bdes, 1 Sustainment Bde, 2 ME Bdes, 1 Fires Bde) That's ~35,000 troops, or approaching WWII division size.
That said, the NG divisions are huge organizations, even if it's only for training oversight. My brigade falls under 36th Division for TRO. There are 11 brigades under the division now and will be 12 when a new BfSB is stood up. (3 IBCTs, 2 HBCTs, 2 AV Bdes, 1 Sustainment Bde, 2 ME Bdes, 1 Fires Bde) That's ~35,000 troops, or approaching WWII division size.
Maybe she came over from the crime beat, where every policeman and -woman is an "officer".
Or, she could have learned everything she knows about the military from Star Trek - everybody in Starfleet (including "Chief" O'Brien) seems to be an "officer".
Heh.
Or, she could have learned everything she knows about the military from Star Trek - everybody in Starfleet (including "Chief" O'Brien) seems to be an "officer".
Heh.
# posted by 
: 10:38 AM
: 10:38 AM
Did you, perchance, send Ms. Jelinek a friendly, helpful note (you know, journalist to journalist)?
Inquiring minds...
Inquiring minds...
# posted by : 10:43 AM
: 10:43 AM
No. I'll do that occasionally, if the outlet makes the journalists' email address available, but I don't go hunting for it.
I used to, but I don't have as much time to do those things as I once did.
Besides - I'm not a journo anymore. I make my living now as a marketing guy, media planner, and sales dork.
Got tired of no job security for very little money.
I used to, but I don't have as much time to do those things as I once did.
Besides - I'm not a journo anymore. I make my living now as a marketing guy, media planner, and sales dork.
Got tired of no job security for very little money.
I guess they only rush for the news and post it before any media done it, but not for accuracy and quality...
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# posted by : 11:37 AM
: 11:37 AM
