Akron TV anchor reports home from duty in Iraq

Akron Beacon Journal ^ | Dec. 26,2003 | Bob Dyer

[Molly Pitcher]

This was a wonderful piece to find in this morning's paper.

I just pray it changes some hearts and minds of some of the naysayers who read it.

[Molly Pitcher]

Direct from Iraq: some good post-holiday news!!

[stylin_geek]

Our people in Kosovo and Bosnia need to come home. There is no clear mission, and it appears Bosnia/Kosovo are the real "quagmires" which the mainstream media constantly harps about when referring to Iraq. /rant

[tillacum]

Thank you Molly, it just shows, again, how our lazy presstitutes do not report the whole news.

Remember, we were to be in Bosnia ONE year?

lysie, I'm so sorry about your Dad. One day he'll realize there's more to life than politics.

john, did I read you fixed dinner for your family, yesterday? That made my heart feel warm, for you.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

A great story!

[SandRat]

The biggest story we're not getting, he says, is the huge number of successes the U.S. military has enjoyed in foiling terrorists.

An indictment of his peers in the media?

``We had a small ship try to ram one of our cargo ships right before I left. If it had hit and blown us up like the USS Cole, then it would have made news. But our guys were alert enough and shot the thing 75 meters off the bow. I didn't see anything (in the news).

Didn't go the way the LIBERALS and the media (sorry I'm being redundant) wanted it to go so it does not make the news.

``We've got this terrorist stuff every day. We're stopping package bombs, car bombs, people with bombs strapped to them. We're taking caches of weapons away from people. Is it just me, or isn't that news anymore?''

Not going the way the LIBERALS and the media (sorry I'm being redundant) want it to go (proof of a Vietnam style Quagmire) so it is not fit to make the news.

Another story flying under the media's radar is a technological breakthrough.

It's flying under the radar it just doe not fit the AGENDA.

``We have this new, fancy technology called a Warlock system. Without telling you how it works, it basically knocks out the systems of the bad guys so they can't detonate anything when we come by. We're just now putting them into trucks. That's a great story!''

Sorry that's good news and it does not fit the agenda of "It's a Quagmire! We have to pull out now and elect a pantie waist LIBERAL Neville Chamberlain in '04!"

Another untold story, he says, is terrorists' targeting of female soldiers. ``They want to kidnap female soldiers for the shock value of it. (Non-American) females over there don't speak. When (Iraqis) see a female soldier, they are absolutely in shock.''

DACOWITS social experiment validating all that was said by what they belittled as MALE Neanderthal thinking to keep women down and deny them opportunity.

[CONSERVE]

Thanks for the ping

[elbucko]

He predicts a mass exodus from the Guard and reserves after they return, triggering a need to reinstitute the draft.

Perhaps. But I don't think as much as he implies. These Guardsmen will now be eligible for VA benefits since they have been on active duty beyond the required 180 days. The officers will all be ripe with active duty experience and expect promotion. Bush is using the guard the way it should have been used in Vietnam. As a former Air National Guardsmen, I think Bush saw a lot of the "Good Ol' Boy" network in the Guard/Reserve organizations and views using them as a way to get rid of the dead wood. Reorganization is more likely than a mass exodus and a draft.

[McGavin999]

Excellent article Molly. It reminds us of a very important point. The wives who are left behind could use some support as well. Shoveling some snow, taking care of the kids so she can get away for a few hours, just visiting her to let her know you care is very important. Especially the wives of Guardsmen, they often don't have the support systems the wives who live on or around base have.

[Moonman62]

``We have this new, fancy technology called a Warlock system. Without telling you how it works, it basically knocks out the systems of the bad guys so they can't detonate anything when we come by. We're just now putting them into trucks. That's a great story!''

That must be what Musharraf has. I'm glad our soliders are getting it. It's about time.

[Moonman62]

I notice the article started with all the negative stuff. That's all most people read.

[Molly Pitcher]

Yes, there's certainly some negative stuff here, and maybe folks will focus on that.

I didn't, & maybe just maybe some will go beyond the first paragraphs....scorpions, land mines, outdoor latrines...

[McGavin999]

I didn't notice any negative stuff at all, I thought it was a great article. I just pointed out that it's important to remember the wives of the guardsmen who are struggling at home.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Great post, Molly. Thanks!
Ernest, we're working on that 'keyword.' (^:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Until January, the veteran television journalist had spent 17 years moonlighting with the National Guard. He joined so he could afford college and he stayed because he liked it....

There's not much difference between the two jobs.

Well, other than the constant threat of mortar attacks.

Other than land mines.

Other than living among red scorpions the size of your fist...

Predictably, Mansfield, a North High graduate who had been anchoring the 6:30 p.m. newscast on Channel 23, hasn't lost his journalistic instincts. And he is amazed at some of the stories the media are missing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Capt. Eric Mansfield, 35, from Akron, Ohio ~ journalist, father of two, husband, Christian ~ transportation officer for the 371st Corps Support Group ~ National Guard, helping our troops on the road in Iraq avoid IEDs, enemies, and natural disasters.

[DeSoto]

Here is a picture of the guy, I hope that he has a long career in broadcasting and uses the knowledge that he possesses to change journalism for the better.

Even though his and his family's current sacrifice for our country is great and noble, changing journalism would be a harder task, and ultimately have greater rewards.

[vladog]

Since Fat Willy got us bogged down in Kosvo that's ok with the media and the Dem's. Iraq is however another matter for the 'Left Wing Weasel's'.

Good post though, you won't hear anything good coming out of Iraq unless you have someone in the military or a piece like this comes along.

[Iowa Granny]

Great Article, Molly. Thanks for posting it.

[Molly Pitcher]

I didn't mean you specifically, McGavin, as finding the article negative. Sorry to be confusing - it's that kind of day for me - I just included you in the address line, cause you had responded.

Glad ya'll liked it.

[Molly Pitcher]

Glad you liked it. Thanks for the comments...

[TEXOKIE]

Mass email bump!

Molly, could you clarify something for me before I send this out? In the post above, the first sentence is truncated. Did you find it that way, or could you supply what is missing? Thanks! GREAT ARTICLE!!!