Reporter Spends 101 Days with 101st Airborne

Defend America News ^ | Capt. Lyn Graves

[SandRat]

Shelby Monroe, a reporter embedded with 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division in Iraq, stands in front of an overturned truck that had been found filled with explosives near Tal Afar, Iraq. Courtesy photo by Shelby Monroe
Reporter Spends 101 Days with 101st Airborne
Tennessee reporter embeds with 101st Airborne to report on soldiers' stories.
By U.S. Army Capt. Lyn Graves 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment KIRKUK, Iraq, July 3, 2006 -- Spending 101 days with the 101st Airborne Division in the heat of north-central Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom is not what some journalists would call a good assignment, but for one embedded reporter, spending time with the “Screaming Eagle” soldiers was exactly what she wanted. "I think you have to blame the media for what they report. People only get two types of stories: death and scandals, and that really doesn’t reflect the experience people are having over here. Too often the media let’s the bad news take center stage." Shelby Monroe “I thought it would be a great opportunity to see what’s really going on and to see what it’s like to be a soldier,” said Shelby Monroe, who is writing “101 Days with the 101st Airborne Division” for the Milan Mirror Exchange, based in Milan, Tenn. Monroe said that she and the newspaper’s editor agreed that she would focus on what the soldiers are accomplishing. “This has been easy, there are a lot of good news stories that the soldiers are doing,” said Monroe. Monroe said that she tries to stay neutral while preparing a story, but admits to having some pre-conceived ideas before coming to Iraq. However, she said that she was mistaken about some of these ideas. “I oversimplified the war and what was going on,” said Monroe. “I am surprised at how dedicated the soldiers are toward doing their jobs well.” Before she deployed as an embedded reporter she thought that poor morale or being homesick would have taken its toll, but she is impressed with the soldiers ability to do their job competently while missing home. “The soldiers seem to separate how they feel, and being homesick doesn’t affect the way they perform their jobs,” said Monroe.	She said she respects the soldiers for the physically demanding job they do. During her first few weeks with the soldiers, Monroe said there was some resistance to her, but people gradually warmed up to her. “When you ride around in a Humvee, you bond with the soldiers.” Before this deployment, Monroe had no military experience and very little exposure to the military. “I’m almost opposite of a military person -- I’m not organized, I question authority, but I thought it would be a challenge to keep up,” said Monroe. Monroe thought there would be a common personality among soldiers but was surprised to find a great diversity among the ranks. “There are lots of different personalities; people with different passions and abilities,” said Monroe. Prior to this mission, Monroe was an English teacher at Husson College, a small college in Maine, and also owned a bookstore. She interrupted a master’s degree program to come to Iraq. Monroe believes the American public does not know the whole truth about the war in Iraq. “People don’t know half of what’s going on,” she explained. “There’s so much background they need to understand. “I think you have to blame the media for what they report. People only get two types of stories: death and scandals, and that really doesn’t reflect the experience people are having over here. Too often the media let’s the bad news take center stage.”

[SandRat]

By the end I think this reporterette may finally have got it, or at least the start of it if her liberal friends don't re-educate her to the dark side.

[SE Mom]

I am so pleased to see something positive written about the extraordinary Screamin' Eagles:)

Thanks for posting this today SandRat..

(Screamin' Eagle Mom)

[daybreakcoming]

BTTT

[SE Mom]

Eagle ping:)

[mewzilla]

“I think you have to blame the media for what they report. People only get two types of stories: death and scandals, and that really doesn’t reflect the experience people are having over here. Too often the media let’s the bad news take center stage.”

Ruh roh. She's gone native.

No wonder the suits at MSM Central don't like embedding.

[Incorrigible]

Bump!

[hsalaw]

Nice. And many thanks, SandRat, for your efforts to keep us informed of the good news, too.

[SandRat]

The suits don't like embedding because their precious stooges learn the Truth and the suits can't handle the truth.

[SandRat]

My little effort to support the troops and get the truth out.

[jazusamo]

Good post. At least a few seem to get it.

[SE Mom]

Monroe believes the American public does not know the whole truth about the war in Iraq.

---

Uhmmm, really?

[rocksblues]

Suspicious comment.

Monroe thought there would be a common personality among soldiers but was surprised to find a great diversity among the ranks.

Would like to see some of her articles, Post Iraq.

[mewzilla]

Yup. I think embedding is a fine idea :)

And good for Ms. Monroe for being willing to go and for using her noggin :)

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

If she honestly reports what really happened, the MSM would have no further use for her. Accurate reporting doesn't fit their game plan.

[Billthedrill]

Great article. If you haven't served you probably won't ever get it, but the next best thing is to meet as many military people as you can. Anyone who can do that and come away unimpressed simply isn't paying attention. And I am shocked by how many ostensible "experts" on the military have never done either.

[alrea]

"I think you have to blame the media for what they report. People only get two types of stories: death and scandals, and that really doesn’t reflect the experience people are having over here. Too often the media let’s the bad news take center stage."

don't forget when you get back that you are part of an industry that has hurt our troops and possibly committed treason. hopefully, you'll do something about it.

[Redcloak]

She's not exactly your typical dead tree media reporterette. She's a teacher and the paper that sponsored her trip has a circulation of about 5000. She isn't pro who's hoping to grace the halls of the New York Times one day. In other words, she has nothing to lose by accurately reporting what she sees.

[Larry Lucido]

She's not half bad looking.

[Larry Lucido]

Is it just me, or does the truck look photoshopped in?