Customer Reviews

Pen & Sword: A Journalist's Guide to Covering the Military

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I have thoroughly enjoyed the book, Pen & Sword: A Journalist's Guide to Covering the Military. The writing itself is crisp and reveals a patriotism not only to the United States and her fighting powers, but also to journalism and the discovery of great stories.

The author, Ed Offley, carefully constructs just what the title says - a guide to covering the military. He provides basic background to all the armed forces as well as information as to how to learn more. He gives an ethnographer's perspective into how to prepare to enter whichever military branch one is interested in, along with a news writer textbook's steps into what a journalist should do once one is in the field.

Offley peppers his text with his own "Ouch!" and "Need I request applause?" kind of experiences from his two-plus decades of service. Other journalists' mistakes and successes are also case studies from which a prospective military journalist can learn.

Offley's text is timely, including recommendations for covering the war on terrorism. It is also solid, couching examples in military media history from WWI to today.

With the current media coverage of Persian Gulf War II or the Iraqi Freedom War, I can't help but question if many of the journalists Americans are hearing from on a daily basis haven't taken Offley's handbook with them. To be sure, the journalists will be able to relate to Offley's work upon their return, and they'll be ready to produce a second edition, this one informing on the next generation of military-in-combat coverage!

I have been and I am currently a soldier. My MOS keeps me far (though maybe not far enough) from the violence of the modern 21st century battlefield.
This book should be required reading for anyone who might ever wish to cover events downrange. The men and women who covered previous wars were themselves either veterans or else they had been closely associated with the 20th century's wars. [One thinks of Hemingway and Herbert L. Matthews] Today few news men and women can claim any familiarity with the military's (sub- or is it counter-)culture which boasts its own lexicon of terms and phrases unknown to even otherwise quite learned Americans.
More journalists should be soldiers or at least deeply understand the reality of military service in garrison or downrange. More soldiers-- esp those who have to conduct and explain our wars to the voters-- should be better writers. [We have a few generals who hold PhD and other advanced degrees in Literature and other related fields]
I think too many in the media are raised and educated in worlds apart from the average man or woman in uniform. Can we afford a C.P. Snow version of "The Two Cultures"??
The need to get the truth is and should be a journalists highest duty.

As more & more of our news, since 9/11, has been about the War on Terrorism; as our fighting men & women gear up for battle; as our politicians have raised the idea of the Draft again, I know I need information about how our journalists' report military news. I also want to be able to identify the rank of a speaker, the designation of a unit, & the language of the military, & I want to know when reporters make mistakes (& in their efforts for eye-catching headlines, they do!)

PEN & SWORD is not only for military reporters, it also helps civilians understand the basics of the military; the modern history of military reporting, from Vietnam, the Gulf War to today; how the news gets to us from the field; how the Pentagon handles its news; how the defense industry is reported, & when & why reporters must expose phoney heroes & keep secrets.

Certainly a book for every military student & all civilians interested in understanding, & giving our warriors their due.