Department of Defense

www.defenselink.mil

Department of Defense

Military officials like to refer to the Department of Defense as America's oldest and largest employer, with more than 200 years of history and more than 3.3 million people on the payroll. That scope alone provides a wealth of local story opportunities, provided you have the patience to learn a little about the military and press through the department's massive beauracracy.
 

The Basics

The main number for DOD is 703-697-5131.  Don't be afraid to explain what you need -- whether it's information on casualties, base closing, force protection, policies concerning women in combat, etc. But realize that a different press person handles each of those areas. They're quick to remind us that they have beats, just like reporters. A list of press people, their direct numbers, and the areas they cover can be faxed to you. Don't worry about making them work a little; often getting an answer within a few hours will take some prodding. 

First, you should learn the basic structure of the military. Basically, there's the Army, Air Force, Navy/Coast Guard and Marines (note: Marine Corps falls under the Navy). They prepare the warriors for battle. Commands (called the Unified Combatant Commands) send them off to battle. There are ten commands, with the newest being the Northern Command, which is based in Colorado and was set up post-Sept. 11.

Separate from the active-duty components, each of the services has its own reserve force. In addition, the National Guard is controlled by the states until it is “federalized,” for instance, to fight in Iraq.

The Department’s official site, www.defenselink.mil, has a wealth of links to defense resources. Look at the defense almanac on the site for basic stats and organizational information, as well as press distribution lists for casualty announcements and other news. Also, the yearly almanacs published by each service are very helpful to have within reach, with info ranging from base locations to descriptions of weapon systems, names of officers and the commands at each base. At least get the almanac for the service that has a base in your region.

Tips on Covering the DoD

Read the Early Bird every day. If possible (and it might not be), read the Early Bird every day. It's a compilation, chosen by the Press Office, of most defense-related stories written by the major dailies and magazines, with occasional inclusion of notable defense stories written by smaller dailies and trade publications. It is invaluable to keeping up with the constant flow of stories. It is only accessible, however, to computers originating from a .mil or .gov. Some reporters have talked the Early Bird office into e-mailing the list of stories and their links every day. They work from about 11 p.m. to about 8 a.m. http://ebird.afis.osd.mil/

The Canadian Early Bird is good, too, and includes the occasional story that's been censored by the Pentagon: http://www.cfc.forces.gc.ca/spotnews_e.html

Get on DOD and service call lists and e-mail lists, as well as lists for the House and Senate armed services committees. There are more lists I'd advise getting on, but more on that later.

Get the DOD phone book. The Government Printing Office should be able to give you one if public affairs won't oblige. With that book, feel free to cold call civilian and military employees, and if they won't talk to you at least they can refer you to someone who might. Many will send you back to public affairs, but not all.

Sometimes the best time to meet these guys is outside of the Pentagon. There are many acquisition-type groups, like Institute for Defense and Government Advancement (IDGA) and the Precision-Strike Association. Others, like AUSA (Association of the U.S. Army), routinely hold conferences featuring some of the big-shots as speakers. So consider getting on their e-mail lists to know when these conferences are happening.

But meet the public affairs staff, because they often hold the key and will be more helpful if they know you. Once you've met an officer through an interview set up by public affairs, they might just take your call directly next time. (Make sure to visit defenselink.mil and learn to recognize ranks.)

If you're serious about covering defense, get a Pentagon press pass. It's the only way you can wander freely in the Pentagon halls, dropping in on officers and generals. You have to prove you'll show up there often enough to merit one (In 2005, they say 2-3 times a week). I'd suggest showing up regularly at the briefings, which are a couple times a week, at least. Transcripts of all these briefings are e-mailed to reporters by the end of the day. Without a pass you can still get escorted in. Make sure to chat up the staff person who escorts you and introduce yourself every time so they remember you. After a month or so, if you keep pushing, you might get a pass.

Also, try the bases. Bases may house a number of “commands” that control, for example, acquisition or research and space operations. Sometimes calling them directly is more fruitful. So be prepared to be calling long distance.

Visit your local bases when possible. If you plan to try to fly in a fighter or carrier, get altitude certified at Andrews Air Force base in Maryland. Just call the Air Force for more information. It's a free day long training session.

Non-Military Resources

Another good resource for local stories and local contacts is the National Military Family Association (www.nmfa.org). Spouses usually have a good idea of what's happening on local bases and are more willing to talk to the press than troops, especially if they think the military is ignoring their family's problem. They'll also usually hear about casualty and funeral information before it's released through official channels.

Congressional sources also are invaluable to understanding the military and getting information on your base. Get to know people on appropriations and armed services committees, plus staff experts for your congressional delegation who specialize in the military. Staffs also have rotating military fellows who work on this stuff.

There are many groups that support, oppose, criticize, and help us understand the military. The Association of Military Reporters and Editors (www.militaryreporters.org) has some good resources online, including a list of military think tanks with experts ready to hand out a quote. For some basics, start with the Federation of American Scientists, which has a good Military 101 site: http://www.fas.org, including definitions of weapon systems, explainers on issues and acronyms. Also an interactive acronym and military glossary is located at Jane's defense web site: http://www.janes.com/defence/glossary.

Retired generals and officers are invaluable sources when active leaders won't talk, and the networks have used them ad nauseam during the war on terrorism. Many former top generals are still in the loop on strategy and the latest developments. Try think tanks or retiree associations for the services. Kudos if you can find one who worked at your base or is from your area.

Check with the DOD Inspector General (http://www.dodig.osd.mil/) or Army Audit Agency (http://www.hqda.army.mil/aaaweb/) to find reports about waste, fraud and abuse at your local base. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) takes on DOD waste often, so getting on their automatic-mailing lists is advised. I've had to file two quick, easy FOIAs with Army Audit Agency about once a year, the first for a list of a year's worth of investigations and reports, and the second for the top 5 or 10 or so titles and descriptions that interested me.

FYI on Defense Contracts
 

Know that the military doesn't release information on any contracts they've awarded until 5 p.m., to avoid roiling the markets mid-day. If you're expecting a decision on who gets to build the latest fighter or truck or missile or any of billions of dollars in war-fighting materials, get the after-hours number from the PAO who handles that account ahead of time and also prepare to call whoever wins. It'll be tougher to get these people after 5.
 

Does this agency's information need updating? programs@nationalpress.org