Letter from Kandahar: Week 18

[punisher_6d]

Seeing as I actually knew the guy....that little line pissed me off big time, to the point that I actually had to walk away with my frau asking "What's wrong?"

Told her to read the article. Her reply was "WTF?"

Hence another reason why I can't stand that individual.

Regards

I didn't know him but was at his internment in Ottawa.  Truly sad watching his poor, poor mother cry over her son's casket. And then I read this article!  Instead of interspersing combat deaths in a story about shopping at KAF, why not write the entire piece about the raw emotion of attending a ramp ceremony there?  "WTF?" is right-on, Recce.

 

[3rd Herd]

Jeez... If the army wont send me back (which seems like the case...) I think I might go back a CFPSA staff...  KAF is a good go for a war zone...  Hell, its a good go for any kinda zone.

Real milk shakes... man.

You are at the end of a very long line up.  Including the proposal to deliever pizza's and birthday cakes to the op's and boys out on ops. Another less known aspect of PPCLI history.

 

[Roy Harding]

I certainly have no problem with support folks telling their stories-as we all recognize, without their work there's no mission, whether it's vehicle recovery, stitching up the wounded or getting the troops from the FOBs off on well-deserved HLTA. Of course, these "inside the wire" stories have to be balanced with stories that remind everybody (CF and civ) why we are really there and who is doing the fighting and dying. In that case, it's just a question of editorial judgement.

Which brings me to my second point...

Putting these comments side by side, almost in the same paragraph, is ludicrous almost beyondf belief. It looks like:

"Some guy died-oh yeah, then we went shopping. Dumm-dee-dumm-dumm. What's for lunch?"

Want to create a bad impression? Keep it up with this kind of combination. Although I'm usually against editorial fiddling, it's badly needed here.

Cheers

I agree completely with everything you said here.

As this individual's blog is being endorsed and showcased by the CF, shouldn't there be some kind of oversight from the PAff folks?  Surely they are trained to recognize and head-off such lack of editorial judgment.  I also feel that "editorial fiddling" is undesirable - HOWEVER, this is not a "private" blog here - it has been endorsed by the CF and as such could be seen as an official view from the CF.

And just to follow on with other's thoughts - I too would like to read more from the guys out beyond the wire (including the MSE Ops and Sup Techs doing re-supply,the MRT teams and the Cbt Arms guys).  I think they're probably all too busy getting on with the job to devote any time to this type of secondary or tertiary pursuit.

Regardless her lack of editorial panache (which could be fixed with PAff oversight) - I think these "Letters" should be pushed out to the "Lifestyle" pages of major dailies - they aren't "news", but I don't think they're meant to be - but they do have value.

 

[visitor]

Hi , I am a civvie and perhaps the intended audience of these letters. My first impression is just that they are bad writing: First I did this, then I did this, then we  had a ramp ceremony. How Sad. Then I did that.  Kids write like that.  Could she have been picked to write because they are devoid of meaningful information, opinion and insight and therefore not apt to stir up any  controversy?  I would love to know what is going on over there, but a bright person can  follow the dots to make inferences, draw conclusions,  etc. Perhap somebody is being  brilliant to post "letters" with absolutely no information about anything meaningful.

 

[3rd Herd]

And just to follow on with other's thoughts - I too would like to read more from the guys out beyond the wire (including the MSE Ops and Sup Techs doing re-supply,the MRT teams and the Cbt Arms guys).  I think they're probably all too busy getting on with the job to devote any time to this type of secondary or tertiary pursuit.

Roy there are some excellent articles, insightful, and generally well written on the bases. You should remember the old "Lookout" in which some poor devil in every unit was required to come up with a couple of paragraphs for that issue's submission. Now they have colourful pictures, the same bad adds but written work which the mainstream has never gone near as it is written by amateurs.

 

[Roy Harding]

Roy there are some excellent articles, insightful, and generally well written on the bases. You should remember the old "Lookout" in which some poor devil in every unit was required to come up with a couple of paragraphs for that issue's submission. Now they have colourful pictures, the same bad adds but written work which the mainstream has never gone near as it is written by amateurs.

Although I don't recall "The Lookout" specifically (wasn't it a West Coast thing?) I remember other publications well (got "voluntold" to make contributions once or twice myself).  The Maple Leaf and other internal organs continue to fill a need within the service.

But - and I should have been clearer - in my previous posts I am referring to PUBLIC exposure in the MSM, or through "semi-official" blogs such as these "Letters".  In-house publications are wonderful (and could also be hilarious, as I recall), but  by definition they don't get exposure to the general public.

I seem to keep coming back to PAff here, but couldn't those in-house pubs be "mined" for articles suitable to the MSM?  And PUSHED to the major dailies by the PAff folks (perhaps after some light editorial work)?  Maybe I'm asking too much, I am not an expert in media/public relations, or in how to get things published in the MSM - PAff folks are supposed to be  experts in these fields.

I hope someone from PAff will be along here to explain why this isn't feasible, I get the feeling I might be missing some valid reason it can't be done.

 

[MG34]

The 'Letters from Kandahar" series is nothing but tripe,who give's a rat's ass about the daily trials and tribulations of deciding what DFAC to eat at or what someone did on leave. The author and Army News should be emarassed that this crap is being shown as news worthy.

 

[George Wallace]

The 'Letters from Kandahar" series is nothing but tripe,who give's a rat's ass about the daily trials and tribulations of deciding what DFAC to eat at or what someone did on leave.

Somebody's Mom might.    ;D

But you are correct.  Not too many others would be interested in the "puff pieces". 

 

[Roy Harding]

I agree with both George Wallace and MG34 above.  I've been saying it all along - these belong in the "Lifestyles" section of MSM dailies, they are NOT news.

AND - I think MANY civilians would be interested in the content.  Those who WOULD find these pieces interesting are not those likely to be frequenting the DND or any other military site.  The folks these puff-pieces would (IMO) opinion appeal to are EXACTLY some of those who's "hearts and minds" we (DND) keep saying we need to get onside.

To sum up:  In my opinion, these pieces are NOT NEWS, but DO have a place in the MSM - and need to be PUSHED there by "somebody", I've suggested PAff, with some editorial oversight.

 

[punisher_6d]

Roy,

I'll agree with you on using them in a Lifestyle section of a newspaper, but to do that they have to be well-written to be accepted by the MSM.  These kinds of "Letters" likely will not, IMO.  One soldier you might want to look at who has successfully done this is Sgt Russel D. Storing.  You can see his pieces for the CBC here:  http://www.cbc.ca/news/viewpoint/vp_storring/  Another is Cpl Brian Sanders:  http://www.cbc.ca/news/viewpoint/vp_sanders/

 

[Roy Harding]

Roy,

I'll agree with you on using them in a Lifestyle section of a newspaper, but to do that they have to be well-written to be accepted by the MSM.  These kinds of "Letters" likely will not, IMO.  One soldier you might want to look at who has successfully done this is Sgt Russel D. Storing.  You can see his pieces for the CBC here:  http://www.cbc.ca/news/viewpoint/vp_storring/  Another is Cpl Brian Sanders:  http://www.cbc.ca/news/viewpoint/vp_sanders/

It would seem we are in agreement!  Not always an easy thing to do on an internet forum!

I am aware of the two links you provided - I should have brought them into this conversation earlier.  Thanks for doing so.  I also recall regular features (well) written by various soldiers serving in Afg in both the Sun and Canwest papers - but for the life of me I can't remember who the soldiers were, or when they were published.  If you recall those articles, I'd appreciate if you could post links to them here.

I'd be interested to know how many hits those two CBC sites get - it isn't posted.  In fact, I think I'll send an inquiry to the webmaster to see if I can get those stats.  If I do, I'll post them here.

I agree on the "well-written" comment you made - I'm assuming that editorial oversight would assist in overcoming this problem.  Actually - I wonder if Sgt Storing and Cpl Sanders are assisted by either PAff or CBC editorial staff?

Cheers!

 

[punisher_6d]

Here's a recent one courtesy of Canoe:  http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/War_Terror/2007/08/11/4410592-sun.html  It's by MCpl Martin Forgues a journalism student and a Reservist.  Well done Martin!  This is an example, I think, of what Canadians want to see.

 

[Roy Harding]

Here's a recent one courtesy of Canoe:  http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/War_Terror/2007/08/11/4410592-sun.html  It's by MCpl Martin Forgues a journalism student and a Reservist.  Well done Martin!  This is an example, I think, of what Canadians want to see.

Absolutely - that was a well written slice of life - I'm assuming that as a journalism student he has a "leg-up" on the "well-written" part of the equation.

I still feel that there is a place for the "Letters from Kandahar", as well.