Media doesn't cover this do they!

[erricer]

CAMP ZADAN, Iraq(May 8, 2004) -- Marines from 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment conducted a bit of "street diplomacy" here recently.

The Marines fanned out to the villages surrounding the camp passing out coloring books and tackling infrastructure projects to improve living conditions for the Iraqis.

"We're giving out coloring books, school supplies and Frisbees to the local kids," said Warrant Officer Eddie D. Dubois, from Gladwin, Mi., who serves as the battalion's information operations officer. "We're getting the message across to rural areas that the Coalition Forces are here to help rebuild a free Iraq."

Most goods passed out were donated by Spirit of America, a nonprofit organization based in Los Angeles.

The most recent smiles came when yo-yos were passed out to local children.

"We had to show them how to use the things," Dubois explained. "They all laughed at seeing us trying to get it right and when we left they were trying to figure the things out themselves."

Even though the battalion was only in the camp for a few days, the message of the Coalition's intent of helping the Iraqi people got out. Marines passed out leaflets offering phone numbers for Iraqis to seek help for getting clean water.

"An ongoing project is helping the local water treatment plant," Dubois said.

Clean water is scarce in many rural areas of Iraq. Water treatment became a project where Marines quickly became involved.

"We've found a lack of good drinking water to be the number one complaint," said Maj. Mark P. DeVito, a Civil Affairs Group leader from San Diego. "We're putting $50,000 into the water plant. Because the people want to see immediate effects, we're giving 50,000-gallon water bladders to different towns so they have a way to get water immediately."

DeVito explained that Iraqis in the area were pro-Coalition at one time, but without seeing their surroundings improve, their minds changed. The Marines plan to leverage their assistance to gain back trust through upgrading conditions.

In addition to the water plant, CAG is also working to organize a street cleanup. Hiring people to go through the town and pick up trash not only cleans up the area but also creates jobs.

"Because we're out there in the towns every day, we see what needs to get done," DeVito said. "We become familiar to the people and they give us information about insurgents or weapons caches."
This kind of stuff never makes it to the media, so I would like to show you that our troops are doing more than just killing the bad guys!

[Raz_Kaz]

Thats good stuff man ....Always good to know theres some good these days

[jon@af]

Of course it never makes it to the media. Who want's to see happiness and glee on peoples faces?

[T4 Primera]

If the media doesn't cover this, then what is the source of this article? Is it from an internal military publication? Just curious (not suspicious).

[erricer]

Originally Posted by T4 Primera

If the media doesn't cover this, then what is the source of this article? Is it from an internal military publication? Just curious (not suspicious).

It's from USMC.mil, so yeah it's a military based site!

[Raz_Kaz]

I doubt most media do some kind of research, but just take what the reporters give them...

[taranaki]

Sounds about usual.The media don't give anyone free advertising,why should the military be any different?This article isn't news,it's spin.

[erricer]

Originally Posted by taranaki

Sounds about usual.The media don't give anyone free advertising,why should the military be any different?This article isn't news,it's spin.

I don't get what you mean? Grunt proof it for me!

[RedLightning]

well how the heck could you spin anything like this anyways?

Originally Posted by J_Swigz

Of course it never makes it to the media. Who want's to see happiness and glee on peoples faces?

I really beleive that, ever see that james bond movie, with the "mad newpaper dude"? The guy who kept making bad stuff happening? He got his best ratings when he posted bad news.

[Pick]

Oh.....anything can be seen as spin when you are in an anti-everything state of mind.

[T4 Primera]

Originally Posted by erricer

It's from USMC.mil, so yeah it's a military based site!

Thanks, I'll add it to my list of sources.

[YogsVR4]

Originally Posted by Pick

Oh.....anything can be seen as spin when you are in an anti-everything state of mind.

In other words, perspective. Anti or pro anything is just a perspective.













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[jon@af]

Originally Posted by Um...Nameless Dork

well how the heck could you spin anything like this anyways?




I really beleive that, ever see that james bond movie, with the "mad newpaper dude"? The guy who kept making bad stuff happening? He got his best ratings when he posted bad news.

I agree. Everything is so negative and dismal that people actually feed off of it. It's disgusting that instead of hearing of the birth of a new child into the world (which granted, happens every day at every moment somewhere), or something actually happy, people would rather hear about who has died, or what's been blown up where, or something else like that.

[taranaki]

Originally Posted by erricer

I don't get what you mean? Grunt proof it for me!

Simple.If a plumbing company writes a piece about how excellen its service is and how many satisfied customers it has,that's not news,it's advertising.If someone connected with the US military writes a piece about how wonderful the US military is,that is advertising too.Or propaganda.Either way,it's not news.

[DGB454]

So these guys are just posing for these pictures then killing the people after the cameras leave? Oh wait...they are probably forcing the Iraqi people to pose under threat of doing bodily harm.

If it happens it's news reguardless of who prints it.