Reservists add media relations to regimen

December 27, 2005|Associated Press

DEVENS -- This spring, members of the First Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment will be on security detail in Iraq.

But before they go, First Lieutenant Nathan Braden wants them to know that the world will be watching. Braden recently ran a media relations workshop with a group of reservists -- including some from Nashua -- at the Devens Reserve Force Training Area.

Braden showed photos of prisoner abuse by US troops at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison to drive home his point -- words and actions of soldiers overseas influence how the war is perceived at home. Other advice includes tips to avoid speaking in military jargon and to be welcoming to reporters.

''Don't beat up a reporter," he joked.

Braden also advises troops not to shy away from bad news. He said an honest account of what's going on in the war helps the public appreciate what Marines are doing.

''Whether it's the good, bad, or indifferent, they want to know the truth," he said.

But with the world focused closely on the war, Braden also said soldiers must avoid saying or doing ''stupid" things, like criticizing their boss in public.

During a trip to Kuwait last year, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld was peppered with questions from disgruntled soldiers. The widely reported episode quoted one soldier who asked Rumsfeld why troops had to dig through landfills for scrap metal to make armor for their military vehicles.