Reporting from the Front Lines
An Interview With Embedded L.A. Times Reporter David Zucchino
In recent years, Americans have been treated to unprecedented images, reports and video of the battles being fought in the Middle East as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Never before have civilians had an opportunity to actually see, hear and read about the battles as they're fought - all thanks to a dedicated group of journalists who risk life and limb to report the news from the battle field.
Over the past decade, brave journalists from around the globe have traveled, lived and worked with the United States Military personnel as embedded reporters. They report on the war as it occurs, creating a new standard of military and war reporting.
L.A. Times reporter David Zucchino is one of the dedicated reporters who has spent time overseas as an embedded reporter. He recently shared his experiences with Suite101.
Q. When and where did you serve as an embedded reporter?
A. My first embed was from February through May, 2003, for the invasion of Iraq. I started with the 101st Airborne Division in Kuwait, and then switched to the 3rd Infantry Division in Iraq after the 101st troop truck I was riding in plunged into a canal, ruining my laptop computer and satellite phone.
Q. What were the conditions like when you were embedded?
A. Conditions were austere. We were on the move, so we slept on the ground in a different location in the desert each night. Some nights we didn’t sleep at all, so we had to try to catch a few hours sleep while riding in troop trucks. Food consisted of MREs (Meals Ready-to-Eat) and water, when available, was bottled. When the bottled water ran out, we had to drink water taken from local sources and purified by military purification teams. Toilet facilities were limited to a hole in the ground.
Q. How did you come to the decision to accept this particular assignment? Was it a difficult decision?
A. I wanted to cover the invasion first-hand, so it wasn’t a difficult decision. I had previously covered wars and civil conflicts in roughly 15 nations over the previous 20 years, so I knew what I was getting into.
Q. How often did you file reports?
A. I filed every day or two, depending on my access and depending on what was occurring. I filed a few breaking news stories, but most were longer pieces focusing on a particular subject. I also filed inserts to wrap-up stories.
Q. From your perspective as a journalist, what were the primary advantages of reporting from a position that’s literally in the line of fire, as opposed to utilizing second-hand accounts or from a position along the sidelines, as was most common in covering conflicts in the past?
A. The advantages were enormous. I didn’t have to rely on canned statements from a public affairs person in the rear. I was able to witness events first-hand, and to interview people at the scene. There were no public affairs escorts with my units, so I was completely unencumbered and was able to speak with everyone I came across.
The disadvantage, of course, was that I had to rely entirely on the military for transportation, food, water and access. I wasn’t able to interview Iraqi soldiers, militia fighter or ordinary Iraqis. I had very little insight into what was happening elsewhere in Iraq, especially in Baghdad. I had no knowledge of events in Washington D.C., or in Arab capitals. I was limited to what I could see right in front of me in my little corner of the war, or what I could find out from interviewing soldiers and their commanders. And I had to work hard every day to keep from adopting the point of view of the military people I was traveling with. I had to constantly remind myself to step back and keep an independent viewpoint.
Q. Were there times when you truly wondered if you were going to return home safely?
A. I never doubted that I would get out alive. I talked to many soldiers, all of whom firmly believed, as I did, that it was the other guy who was going to get hit.
Q. What would you say is your most memorable experience from your time as an embedded reporter?
A. My most memorable experience was riding in a Bradley Fighting Vehicle in the armored column that invaded Baghdad and captured the city – including Saddam’s Republican Palace downtown – on April 7 to April 10, 2003. Living in the palace, and being present when soldiers found nearly $800 million in Saddam’s $100 bills, was unforgettable.
Q. What would you say to a journalist who is considering an assignment as an embedded reporter?
A. Do it. It’s worth the risk.
Q. Would you do it again?
A. Absolutely – and I have. I’ve since been embedded at least a dozen times in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Related Reading
Check out the Resources for Writers Page for tips and articles like How to Write a Newspaper Article and How to Find a Job as a Journalist
David Zucchino poses on Loomis Palace in Baghdad.
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