Afghan media learn about close-air support
by Staff Sgt. Rachel Martinez
455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
1/8/2009 - BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan (AFNS) -- Members of the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing and Bagram Airfield Media Operations Center hosted an Afghan media day Jan. 5 here.
Fourteen journalists and cameramen from various Afghan news agencies received an up-close look at close air support in Afghanistan, complete with tours of the F-15E Strike Eagle and the A-10 Thunderbolt II and a briefing from Brig. Gen. James M. "Mike" Holmes, the 455th AEW commander.
The conflict in Afghanistan is just as much an information war as it is a kinetic one, General Holmes said. Department of Defense Public Affairs officials strive to provide timely and accurate information; however, succeeding at the information war becomes a challenge when competing with an enemy who is not concerned with facts. Since the insurgents are good at getting their story out, in order for balanced media coverage it becomes essential for U.S. and coalition forces to engage the local media.
"To our knowledge, the Afghan media had not been engaged like this before," said Army Capt. Jennifer Martin, from the Bagram Airfield Media Operations Center. "It's really important we engage the Afghan media because we're in their country. They need to understand what we are doing, how we are doing it, where we are doing it and how it affects them."
The BMOC hosted multiple Afghan media days in the past year; however, this tour focused on airpower. The day's events were intended to provide the media representatives with a better understanding of how the 455th AEW executes its close-air-support mission.
"A lot of coverage is slanted in a negative nature against us," said Army 1st Lt. Meagan Newsom of the BMOC. "It's not that they are trying to make us look bad, but how can they report fairly on something they don't fully understand."
As the media representatives had a chance to see the jets up close and ask questions, they gained a better understanding of close-air support execution.
"There are many civilian casualty concerns, but I have learned how the Air Force tries to avoid it and how much they make the aircraft effective in fighting the insurgents," said Sharif Khoram, an Afghan reporter with Agence Free Press News Agency. "It was all explained to me."
With plans for additional Afghan media days and more engagement with local news agencies, the 455th AEW and BMOC members hope to build trust among the Afghan population through media coverage on the U.S. and coalition missions.
"We want (the media) to know so they can go out and tell the Afghan people what the Air Force is here to do," Lieutenant Newsom said. "It's very important to tell the coalition story through the Afghan eyes; they tell it best."
"The media helps us do our job by keeping us in check and reporting on what we do," General Holmes said. "It's important the people of Afghanistan understand how we operate, how we are here to help, and the media plays a key role in accomplishing that."
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