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reporting war by Sharon Schmickle While scores of journalists were confronting trauma and danger to cover the Iraq War, a group of seasoned veterans of such assignments took a brief break to gather at Bretton Woods, N.H., and talk about the emotional challenges raised by their duties in the field. For two days, they engaged one another in frank, freewheeling and often personally cathartic discussions about human vulnerability as it relates to the craft of combat journalism. In the end, these intense competitors agreed to share what they had learned with others who cover conflict. They concurred that journalists who are equipped to care for themselves emotionally can stay in the field longer, deliver more compelling reports and return home with fewer problems. Their recommendations in October 2005 launched a project which culminated in publication of this handbook. The retreat and the hand- book are projects of the Dart Society, a group of journalists who support sensitive coverage of trauma and care of those covering it. reporting war by Sharon Schmickle reporting war by Sharon Schmickle A Dart Society Project Editorial Coordinator: Meg Spratt Layout/design: Adam Welch, Hemisphere Design Cover photo: Baghdad, 2003. Scott Wallace © 2007 Dart Center for Journalism & Trauma and the Dart Society. All rights reserved. You are welcome to copy or redistribute this material in print or electronically, provided the text is not modified, the Dart Center and the Dart Society are cited in any use, and no fee is charged for copies of this booklet. Dart Center for Journalism & Trauma Dept. of Communication 102 Communications Bldg. Box 353740 University of Washington Seattle, WA 98195-3740 (USA) www.dartcenter.org Introduction ............................................ 2 C H A P T E R 1 The Stakes .............................................. 4 C H A P T E R 2 Getting Ready to Go ................................... 6 C H A P T E R 3 During the Assignment ............................. 10 C H A P T E R 4 Coming Home ........................................ 14 C H A P T E R 5 For Editors ............................................ 18 C H A P T E R 6 For Family & Friends ................................. 24 Conclusion ............................................ 26 About the Author .................................... 27 For More Information ............................... 28 Introduction Newsroom clip files are packed ease our normal, human responses to dangerous assignments? with stories about the trauma that can follow conflict and Military leaders are beginning to understand that they can boost troops’ danger: the depression of strength and endurance by responding the U.S. Marine who hanged to combat stress. himself after a tour of duty It’s time for news organizations to do the same. in Iraq, the flashbacks of the Liberian refugee who hid Security training and protective gear are essential preparations for among dead bodies to avoid a dangerous assignment, combat being shot, the insomnia of reporters agree. Packing lists and other tip sheets are immensely helpful. But the UN peacekeeper who news organizations are not doing witnessed the murders of enough to shield reporters and photographers until they also address Timorese babies. trauma. What about the journalists who risked their lives to cover the stories behind the trauma? What is being done to 2 | reporting war photo by Hayne Palmour Reporter Darrin Mortenson works as Marines stage outside of Nasiriyah in March, 2003. reporting war | 3 The Stakes C hapter 1 Journalists who accept needed. I could have used it a long time ago.” dangerous assignments take on more than a few risky Bill Gentile defines his life today in large part through the prism of his weeks or months. They face photo coverage of conflict in Latin dramatic and often permanent America during the 1970s and ‘80s. changes in the way they see “That will never go away, and I don’t want it to go away,” says Gentile, who themselves and their work. was a photographer for UPI and Newsweek at the time and later worked “I’m looking back at the things I have as an independent documentary film- done with a certain amount of horror,” maker while also teaching at American says Dave Wood, who has covered University in Washington D.C. conflict in Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, Kenya, Russia, China, East Germany, Hayne Palmour IV saw himself and Nicaragua, the Philippines, Bosnia, journalism in a whole new light after Panama and Haiti. he photographed U.S. Marines through three tours in Iraq and a mission in “I never particularly prepared,” says Somalia. He worked for North County Wood, now a reporter for the Baltimore Times in San Diego County, Calif. Sun. “I learned things by making stupid mistakes along the way. If I am any “Our war reporting experience has example, this kind of thing is badly become our identity ... It changed us 4 | reporting war forever,” Palmour says of himself and the other correspondents. Gentile and Palmour struggled with grief over fallen colleagues and horror over the sheer carnage they saw. But they also grew in wisdom about human nature, world affairs and their own reservoirs of strength. The critical question is whether the positive can outweigh the negative and better equip a correspondent to grow in new directions. “Our war reporting experience has become our identity ... It changed us forever.” – Hayne Palmour reporting war | 5 Getting Ready To Go C hapter 2 The time to start mental prepa- covering the cause at issue – can help fortify endurance. ration is well ahead of the day you board the plane. Unless Gentile worries that today’s journal- ists are heading into harm’s way you’re abruptly dispatched on without the clear sense of mission that a breaking story, you should: drove many of the correspondents who covered the plight of Central 1) Weigh the pros and cons before you Americans caught in a nightmare of accept the assignment. Be honest with bloody politics. yourself. Is the appeal a love of danger “The people we should be most loyal and the unknown? Is it ambition to to are not the people who send us our impress your editors? Most journalists checks every two weeks,” Gentile says. who dare to risk their lives share at “They are the people who provide us least a shred of each. But you will be the raw material, who allow us into separated from what normally matters their homes and their hearts so that we in life. Ask yourself whether those can practice this craft, which is a real motives alone can sustain you through privilege.” the terrible grind of sporadic fear coupled with the logistical difficulties That focus on ideals kept Gentile and of working in remote locations. his contemporaries going even after some in their ranks were killed. Altruistic motives – a sense of jour- nalistic duty and a commitment to Make sure you understand your own focus and know whether you truly 6 | reporting war want the assignment. A clear focus on serving on your personal support team your goals also can provide reassurance during an assignment. on the job and a sense of accomplish- ment afterwards. 4) Try to email or phone other journal- ists already in the danger zone. They 2) Study and understand the nature of are in the best position to help with the risks you are taking. Your fear isn’t logistical arrangements that can relieve going to go away. Indeed, it shouldn’t your stress on arrival. Ask them to because it spurs a healthy drive to stay recommend fixers, drivers, reasonably safe. But you can make a certain peace safe places to stay and local experts with it so that it doesn’t paralyze and who might befriend you. traumatize you. If journalists aren’t available, contact 3) Tap the wisdom of experienced relief workers or UN staff operating colleagues. Journalists are more effec- in the region. Such an on-the-ground tive on dangerous assignments when network is particularly important for they learn to lean on each other. freelancers. Don’t be shy. Colleagues in larger news organizations often are “I’ve done a fair bit of this line of work, willing to “adopt” freelancers. if you will, going off to dangerous places over the years, and I must say 5) Plan ahead for the needs of I’ve learned a lot from other people’s your family and other loved ones. A experience, things that hadn’t occurred common emotion among journal- to me,” says Santiago Lyon, director of ists under fire is intense guilt for the photography for the Associated Press. stress back home. You can’t erase your family’s worries for you or yours for The seasoned professionals you contact them. But you can lighten the burden. often will keep in touch, effectively reporting war | 7 Beyond wills and personal insurance, are going to be in touch and who will negotiate a precise agreement on pay. what costs your employer will cover if you are disabled or killed. Will mental Judith Matloff, a Columbia University health care be covered? How about professor who has covered war and the cost of transporting a body home? violence across the globe, learned only What’s the exit strategy in case your life after tense weeks of covering conflict depends on getting out, and what will in Angola that her newsroom’s policy your newsroom pay? Make sure your was to pay for phone calls to spouses family knows the details. but no one else. Matloff was single. Had she known about the policy in advance, 6) Set up contact plans with editors she would have argued that she also and loved ones. At least two editors needed the comfort and reassurance of should be designated to be available voices from home.

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