I will take the time to reply to your long comment:

Did I misread? You need a firefight because those pictures sell well and you need the cash flow? – Yes, you misread. I never wrote that I need a firefight. What I did write is the fact that those images do sell better. If I do not make sales, the chances of me coming back shrink. Simple business equation.

Journalists on the battlefield: This is nothing new. Photojournalists have been on the battlefield since the 1850’s. If a Marine is surprised to see a journalist in their midst, then it is simply out of ignorance to the fact that we are, and always will be, in the mix.

Marines protecting me: Before most patrols, I work out a pseudo-plan for “what if” and it never involves Marines catering to me and I am confident that a Marine would save his buddies ass long before he batted an eye at me.

Do I share my proceeds? No. In fact, I have yet to make enough at this job to make it a full time situation. Simple business equation. I am also here out of a love for history and the military and not for the paycheck. I’m pretty sure my posts make that clear. I solicit donations from readers because, for most, I am providing a great service to them that costs me a ton of money. Please read previous comments.

I would rather you concentrate on reporting the conditions and sacrifices these men are making instead of it being a “poor me, I’m making sacrifices and so is my family in order to make more money off of pictures so send me money to make it worth my while.” – I have written more than 25,000 words, in the past three weeks, bringing you stories that do just what you ask. I urge you to take a look at them and not focus on the one tongue-in-cheek story that you constantly refer to. This blog was designed to give interested readers an idea of the ups and downs of getting embedded and staying there. The military view is simply gravy that most others enjoy. This blog is MEANT to be self centered for this reason.

Your blog fails to report the conditions and sacrifices that these men are enduring to protect our country. Do they have blow up mattresses like yours? – Again, I suggest you read the previous posts before sticking your neck out. As for the air mattress: Most do not, but I suggest they get one. I did based on my experience of wishing I had one.

“I am sure they were mortified if they saw it in print.” – Actually, Sgt. Cable invited the story into the blog and thus became the groundwork for this one off color post of hundreds that I have written. I was trying to bring some amusement onto the stage. I accept your disagreement. As for the 20 second radio conversation: It is the only conversation of that type I heard. I wrote about it because, at the time, it was truly very funny. Post can be boring and it was fun to hear the guys break up the boredom with a little humor.

“I would rather you concentrate on reporting the conditions and sacrifices these men are making instead of it being a “poor me, I’m making sacrifices and so is my family…” – Again, I have written extensively about these “conditions and sacrifices”. Again, this blog is about being an embedded journalist with the military, not the other way around (although I do write quite a bit about the men I embed with).

“Where is the information on the number of these Marines that have been injured or killed in combat? To read your report, I wouldn’t know that there were any casualties.” – In my extensive number of embedded days, I have only been involved in two incidents in which someone was killed or injured within my embed, and both times, I wrote extensively about it. I do not write about casualties just to write about casualties. You can get that info anywhere else. To add: There were no casualties during my embed, however, one Marine was killed in Bakwa shortly after I left and due to embed restrictions, I was not allowed to report on it.

Why do you only focus on who avoids the wag bag facilities and how they achieve it? I would think that a real journalist could find something more substantive to report on. – Once again you are focusing on 1% of the words I have written. I would hope you would be more thorough next time you decide to attack me.

One last question, since when was the location of these Marines made public? I was shocked when I first read your blog and saw it in print. You have put the security and safety of these men at risk! – This statement is completely incorrect. Everything I have reported has been legitimate and in no way have I broken any embedment rules in doing so. Never have I been told not to report general locations, which is what I did. For instance, I do not report specific villages, but do report, in a general picture, of being “in Bakwa District, Farah Province,” as dictated by my embedment rules. If I thought I was putting Marines at risk with certain disclosures, I would not report it even if I was given the green light to do so.

Understand that this blog does not generate much income for me. In fact, it started as a way for my family to stay closer to me while gone. The fact that it has become popular for military families is residual, albeit welcomed.

While I disagree with a majority of your opinionated, but not informed letter, I hope I have been able to properly answer your questions and assertions so that have learned a little more today.

Kind Regards and Semper Fi,
DT

ps – I advise that you buy a small, durable air mattress for any Marine you have going on deployment. They weigh less than two pounds and are worth their weight in gold.

Your blog fails to report the conditions and sacrifices that these men are enduring to protect our country. Do they have blow up mattresses like yours? I read your comment about Cable and Barnett’s “escapade”…while you may have found this amusing, I am sure they were mortified if they saw it in print. Your blog makes this sound like a Boy Scout camping trip (not to offend any Boy Scouts). I would rather you concentrate on reporting the conditions and sacrifices these men are making instead of it being a “poor me, I’m making sacrifices and so is my family in order to make more money off of pictures so send me money to make it worth my while.” Where is the information on the number of these Marines that have been injured or killed in combat? To read your report, I wouldn’t know that there were any casualties.

Your tidbit on the conversation with the Captain…was that an “official” radio? What was the point? That these men don’thave anything better to do than gossip about celebrities? I hope to know better.

The true story is that these Marines and Brits are making sacrifices to protect our freedom – even the freedom to write bad blogs. On average, these men are 19 years of old, away from home for the first time, have yet to meet the children that have been born since they deployed, have yet to live with their wives (because they were getting ready to deploy) and this is either their first combat deployment or first deployment period. Some of these guys haven’t spent any holiday home in five years (the old timers) and the “young Marines” any since they enlisted.

Why do you only focus on who avoids the wag bag facilities and how they achieve it? I would think that a real journalist could find something more substantive to report on.

One last question, since when was the location of these Marines made public? I was shocked when I first read your blog and saw it in print. You have put the security and safety of these men at risk!

If your intent was to focus on nothing of importance to the Marines or the Brits, congratulations. You succeeded.

Seriously, though, if you find yourself wishing for a firefight…um…you need to come home for a loooong decompression. Go stand in an open field during a thunderstorm. Much safer and probably sounds about the same!

Good luck and stay SAFE.