Military
Clothing – War Reporters Warned of Risks of Wearing Military Clothing
Obviously, in order to be cutting edge journalism, reporters need to
be on the front line but the MOD has warned war reporters of the dangers
of them wearing military clothing when reporting on the wars in Iraq
and Afghanistan.
According to a report in the Independent, journalists working with the
armed forces in Iraq were warned by the MOD that they should stop wearing
military clothing through fears that insurgents would confuse them for
army personnel, which would put their lives at risk if attacked by insurgents.
The military clothing worn by allied forces serving in Iraq and Afghanistan
is very distinctive and the insistence of many war reporters to wear
the same type of military clothing is actively being discouraged as it
is believed that it has made them targets in the past and could continue
to do so in the future. By wearing military clothing the same as the
armed forces serving in these countries, wartime reporters were likely
to substantially increase the likelihood of their being attacked and,
as such, the MOD are calling for them to ditch their military clothing
in favour of clothing that clearly exhibits that they are working for
the press and shouldn’t be considered as combatants.
Military Clothing – Using Common Sense
The wearing
of military clothing is for the very purpose of distinguishing between
two sets of warring factions and the emergence that many journalists
reporting from war-zones were wearing military clothing caused considerable
concern for the MOD back in the UK. According to the report in the Independent,
the MOD had grown concerned by the number of television journalists filing
their reports wearing military clothing and asked that they return to
clothing that highlights their role as journalists. Speaking to the Independent,
a spokesman for the MOD stated, “We have spoken to our media operations
teams out in the Middle East and given them a reminder that the recommendation
is blue ¬ just in case any of the journalists have forgotten it.”
Military Clothing – Safety First
The safety of
journalists in Iraq and Afghanistan is, of course, of paramount importance
it was felt that this goal was not best served by
allowing war-zone journalists to continue wearing military clothing whilst
reporting on the activities transpiring on the front line. By returning
to the blue ‘PRESS’ clothing and away from military clothing,
it is believed that the number of instances of journalists coming under
fire has reduced significantly.
Military Clothing from John Bull Military Clothing
John Bull Military Clothing is a supplier of quality merchandise to
the Forces worldwide. John Bull Military Clothing is based at the Catterick
Garrison, North Yorkshire. For all your military clothing, outdoor and
survival equipment needs you can order from the online shop. For more
details telephone 01748 833614 or email: mail@johnbullclothing.com
|
