Army Acquisition System versus the Media.
Abstract
Those who make weapon acquisition decisions in the Army inevitably meet the press. Hardened though an Army civilian or military officer may be toward television or newspapers, he will be required to do business with the media. Sometimes good fortune with the press spells victory for an acquisition policy or program. However, failure in dealings with the media can doom a vital weapon acquisition program. This can and has occurred despite the value of the program to national defense or the best efforts of the brightest people. Clearly, those who would be successful defense advocates and weapons program managers need to know about the media and the flow of news. This essay looks at the media's relationship with the military and the effect it has on the Army's acquisition of weapons systems. This approach--from a military officer's viewpoint--will provide a historical overview of the Army/media conflict: 1) A look at the media as an institution, its diversity, ethics, motives, accuracy, fairness and responsibility; 2) The attitude of the vast majority of military officers, their impressions, and emotional reactions about the media; 3) The movement of news coverage from actual combat to concentrate on budget-related issues and weapons acquisition programs. The final section focuses on a realistic policy of dealing with the media. The basic thrust is to start treating Army/media relations as an important part of the Army mission.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 23, 1987
- Accession Number
- ADA182777
Entities
People
- Ray Kauffman
Organizations
- United States Army War College