Judges’ comments: These articles crack wide open a disturbing and unexplored part of health care policy. The problem of American soldiers forced to carry outrageously heavy burdens, as described in this outstanding, nuanced work, cries out for policy attention and innovation.
List date(s) this work was published or aired.
Feb. 13-14, 2011 and March 20, 2011
See this entry.
Provide a brief synopsis of the story or stories, including any significant findings.
Reporter Hal Bernton returned from a 2009 embed in Kandahar Afghanistan with a basic question about a big element of life for ground troops: Are the soldiers carrying too much weight? Over and over again, he heard tales of back, shoulder, ankle and other injuries that were dogging the soldiers as they often went on patrols with 90, 100 or more pounds of gear. In long wars that ground on in Afghanistan and Iraq, what type of toll could that weight take on soldier and marines who deployed again and again? He set out to answer those questions in a cooperative effort with KUOW that found that Army and Marine leaders had long known that soldiers were overloaded but up until recently had done very little to lighten the load. The result has been an avalanche injuries and long-term disablilties that will afflict many service members over their lifetimes and cost the taxpayers billions in disability payments.
Explain types of documents, data or Internet resources used. Were FOI or public records act requests required? How did this affect the work?
Used extensive government documents. FOIA and public records were required. Some were not filled in time for this report.
Explain types of human sources used.
Used interviews with members of the military as well as experts on the effects of carrying this heavy gear and politicians and medical experts concerned about the issue.
Results (if any).
U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Bremerton has urged the Army Secretary to address the issue of the weight of gear soldiers carry for battle.
Follow-up (if any). Have you run a correction or clarification on the report or has anyone come forward to challenge its accuracy? If so, please explain.
The follow-up was on Sunday, March 20, 2011.
Advice to other journalists planning a similar story or project.
Get any public documents requests in early.