GMC bars media from speech by Lynch rescue pilot

The Macon Telegraph ^ | 11-13-03 | Rob Peecher

[eyespysomething]

GMC bars media from speech by Lynch rescue pilot By Rob Peecher Telegraph Staff Writer

MILLEDGEVILLE - Officials at Georgia Military College turned away reporters and photographers who were invited to hear a speech Wednesday by a helicopter pilot involved in the rescue of Jessica Lynch.

Col. Jim LeBrun, the principal of GMC's high school, and Janeen Smith, the public relations director for the school, stopped members of the media outside the auditorium with "bad news."

LeBrun said Marine Maj. Craig Kopel told them before giving the speech that he would not speak if any members of the media were present. They said he did not want his name or photograph printed, though his name was in a news release announcing his appearance. Kopel was scheduled to speak to junior and high school students.

LeBrun said Kopel would "get in trouble" if he spoke to or in front of the media.

LeBrun and Smith were both apologetic and acknowledged that the school sent out a news release earlier this week inviting the media to Kopel's visit.

After being told they could not cover the speech, a Telegraph reporter and photographer returned to Jenkins Hall to interview and photograph Kopel. LeBrun told them to leave, said they were trespassing and contacted campus security.

The reporter and photographer went to a sidewalk outside the school. A GMC security officer told the photographer to leave the sidewalk, stating it was part of campus property. School officials also called the Milledgeville Police Department, and a police officer told the photographer to return to the sidewalk because he was standing in the street. Another officer told the reporter to stay on the sidewalk and off the school's property.

Shortly after noon, a GMC official in a white SUV pulled onto the campus property and pulled up to a side door. Kopel rushed out the side door into the SUV, which quickly drove away.

GMC is a "public independent" school governed by a board of trustees elected by residents of Milledgeville. Students in the junior and high schools and at the junior college pay tuition to attend.

For fiscal 2003, the school received: $14.45 million from tuition and fees, $624,000 from donations, $722,000 from state sources, $6.24 million from federal grants, $4.62 million from state grants and $2.7 million from "auxiliary enterprises."

LeBrun said that Kopel was part of a lecture series on character education. Georgia Supreme Court Justice Hugh Thompson and an official with NASA are among those who have spoken.

LeBrun said Kopel's speech was "a very positive discussion."

"He represents himself as a very positive role model that we can be proud of," LeBrun said.

LeBrun said that as a guest lecturer, it was Kopel's prerogative whether he would speak to or in front of the press.

"Our guest lecturer today did not want to have any contact with the media, and we were just going by what he said," LeBrun said.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To contact Rob Peecher, call (706) 485-3987 or e-mail rpeecher@communicomm.com.

[eyespysomething]

I'm of 2 opinions of this. I believe in the Freedom of Information, just what was he talking to high school kids about that couldn't be reported?

But then again, the military has asked these Special Forces guys not to talk to the media, so there.

Part of the problem was the school sent out a press release with the guys name, and invited the media to come.

[ch53gunner]

Methinks you may be missing the point. His refusal to participate in the event the media were present may be due to his disgust with the way the media has been representing events in Iraq. As a former soldier myself of the first Gulf War, I can completely understand if this is the case.

[fml]

Military personell are talking to schools all over the nation without media hype. I tend to think this is supposed to be handled as "business as usual".

[petitfour]

He's a Special Forces pilot. Why would he want his name broadcast to the world? Why would he want his mug up for all to see? It endangers him and his family. This little news blurb is too much. And aren't there a bunch of folks dead from the rescue team? (I read that somewhere, but I don't recall if the source was valid.)

[eyespysomething]

His name was already in newspapers well before this, but that was my understanding also.

The school included his name in the press release.

The reporter felt the same way and was a little put out at the insistence of the editors to push the issue until he was almost arrested.

[joesnuffy]

There's media and then there's media...and you arent allowed to filter out the evil ones
So the good ones also get filtered

Good for the most part...imo

The media has been scapegoating and smearing Vietnam combat vets for the last 35 years
with no end in sight...

So if they are limited in their access to soldiers so be it...its for the better in the long run..
As long as the soldiers arent screwed over by the brass..on the other side of this..

They too need a voice once in a while..

There in lies the rub...freedom without license...without a moral compass ..all are lost

And when the majority are lost ...all must give up their freedom..in the name of order

[night reader]

Methinks you may be missing the point. His refusal to participate in the event the media were present may be due to his disgust with the way the media has been representing events in Iraq.

But the report says that he will "get in trouble" if the media is allowed. What is the hangup on the entire Jesica matter? When she came off the plane, they had her totally surrounded so she couldn't be seen. It was weeks before she made an appearance. They're quashing interviews with everyone connected to the case. Sump'n fishy here... more than normal security concerns.

[Joe Marine 76]

I hope the good Major visited his command's Public Affairs Officer and got the "GO AHEAD" to make a public appearance and speech. As a general rule, ALL military members NEVER speak unless they've gotten permission from the PAO. I'm sure that Major Kopel's Commanding General would not be happy if he didn't get permission to speak.

[McGavin999]

Why bother to speak to the press? They'll just distort what you say, try to present the military in a bad light, use anything he says to hurt his CinC. These people have cut themselves off from the most popular segment of American society. If they even attempt to smear the military, the American people will "finish them off". These guys are on the front lines protecting us. As much as the media tries to compare it to Vietnam, the people know this time it's THEIR lives and the lives of their families these guys are protecting.

You want to see a torch and pitchfork parade? Just let the media try to smear these guys. You'll be finding naked journalists in back allies attempting to pull the hot tar and feathers off their raw bodies.

[eyespysomething]

Trust me, this reporter would not have done any of this.

Of course, it's hard for the military to discern who's a good guy and who's not. Hence the blanket decision of no press anytime.

It coulda been a good story, a positive one.

[eyespysomething]

Oh, I'm sure he was pre-cleared for this. This is an ongoing character-ed series for the school (I mean, according to the story). Many retired officers (MG's, Col., etc) work at the school.

[Blessed]

The key is that it was part of "Character Series". He was probably going to speak of his faith.He did not want to be treated like the General who was videotaped in church.

[eyespysomething]

bump for evening

[ch53gunner]

Oh I agree whole-heartedly. Something is fishy here - but IMHO, there are a lot of Clintonista leftovers @ DOD and that is probably the root of the problem. I recently read somewhere about a female staffer @ DOD and her delusions of grandeur about finding(creating) a female war hero - you know, women can do anything men can do in the world of absolute gender equality.