In the rush to improve relations, however, we must never forget that the primary responsibility of journalists is less to cooperate with the military and more to view all of our sources with an arm's length healthy skepticism.

Although my experience helping cover the military in Hawaii during the Vietnam War showed me that most military and public relations sources are honorable men and women, the fact is that both institutions carry out different albeit essential roles not served by coupling, coziness and a Beltway-type in-house worldview that afflicts some of the best and brightest of our Washington and Pentagon correspondents.

A history of ASNE reveals similar problems when the watchdog press becomes less an adversary and more a cheerleader to keep the faith of the military-industrial complex. More recently, we see evidence of the military we are being asked to trust and odd couple with it as it ignores or conceals evidence concerning nerve gas exposure to 20,000 troops during the Gulf War.

In addition to the recommendations to improve coverage of the military with better trained reporters, journalists need to beware of being charmed and lured into the military comfort zone. When your mother (even if she wears Army boots) says she loves you, you better check it out.

Alf Pratte

Provo, Utah