I can offer you a carrier embark for sometime after 16Jun as per your note below. If you can spend up to 4 days here I can also get you aboard some of the smaller combatant ships which are conducting maritime operations in the Gulf.
To learn more about our mission --
http://www.cusnc.navy.mil/mission/index.html
Also, please see our home page -- www.cusnc.navy.mil
From Kuwait, you'll have to catch either mil air or com air into Bahrain
-- embarks to our ships originate out of Bahrain. And, you'll have to
be on orders to fly Space A on mil air out of Kuwait to Bahrain. I
believe CPIC can help you with that.
Also, if you're going through Bahrain you'll have to coordinate country
clearance with Major Renee Russo. I've attached her contact info.
Very Respectfully,
LT Denise Garcia
US Naval Forces Central Command
US 5th Fleet
Media Operations Officer
May 29, 2007: Suddenly the Navy started citing regulations regarding various hurdles to embedding me -- ones that are certainly on the books but are apparently ignored with regards to many reporters -- especially conservative bloggers:
"Garcia, Denise LT CUSNC N012" wrote:
Jane
There are some issues with theatre clearance for Kuwait and Qatar, the transit hubs for mil air. ARCENT in Kuwait does not do theatre clearance for transiting media -- only media that's embedding with them.
So, in order for you to transit to Bahrain via Kuwait, CPIC needs to do a theatre clearance for you. A theatre clearance must be submitted 30 days prior to your arrival. You can try to get a straight flight to Bahrain with no theatre clearance, but might run into a problem if there are no flights available which means you would be stuck in Kuwait. Or, have CPIC expedite a theatre clearance so you can catch a flight to Bahrain by way of Qatar.
Media is only allowed to remain in Kuwait for 48 hours in transit, so unless you have a guaranteed flight to Bahrain or a theatre clearance from CENTCOM, ARCENT Kuwait will be unable to bring you to Bahrain for billeting if you're delayed.
Please be advised of these options, so there are no misunderstandings prior to your arrival. Please also ensure theatre clearance covers your entire visit to the region. Recently, CPIC cut orders for a reporter to come to Bahrain via mil air and without any theatre clearance and that has caused him a lot of delays trying to move around in the region on mil air.
Please work with CPIC to ensure you have all necessary documentation.
We can postpone your embark until all your paperwork is in order.
Very Respectfully,
LT Denise Garcia
US Naval Forces Central Command
US 5th Fleet
Media Operations Officer
May 30, 2007: I wrote to the Navy that I did have orders to fly on military aircraft. Immediate CPIC sent me the following e-mail, apparently panicked that I had orders that would let me back into Iraq:
To learn more about our mission --
http://www.cusnc.navy.mil/mission/index.html
Also, please see our home page -- www.cusnc.navy.mil
From Kuwait, you'll have to catch either mil air or com air into Bahrain
-- embarks to our ships originate out of Bahrain. And, you'll have to
be on orders to fly Space A on mil air out of Kuwait to Bahrain. I
believe CPIC can help you with that.
clearance with Major Renee Russo. I've attached her contact info.
Very Respectfully,
LT Denise Garcia
US Naval Forces Central Command
US 5th Fleet
Media Operations Officer
May 29, 2007: Suddenly the Navy started citing regulations regarding various hurdles to embedding me -- ones that are certainly on the books but are apparently ignored with regards to many reporters -- especially conservative bloggers:
"Garcia, Denise LT CUSNC N012" wrote:
Jane
There are some issues with theatre clearance for Kuwait and Qatar, the transit hubs for mil air. ARCENT in Kuwait does not do theatre clearance for transiting media -- only media that's embedding with them.
So, in order for you to transit to Bahrain via Kuwait, CPIC needs to do a theatre clearance for you. A theatre clearance must be submitted 30 days prior to your arrival. You can try to get a straight flight to Bahrain with no theatre clearance, but might run into a problem if there are no flights available which means you would be stuck in Kuwait. Or, have CPIC expedite a theatre clearance so you can catch a flight to Bahrain by way of Qatar.
Media is only allowed to remain in Kuwait for 48 hours in transit, so unless you have a guaranteed flight to Bahrain or a theatre clearance from CENTCOM, ARCENT Kuwait will be unable to bring you to Bahrain for billeting if you're delayed.
Please be advised of these options, so there are no misunderstandings prior to your arrival. Please also ensure theatre clearance covers your entire visit to the region. Recently, CPIC cut orders for a reporter to come to Bahrain via mil air and without any theatre clearance and that has caused him a lot of delays trying to move around in the region on mil air.
Please work with CPIC to ensure you have all necessary documentation.
We can postpone your embark until all your paperwork is in order.
Very Respectfully,
LT Denise Garcia
US Naval Forces Central Command
US 5th Fleet
Media Operations Officer
May 30, 2007: I wrote to the Navy that I did have orders to fly on military aircraft. Immediate CPIC sent me the following e-mail, apparently panicked that I had orders that would let me back into Iraq:
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