Sister in the Band of Brothers - Frequently Asked Questions

Q & A

How did the soldiers take to you?

Initially, as a curiosity. The concept of embedding hundreds of journalists was new and in the beginning, not every soldier applauded the idea. There seemed to be concerns that we might get in the way, hinder the mission—or worse.

Let’s face it, I was in a predominantly male world, so I was an outsider on two levels: a civilian, and a woman – a woman, who, before the war, was “overweight, middle-aged, unable to drop five [push-ups] and unfit for duty.”

But when I left after almost two months with them, most seemed sorry to see me go. My reports gave their families, friends and the public a sense of how they were doing and the 159th Aviation Brigade’s role in the war—and its fortunes.

Did being a female reporter give you any special perspective or insights that some of your male counterparts may not have had?

My view is that men and women, while very much equals, are different creatures—so I trust I saw things differently.

A lot of men I know immersed themselves in war books and movies in their youth, while my interest in the military developed only during the course of my professional work. Perhaps I saw things less through the prism of all wars past, and more simply from the heart. That said, I knew I’d earned my stripes, when, after an Iraqi missile threatened the brigade, a commander sergeant major announced: “You’ve got balls.”

Do you recall exactly what was going through your mind when the brigade came under attack?

From a foxhole, I made my peace with God, prepared to die, and remembered the farewell I had written to my husband.

A U.S. Patriot missile destroyed the incoming Iraqi missile, so I learned, as Winston Churchill put it: “Nothing in life is so exhilarating as to be shot at without result.”

What did you tell your husband in the farewell?

I had mailed him a letter from an Army camp in Kuwait, saying: “If anything happens to me, pls be happy. Marry someone nice. Fish a lot. Forgive me for doing this.”

There has been a great deal of debate over the use of embedded reporters in this war. Given your experience, how do you respond to critics who claim embedded journalists were being

I can assure you that we weren’t spoon-fed—or force fed—stories. I had 24/7 access to a brigade of 2,300 soldiers and the Army, frankly, was too busy fighting a war to worry very much about the stories I was filing.

The ground rules, while lengthy, boiled down to two key points: Don’t pinpoint your location and don’t leak battle plans. I wasn’t told what to write. My copy was not cleared or censored.

My only disappointment was that I wasn’t given the access to military operations planning meetings, as was advertised.

What was the hardest transition for you to make once you returned to home from the war?

I came home swearing, smoking and experiencing “startle reaction.” That had me jumping out of my skin when I felt something strange, for example, in the pocket of my jeans. I attributed the reaction to having encountered, among other things, a poisonous snake outside of Baghdad.

Fortunately, I’ve kicked cigarettes, dropped the foul language and am no longer easily startled.

Hardest, perhaps, was following news about the 101st Airborne during the remaining months of their initial deployment. I was concerned about the people I had come to know.

Did any of your friends die in the war?

Altogether, the 101st Airborne lost 60 men and women during the first year of the war in Iraq. Their deaths are described at the end of my book. None of the fallen was someone I knew well.

Remarkable to me was the fate of a buddy of mine featured in the book, Specialist Paul Eshom. He suffered only minor injuries in a crash involving two Black Hawks over Mosul in November 2003. Seventeen U.S. soldiers were killed in that accident; only Eshom and four others survived. Today Eshom is preparing to return to Iraq.

When all is said and done, what do you hope your book will contribute to the understanding of this war?

I hope that I have put a human face on the U.S. soldiers, who, of course, remain in harm’s way as the war in Iraq persists. And in telling the story of the 159th Brigade, I hope that I have captured the hardships, camaraderie, triumphs and tragedies that are part of war.

What events do you have scheduled?

CLICK HERE to view upcoming events.

How can I contact Sister In The Band Of Brothers?

EMAIL ME katherine@katherinemskiba.com.