Embedded journalists Mike and Carlos Boettcher to tell stories of US troops in Afghanistan

BY BRYAN DEAN | Published: March 22, 2009 | Modified: March 23, 2009 at 11:50 am

Mike Boettcher is a Ponca City native and OU graduate who has spent 30 years working as a war correspondent for CNN and NBC. He recently quit his job with NBC because he was disillusioned with how the media are covering the war. He and his son will spend 15 months embedded in Iraq and Afghanistan. AP PHOTO
Mike Boettcher is a Ponca City native and OU graduate who has spent 30 years working as a war correspondent for CNN and NBC. He recently quit his job with NBC because he was disillusioned with how the media are covering the war. He and his son will spend 15 months embedded in Iraq and Afghanistan. AP PHOTO

/> Internet availability in Afghanistan is even more limited than in Iraq, so Boettcher said he’s going prepared.

"We are going to return with more sophisticated satellite communications equipment, which we think is the missing piece,” Boettcher said.

That missing satellite communications piece comes from a separate partnership with ABC News, which will link to the On the Line blog on NewsOK and air some video reports from the Boettchers.

What won’t change is the pair’s status as independent journalists and their approach of going out of designated safe zones to see the war up close.

The Boettchers’ previous work from Iraq will also be posted on the blog. Mike Boettcher’s wife, Katherine, will also blog.

Mike Boettcher said he is well aware of the dangers he and his son will face, but he feels an obligation to report the stories he knows are out there.

Many media companies are pulling their correspondents out of Iraq and Afghanistan because of high costs and waning interest from the public as violence has decreased in Iraq.

"The soldiers loved this,” Boettcher said.

"We were just out there listening to them and documenting what they were doing, which they were very proud of.”

To follow Mike and Carlos in Afghanistan go to NewsOK: On the Line

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