information  about  the  use  of  Navy  communications facilities by the media. Telephones  are  essential  for  most  news  media ashore. Pay telephones are ideal for the CIB, or you may plan to set up special or credit card telephones. (The business  office  of  the  local  telephone  company  will usually do this for free.) Other   communications   needs   may   include duplicating services, the installation of wire service (AP, UPI) and photo lab services. If authorized, the cost of chemicals and operator time may be reimbursable. MESSING.— Media  members  should  get  their  food from  civilian  sources,  such  as  restaurants  and  grocery stores. If it is more advantageous for the Navy to provide messing  facilities  at  the  CIB  or  to  allow  access  to messing facilities near the CIB, reimbursement maybe required. Consult the supply officer for guidance in this matter. When reporters are escorted from the CIB to ships or units in the field, especially on one-day trips, MREs (meals ready to eat) should be issued at the CIB before departure. The unit hosting the media is not required to provide  meals,  although  it  may  do  so.  Individual reporters  who  stay  with  a  Navy  unit  may  receive messing support from the unit as long as it does not place an unacceptable burden on the unit. Meals received in such  instances  may  or  may  not  be  reimbursable, depending  on  unified  command  guidelines. BILLETING.–  When civilian berthing is available, media members are  not authorized the use of military billeting (except for DoD media pool members, who are billeted  with  U.S.  forces).  Sometimes,  reporters  are billeted with U.S. forces when it is clearly in the best interest of the U.S. government. When civilian billeting is not available and billeting is provided in facilities owned or operated by U.S. forces (to   include   “tent   cities”),   reimbursement   may   be required as directed by the unified command. If media members  accompany  military  personnel  in  field locations and civilian billeting is unavailable (or not advantageous  to  the  military),  news  media  may  be invited  to  use  the  same  shelter  as  provided  to  the personnel of the unit. Reimbursement in this case is not required. MEDICAL CARE.— Media  members  will  receive care from military medical personnel and facilities when civilian  medical  care  is  nonexistent  or  inadequate. Reimbursement is not required for sick call care. Report serious injury or illness requiring major medical care to the officer in charge of the CIB. Report the  treatment  through  command  channels  to  the reporter’s   sponsoring   news   organization.   Unified command PAOs will decide on reimbursement after consulting  with  medical  personnel  and  judge  advocate general  (JAG). If the reporter must be evacuated from the theater of  operations,  let  the  sponsoring  news  organization know  through  command  channels.  The  sponsoring  news organization, not the DoD or Navy, is responsible for notifying  next  of  kin  and  releasing  the  names  of reporters who are seriously ill, wounded or killed. AMENITIES.—  Among the amenities normally provided to news media are those that contribute to their health  and  welfare.  To  accommodate  individual  needs and  lessen  personal  discomfort,  put  together  CIB  media information packets that contain the following items: l l l l l l l l Diagram and complete description of the CIB, including  operating  rules Important  telephone  numbers Living  or  working  conditions Availability and location of housing and meals Important places in the area, installation or ship in map or diagram form Command   mission   and   policy   statements (ground rules) Off-limits areas Rights and privileges of civilians in a military environment The  CIB  may  provide  coffee,  tea  and  food  to reporters on a reimbursable basis. If exchange facilities are available, reporters may be granted access if the exchange  can  provide  enough  supplies  for  military personnel  first. Media Pooling Make plans for establishing a media pool. A media pool should be formed when many media members are at the CIB and cannot be transported to the event site because of limited transportation, space or equipment. You and the PAO must keep the reporters aware of any limitations  so  they  may  decide  among  themselves  who should go and who should stay behind. The media pool should  be  bound  by  professional  ethics  to  share information with the reporters who stayed behind. 3-7