Widow of Luke pilot lashes out at media

Meathook · by **Meathook** » 19 Sep 2007, 18:35

Remember this crash? - Luke pilot, outside Baghdad

His widow is fighting for the media to stop downgrading the war and folks like her husband....check this out!

Good for her, I think she is right

Widow of Luke pilot lashes out at media
by: Scott Wong, The Arizona Republic - 09/19/2007

Days after an al-Qaida-linked group released a video showing the body of a Luke Air Force Base fighter pilot killed in Iraq last year, his widow lashed out at the national media, accusing it of politicizing and using the images to erode public support for the war.

Ginger Gilbert, making her first public comments since the video emerged last week, said Tuesday that she couldn't remain silent after watching media coverage of a "disturbing video" of the corpse, identification card and crash site of her husband, Maj. Troy Gilbert.

"When media chooses to use Troy's plane crash as a political catalyst to generate anti-war sentiment, it only serves to degrade the moral integrity my husband possessed and the morale of those still selflessly serving,"
Gilbert said at news conference at Glendale's Falcon Dunes Golf Course, across from Luke.

"Every time the press lends credibility and significance to terrorist propaganda clearly designed to erode public support or questions the validity of our brave soldiers' selfless acts of service and the war itself," she added, "it only serves to damage our country from within its own borders and embolden those who would do us harm."

Flanked by friends and family members clasping hands, Gilbert thanked Arizonans, the Air Force and her Desert Springs Community Church in Litchfield Park for serving as a "shield of protection for my family's welfare and betterment over the last 10 months."

Troy Gilbert, 34, a father of five, was killed Nov. 16, 2006, when his F-16 crashed about 20 miles northwest of Baghdad. Officials concluded that Gilbert crashed because he was so focused on saving friendly troops from attacking insurgents that he flew too low.

Luke officials, who helped plan the news conference at the request of Gilbert's widow, have declined to comment on the video, referring all questions to the Defense Department.

Capt. Miki Gilloon, Luke's chief spokeswoman, stressed that Gilbert's statement was personal and did not reflect the position of the Glendale base.

"We're here to support her the best we can to make sure she conveys her statement to the media," Gilloon said.

Related links:

News article: Pilot's focus on enemy targets caused death
Forum thread: <a href="http://www.f-16.net/f-16_forum_viewtopic-t-6912.html">F-16 down in Iraq</a>

AfterburnerDecalsScott · by **AfterburnerDecalsScott** » 19 Sep 2007, 19:08

I'm in a cave....I didn't see a sylable about that....what media outlets were talking about it?

edit: I WAS in a cave apparently.

This is the link to the video of her press conference....that's a tough lady, God bless her.

http://www.azcentral.com/phpAPP/multime ... rtwifeweb&

Meathook · by **Meathook** » 19 Sep 2007, 19:51

Cool..thanks

AfterburnerDecalsScott · by **AfterburnerDecalsScott** » 19 Sep 2007, 20:03

Some other related things I found today poking around.

I hadn't seen the exec summary of the mishap

http://www.militarytimes.com/static/pro ... report.pdf

Also, this is the computer recreation from the data recorder on Hound 55

http://www.militarytimes.com/multimedia ... 070412f16/

Purplehaze · by **Purplehaze** » 19 Sep 2007, 20:05

We all need to salute Mrs. Gilbert.

SALUTE

JochemP · by **JochemP** » 19 Sep 2007, 23:18

We must Support the Troops, Airmen and Families.
A brave woman stands by her beliefs.

PointyHead · by **PointyHead** » 20 Sep 2007, 06:39

I feel very, very sorry for her.

One of Maj. Gilbert's sons was in a 3rd grade class with my daughter last year when the incident happened. I can't imagine the agony of an 8-year-old that lost his father.

Having said that, I think much of Mrs. Gilbert's press conference is anguish, not logic. No US Media outlets displayed images of her dead husband. They merely reported that Arab news organizations were in fact publishing the pictures.

Censorship is not the answer. The truth, however painful, is the only thing "news" organizations should be reporting. When we get into the business of censoring the press, we really have lost the freedom many of us swore to uphold.

afnsucks · by **afnsucks** » 20 Sep 2007, 07:45

At the same time why are we showing something that is obsessively hurtful and downright despicable? It is a freedom that we have sworn to protect but in order to have a righteous and moral society we have to ask ourselves and answer honestly: "Is this right?" There is really is a limit to freedom and that what separates us from total chaos. If a man says he wants to have ***** with your 5 year old daughter that is his right. But it is not right there is a difference. Instead of showing videos and photos of our dead heros why not give them the respect they deserve by showing a positive video or photo of them instead? But I guess you get more attention if you shock rather then honor. To Ms. Gilbert I salute you!

LinkF16SimDude · by **LinkF16SimDude** » 20 Sep 2007, 09:52

afnsucks wrote:Instead of showing videos and photos of our dead heros why not give them the respect they deserve by showing a positive video or photo of them instead?....

2+!

This link is to a blog of Mid East journalist Michael Totten who has been documenting the vast improvements in the the former Al Qaeda hell hole known as Anbar Province. It's a LONG read with some stunning and surprising photos, so take some time have a look (and at Part 1 also). It's stuff you will NEVER see on our vaunted MSM because, as Totten reveals after asking other journalists, "nothing happens in Anbar anymore". It may not be Baghdad where Maj. Gilbert died, and it's by no means a new Eden of peace and harmony, but it illustrates progress to a state of affairs for the Iraqi people that he and 130,000 of his closest buds fought and continue to fight for. And it can be achieved if the "Bipartisan Congressional Defeatist Caucus" just gets out of their way.

For every violent act committed against Iraqi citizens and allied service members that gets wall-2-wall coverage on our airwaves, there are 20 acts of bravery, kindness, selflessness, and generosity (not just by our people but also by Iraqis) that will never see the light of day, save for writers like Totten.

I honestly hope that his widow and family has a look and takes some solice that her husband's death will not be in vain if we have anything to say about it. :salute:

Link out...