Covering defence and the military is much more than a regular beat. Stories written by military reporters can range from an interview with a local recruit heading off to boot camp to coverage of a war on foreign soil. In between are thousands of stories about local and regional military installations, exercises and operations, businesses that support the military, and the thousands of people involved. This book will help military reporters, from novices to veterans, to understand: Military basics; How to organise a military beat; Protocol for interviewing military personnel; How to go into the field with military units; How to deal with the Pentagon; Essential information for covering the defence industry. The book also contains 13 case studies that graphically illustrate the military beat, a thorough background reading list, and a glossary of acronyms.