Military Reporters Annual Meeting

Countdown to Washington begins

August 10, 2007

Conference Registration

Online registration and payments can be made here. Save on registration fees by becoming a MRE member (join here)

The annual Military Reporters and Editors conference is two months away and counting.

This year's keynote speaker will be retired Lt. Gen. Richardo Sanchez, who commanded coalition forces in Iraq in 2003 and 2004. The general will speak and answer questions during the Friday luncheon, Oct. 12.

In addition to Sanchez, the Friday luncheon will highlight the best in journalism as MRE hands out awards for the best print, television and online coverage of the military, including the 2007 Joseph Galloway Award for Distinguished Journalism, which comes with a $2,000 check.

This year's conference will be Oct. 11-13 at the Doubletree Crystal City hotel in Arlington, Va., just minutes from the Pentagon.

The conference starts Thursday, Oct. 11, with an evening reception, continues all day Friday and wraps up by noon on Saturday, Oct. 13.

Back in Washington after last year's Chicago fest, the MRE conference will be chock-a-block with the interesting panels, informal get-togethers and an evening of war stories and remembering our absent colleagues.

The annual meeting has something for everyone:

Covering wounded troops and their families
Where's the justice in military justice?
Photojournalism on the front lines and the home front
Media and the military - Are we at a crisis point?
Covering the defense business - From stealth fighters to private armies
Homeland security - Covering the home front
Putting Iraq in perspective

And, for a second year, the War Correspondents' Dinner, hosted by past President Sig Christenson, will be held Friday night. It will be a time for war stories from Iraq, Afghanistan, the first Gulf War, Vietnam and other conflicts.

As always, there will ample time for informal sessions on the latest embedding situations, reporting tricks, job openings, book deals and anything else MRE members and attendees can think up.

Registration for members is $100 before Sept. 15 and $125 after Sept. 15 and at the door. Non-members pay $125 for early registration and $150 after Sept. 15 and at the door. Single-day registration is $75 for members and non-members.

It's important to register early.

The easy way is to use MRE's online registration and PayPal payment system. Click HERE to register. The old-fashioned way - faxed or mailed registration forms - will also be accepted at MRE's office.

The MRE room rate is $149 (plus 10.75% tax) per night and rooms are limited. Call the hotel reservation office (703-416-4100) and tell them that you are attending the MRE conference.

Further details about the conference and the winners of the journalism contest will be announced in coming weeks, so check back often.

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