Eric Steinkopff's view of the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks was unique and privileged. As the military-affairs reporter for the Jacksonville Daily News, he was working that day in the public-affairs offices of the Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base in Jacksonville, N.C.
From that vantage point, Sept. 11 took on a whole new meaning. With over 150,000 active-duty military personnel, dependents, retirees and civilian workers at Camp Lejeune and in the surrounding community, the prospect of a call-to-arms was serious business. The Daily News and Steinkopff were there to make sure that the community received the up-to-the-minute news coverage that mattered to them most.
"News that affects Camp Lejeune and news that affects the city are tightly bound," said Elliot Potter, associate publisher of The Daily News. "You can't separate one from the other. The focus for our stories is different. We immediately look to see how the news will impact the people and businesses that depend on the military base."
Those stories include everything from how troops are deployed to how their families are faring in their absence. It's a commitment to a community that extends from the local baseball diamond to the mountains of Afghanistan.
"The biggest service we provide is giving a face to those people who serve in the military," said Steinkopff. "We tell their stories. They come from so many different walks of life to this eastern North Carolina community."
Stories of Success Listing | Table of Contents | 2001 Annual Report | Freedom Communications, Inc.