What was your first job as a journalist?
Cleaning the presses at the Chicago Tribune. OK, it's a job in journalism -- not one as a journalist.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes.
How is social media changing news?
News curators like me only grow more important as news sources proliferate and their quality varies wildly.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
By email.
Who do you wish followed you?
Betty Sapp, Director of the National Reconnaissance Office.
Why did you become a journalist?
The State Department and CIA turned me down for medical reasons.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
No.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
I interviewed the head of Air Combat Command, Gen. Mike Hostage, on what the F-35 could do in a war, the first interview on the topic.
What's your favorite drink?
Goombay Smash
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
People think covering defense is all about fighting. It's mostly about strategy, politics, policy and history.
