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Reporter prompted soldier's question to Rumsfeld

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - A National Guardsman who asked Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld a bold question about armor on war vehicles went to the microphone after consulting with a Tennessee reporter.

Chattanooga Times Free Press reporter Edward Lee Pitts, who is embedded with the 278th Regimental Combat Team, wrote about the incident in an e-mail to co-workers sent Wednesday.

Pitts said he worked with guardsmen after being told reporters would not be allowed to ask Rumsfeld any questions.

"I was told yesterday that only soldiers could ask questions so I brought two of them along with me as my escorts," he wrote. "Beforehand we worked on questions to ask Rumsfeld about the appalling lack of armor their vehicles going into combat have."

Pitts also said he arranged for the questioners to get recognized.

"While waiting for the VIP, I went and found the Sgt. in charge of the microphone for the question and answer session and made sure he knew to get my guys out of the crowd," Pitts wrote in an e-mail that was posted on several Web sites Thursday.

Tom Griscom, the Chattanooga newspaper's publisher and executive editor, commended the reporter's work. He said the question was one that members of the unit and their families wanted answered, based on the reporter's previous coverage of training stints in Mississippi and California.

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