NBC Nightly News Managing Editor and News Anchor Tom Brokaw discusses shipboard life with sailors on the mess decks of USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). File

Brokaw visits John C. Stennis for news special

By JO2 David-Michael Ross
USS John C. Stennis Public Affairs

After a 48 hours of videotaping aboard USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw and his production staff have ''wrapped'' and headed back to New York to put together a one-hour program based on the day-in-the-life of a warship involved in battle.

Brokaw said that he and NBC producers gathered to discuss the recent production of ''Inside the White House: Inside the Real West Wing,'' a program that gave the American public a view of the White House during the war. The documentary-styled program allowed viewers an inside glimpse at how President George W. Bush is handling the war on terrorism.

Afterwards, they realized they were onto something big. Brokaw said that the next logical step was to show the war effort on the front line, and the ''something big'' translated into the form of an American aircraft carrier.

NBC decided that the crew of John C. Stennis would serve perfectly to show the world the American military at it's finest.

''Stennis is the most expensive and sophisticated war machine ever built, and I think the public is going to be proud of the men and women who are responsible for operating it and fulfilling an important mission on behalf of the country,'' NBC News executive producer, Mark Lukasiewicz said.

He added that it was particularly surprising to find the average age of crew members quite young for their level of professionalism.

''It's interesting, because you don't tend to think of people at the age of 19 or 20 as having the kind of responsibility and dedication that we've seen on board,'' Lukasiewicz said.

He explained that during the filming, 16 camera crews followed Sailors and Marines around to record what happens on the ship. ''Our goal is not to create a commercial for the Navy. We're journalists and we're here because what takes place here makes for an interesting and amazing story,'' he said.

Aside from his television work, Brokaw is also the author of ''The Greatest Generation,'' which, in part, chronicles American military service men after their involvement in World War II.

''This new generation is unbelievably good. They're well educated, they've traveled so much more than my generation has, they're capable of doing so many more things, they're better paid and they've got their whole future ahead of them. It's a great generation, and I think their response to Sept. 11 is a manifestation of that,'' Brokaw said.

According to Brokaw, the news program centering on JCS will educate viewers.

''If the American public has more information about what the military is doing, rather than less, it may make them better citizens if they understand what is going on in their name,'' said Brokaw.

During Brokaw's visit, he addressed the crew on the mess decks. He spoke on behalf of a nation, and said he feels tremendous gratitude toward all service men and women.

''We all appreciate the good work you're all doing out here - it's not going unnoticed. People have a real pride in the military, and national security has a whole new dimension now. Thank you for your efforts,'' Brokaw told the enthralled audience.

After the informal meeting with the troops, Brokaw reflected on the Sailors and Marines who were in attendance. He said he's always honored to be among military personnel because they represent the best that America has to offer.

''The military is able to make people of different backgrounds and genders work together as they do not anywhere else in society. There is no other example in which you have so many people from different parts of America, with different interests, ethnicities and financial backgrounds, all coming together and working as well as they do in the military. That's always uplifting,'' Brokaw said.

He said that the aim of the upcoming NBC news program is to show America that fighting a war is a complicated business.

''It's not just somebody rising up and firing a weapon, or a pilot taking off from a carrier and dropping ordnance somewhere and coming back and landing. There are so many component parts - all the technology, intelligence, maintenance. I want the audience to know about the people who are conducting the business of fighting the war on their behalf, and see that it's not an easy thing, but the Sailors and Marines involved on board this ship are very enthusiastic about doing it,'' Brokaw said.

The tentatively titled ''USS John C. Stennis: A Carrier at War,'' is scheduled to air on NBC April 17.