DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY

UNITED STATES ARMY CENTRAl

COALITION FORCES LAND COMPONENT COMMAND
APO AE 09306

REPLY TO
ATTENTION OF:

ACEN-PA 8 March 2008

MEMORANDUM FOR RECORD

SUBJECT: Invitational Travel Orders (lTO) for Public Affairs Travel

1. Raymond Bechard, (the bearer of this letter) ~s ass rt number-. is an

accredited ~ember of~e. news ~edia employed by~ntly schedultl~
to embed Witha U.S. military urnt for the purpose of e JD1Itaryoperations of that ~1t.
Pursuant to DoD 4515.13RAir Transportation Eligibility, Chapter 3, Public Affairs Travel, :
transportation shall be furnished at DoD expense when said travel is in the interest of improving
the public's understanding ofDoD operations, pursuant to SecDefMsg DTG 090040Z MAR O~,
Public Affairs Guidance for Operations in Iraq, accredited members of the news media are
authorized to fly on DoD owned, operated or controlled aircraft while in the performance of or:
return from the performance of their news media duties covering Operation Iraqi Freedom andJjor
Operation Enduring Freedom.

2. The above referenced SECDEF message authorizes blanket approval for media travel on D~D
owned, operated, or controlled passenger-carrying aircraft based in or transiting through the Atjea
of Operations supporting current CENTCOM operations, including Operation Iraqi Freedornaft .•.•. d _
Operation Enduring Freedom. Travel is authorized on a no-cost, space available basis; no .
additional costs to the government to provide assistance IAW DoD 5410.15, paragraph 3.4. .
Additional reference comes from MNF-I FRAGO 06-234 (media access).

3. In accordance with DoD 4515.13R, JFTR VOL I, Appendix E, Part I, Paragraph A.8, this :
travel is authorized within or outside the United States during the period of the conflict. This !

4. Except under emergency conditions, which can be vocally approved via telephone by
USARCENT PAO, these Invitational Travel Orders are only valid for travel on U.S. Mission-
Iraq (USM-O, U.S. Mission-Afghanistan (USM-A) and Horn of Africa flights from/to Kuwait lor
Space R, whichever is available for travel. .

5. Embedded media are authorized to stay at the LSA at Ali Al Salem only while waiting for ai
flight, and only for the time it takes to process their passport. Media will exit the post on the tfrst
available shuttle to KCIA upon receipt of their appropriately stamped passport. .
ACEN-PA
SUBJECT: Invitational Travel Orders (ITO) for Public Affairs Travel

6. The person stated above is authorized Interceptor Body Armor (IBA) with SAPI or E-SAPI
plates and Army Combat Helmet (ACH).

7. Commanders will provide billeting, rations, access to the BXlPX and medical attention, if
needed, to the media commensurate with that provided to members of the unit, as well as access
to military transportation and assistance with communications filing/transmitting media products,
if required, per SecDefMsg DTG 101900Z FEB 03, paragraph 2.C.

8. Media who have been authorized to embed by USARCENT PAO and/or MNF-I CPIC will
use this ITO to travel unescorted within the LSA of Ali AI Salem, Ku\.tait ,andpetween Baghdad
International Airport (BIAP) Camp Stryker, and the.'CPIOlifrlract (ffAfghanistan. Media are not
permitted to conduct interviews, gather information or images or perform any news reporting
while unescorted by an authorized public affairs representative.

9. This ITO is null and void if not accompanied by two forms of picture identification - one of
which must be a valid passport. The point of contact within Kuwait for this action is the
USARCENT Media Relations Officer, MAJ Mary J. Constantino at DSN 965-430-5448 or via
cell phone at 965-939-4279.

PAULA Z. JO:N"ES
LTC,GS
-- ---. --- --- -Dep;- Ghiet', ·Publie-.A:ffairs-9ffieer-(F-WB)- -. .
 HEADQUARTERS
MULTI-NATIONAL FORCE - IRAQ
Combined Press Information Center
Baghdad Convention Center
Baghdad, Iraq

REPLY TO
ATIENTION OF

3 April 2008

MEMORANDUM FOR RECORD

SUBJECT: Invitational Travel Orders (ITO) for Public Affairs Travel

1. Raymond Bechard the bearer of this letter, is an accredited member of the NEWS MEDIA, is
employed by and is embedding in a U.S. military unit in Iraq for the purpose of covering
the unit's military operations between 1 April 2008-30 April 2208 at which time this authorization expires.
THIS PERSON IS NEWS MEDIA AND IS NOT A FOREIGN NATIONAL FOR THE PURPOSE OF
MILITARY AIRLIFT. Pursuant to DoD 4515.13R Air Transportation Eligibility, Chapter 3, Public Affairs
Travel, transportation shall be furnished at DoD expense when said travel is in the interest of improving
the public's understanding of 000 operations. Pursuant to SECDEF Msg DTG 090040ZMAR03, Public
Affairs Guidance for Operations in Iraq, accredited mernbers of the news media are authorized to fly on
Department of Defense owned, operated, or controlled aircraft while in the performance of, or return from
the performance of their news media duties covering Operation Iraqi Freedom and/or Operation Enduring
Freedom.

2. The above referenced SECDEF message authorizes blanket approval for media travel on any DoD
owned, operated, or controlled passenger-carrying aircraft based in, or transiting through the Area of
Operations (AOR) supporting current CENTCOM operations, including Operation Iraqi Freedom and
Operation Enduring Freedom. Travel is authorized on a no cost, space-available basis; no additional
costs to the government to provide assistance lAW DOD 5410.15, paragraph 3.4.

3. In accordance with 000 4515.13R, Chapter 9, JFTR VOL I, Appendix E. Part I, Paragraph E.8 and
AMC124-1 01V14 dated 1 April 2003, paragraph 21.9, this travel is authorized within or outside the United
States during the period of the conflict. The Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs
(OASD-PA) is the primary agency for media travel on DoD owned, operated, or controlled aircraft. The
OASD-PA news desk telephone number is 703-697-5131 (Civilian) or DSN 227-5131.

4. lAW MNF-I FRAGO 06-234 (3.D.2.(U)) Media will be escorted by Public Affairs-designated personnel
at all times when they are reporting, gathering information or imagery, or conducting interviews. They
will not require escort when transiting to another iocation for reporting provided they have current
Invitational Travel Orders. The Invitational Travel Orders will allow them unescorted access to
basic life-support needs including billeting, transportation, medical care, dining facilities and
exchanges. They may transit from one installation to another without escort when utilizing
authorized military transport by air or convoy and as stated in their Invitational Travel Order.
Installation commanders may require media to be escorted once access is gained to the installation. If
the installation commander requires an escort for the media, they are responsible for providing that
escort. While traveling unescorted on MNF-I conveyances and installations, media personnel are not
permitted to conduct any news reporting, gather information or imagery, or conduct interviews.

5. The point of contact in Baghdad for this action is t'ie CPIC Embed Coordinator: Army Captain Michael
Signori at DSN 318-239-0980, commercial 703-270-0980.

/l ~ // / / ._~
?-4~ //r~~<~_-
CHARLES H. PERENICK JR.
LTC, EN
MNF-I c=tc DIRECTOR
The travel authorized herein has been determined to be in the public interest, and is
chargeable to:

ACCOUNTING CLASSIFICATION:

Travel ($0.00):
2182020 8A-2007 P135197.0000 2ITI 832QPA BEC7394TE00042 2QPA83 S09076

Per Diem ($0.00):

2182020 8A-2007 P135197.0000 21T2 832QPA BEC7394TE00042 2QPA83 809076

DOCUMENT NUMBER: BEC7394TE00042

APC: 2QPA DSSN: 5570

DEPUTY 08 (FWD)