Sword and Pen

On this episode of Sword and Pen, host Lori King speaks with army broadcast journalist Lance Milsted, a former Defense Information School instructor. Milsted, the chief of production services at DoD's Defense Media Activity (DMA) talks about his belief that everyone has a story to tell, and an important part of journalism is to tell those stories, to make people feel something, to get to know the subjects of our stories and ensure we stay out of the way and let them tell stories. Listen as Milsted also talks about: how being a radio DJ in high school led him to join the army as a broadcast journalist the Defense Information School and the broadcast track he attended then taught how attending the National Press Photographers Association Workshop in Norman, Oklahoma changed his life the power of storytelling, and tips and tricks of the broadcast journalism trade Got an idea for a podcast guest or topic? Shoot Lori an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lorikingblog@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Sword and Pen is a Military Veterans in Journalism production.

On this episode of Sword and Pen, host Lori King speaks with investigative reporter and former marine infantryman James LaPorta, who, after exiting the military, broke into journalism by cold calling editors and agreeing to work for bylines. You are about to hear an inspiring story of how LaPorta, with no journalism experience or degree, tenaciously built a journalism career working for multiple mainstream news outlets, the first being the Washington Post. LaPorta, who was recently laid off from The Messenger, also shares his story about that sudden job loss. The Messenger was a startup nonpartisan news website that hired more than 300 journalists and, in less than a year, laid them all off with no warning. He was the national security and military affairs reporter. Listen as LaPorta talks about: how he became a contributing writer for Hollywood, including This is Us, FBI and Chicago P.D. how he covered his two award winning stories how he broke the story of contaminated water on the USS Boxer, a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship of the United States Navy and what it's like to have a military reporting beat Find James LaPorta on his ⁠website⁠ | ⁠X⁠ Got an idea for a podcast guest or topic? Shoot Lori an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lorikingblog@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Sword and Pen is a Military Veterans in Journalism production.

In a lively discussion, Mike Reilley, a journalism tool expert and author, shares his passion for digital reporting and AI. He delves into the evolution of the Journalist's Toolbox, a comprehensive resource for journalists. Reilley reveals the staggering number of new AI tools released monthly and the importance of adapting in a digital-first landscape. He also critiques how news organizations mishandled their print products online. Ultimately, he emphasizes the blend of tradition and technology, advocating for ethical journalism and continuous learning.

On this episode of Sword and Pen, host Lori King speaks with Air Force officer and filmmaker Allie Delury, who is celebrating her one-year anniversary of her production company, Work Our Way, on Dec. 30, 2023. Allie, who began her journalism and military career at the University of Minnesota, talks about her journey from tv reporter to business owner; what it was like going from social media manager to disconnecting from it; how a controversial documentary about abortion led her to start her LLC; why you should never let fear of failure or insecurity stop you from perusing anything you want to do; and how motherhood in April will compliment her business, not slow it down. To view Allie's work, go to ⁠Website To view Lori King's work, go to Website Got an idea for a podcast guest or topic? Shoot Lori an email at ⁠⁠⁠lorikingblog@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠  Sword and Pen is a Military Veterans in Journalism production, brought to you monthly by host Lori King

On this special episode of Sword and Pen, host Lori King spoke with four attendees during the 2023 MVJ Convention held Oct. 5-7 in New York City. First up at the mic was Dan Clare, a Marine Corps and Air National Guard veteran. He was a military public affairs officer for 17 years, and is now the director of communications for DAV, Disabled American Veterans, who sponsored the MVJ Career Fair. Dan talked about his experience as the burn pit whistleblower, the value of having veteran voices in the media, and about his hope that veterans get hired in journalism at the career fair, where he operated a booth for DAV and sat on the Shaping News Coverage of Disabilities panel. Patrick Martin is an army airborne infantry veteran from Charlotte, North Carolina. He graduated from Columbia University - Graduate School of Journalism - and is now a producer for the NBC News Health and Medical Unit. Patrick came to the convention to give a tour of the NBCUniversal studio at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, and sat on the NBC panel. He talked about how important it is to get veterans into newsrooms, as well as his role as an NBC producer. Evgenia Vlasova is a Brooklyn-based video producer, editor and educator. She has been teaching at the New York Film Academy for eight years. Evgenia is not a veteran, but she is a member of MVJ. She spoke about the power of storytelling and how she helps her students adjust to the big city. She talked about how her veteran students have discipline, being a broadcast journalist in her homeland of Russia, and how the media there is government controlled. She is currently seeking her citizenship. Juan Carpanzano hails from Bogota, Colombia and lives in New York City. He is a marine veteran who spent five years with Combat Camera. He is an advance media studies major at Fordham University, concentrating in photojournalism. He talked about his belief that everyone has a voice, and offered this for advice: Push, push, push, and be confident in yourself! Connect with the guests! Dan Clare: ⁠X | DAV.org Patrick Martin: LinkedIn profile | NBC Health News Evgenia Vlasova: Instagram Juan Carpanzano: Instagram Sword and Pen is a Military Veterans in Journalism production, and is brought to you monthly by host Lori King Lori King: X ⁠⁠⁠@intro2pj⁠⁠⁠ | Instagram | Website Got an idea for a podcast guest? Shoot me an email at ⁠⁠⁠lorikingblog@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠ 

Cyrus Norcross, an Army veteran and emerging freelance journalist, passionately shares his experiences rooted in the Navajo Nation. He discusses his award-winning work that highlights Indigenous stories and issues, including police brutality within Navajo communities. Cyrus emphasizes the need for justice reform and sheds light on the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people. His journey from soldier to storyteller showcases the vital role veterans play in journalism, advocating for the representation of diverse voices and tackling formidable challenges faced by his community.

On this episode of Sword and Pen, we bring back MVJ president and co-founder Russell Midori to promote the MVJ 2023 Convention in New York City in October. We also chat with MVJ Mentorship Program manager Simone Doroski and mentorship alumni Jordan Sartor-Francis about a powerful program that pairs our members with journalism experts in the field. Listen as the guests > talk about the what's happening at the convention this year ... and there's a lot! tout the skills mentees learn from their mentors, and how it's landed them jobs and internships explain how to sign up to the mentorship program and the convention We also added a new feature to the Sword and Pen that highlights stories in the MVJ Newsletter, and stay for the end of the podcast because we go back into time and listen to memorable quotes from some of our esteemed past guests. This episode is hosted by Lori King Sword and Pen is a Military Veterans in Journalism production, and is brought to you monthly by co-hosts Lori King and Drew Lawrence Twitter | Lori King ⁠⁠@intro2pj⁠⁠ / Drew Lawrence ⁠⁠@df_lawrence⁠⁠ Got an idea for a podcast guest? Shoot us an email at ⁠⁠lorikingblog@gmail.com⁠⁠ and/or ⁠⁠drew@mvj.network⁠

On this episode of Sword and Pen, we highlight the missions and roles of an Ohio Air National Guard public affairs office and its staff. The podcast was recorded out of 180th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Office during their monthly drill in June 2023. Representing the wing's PA office: Public Affairs Officer Maj. Matt Eck; Senior Master Sgt. Beth Holliker; and two public affairs specialists, Staff Sgt. Kregg York and Airman First Class Sarah Stalder-Lundren. They are all Defense Information School (DINFOS) graduates. Listen as they > talk about the role and mission of an Air National Guard public affairs office tout the skills they learned while attending DINFOS review the social media policy of the PA office and its staff explain how they chose the public affairs field and the 180th Fighter Wing discuss the benefits the 180th offers the community and its airmen The 180th Fighter Wing, home of F-16 Fighting Falcon jets, provides combat ready airmen for federal, state and community missions. You can follow the 180th Fighter Wing on Twitter  and view their work on the 180th's Website This episode is hosted by Lori King Sword and Pen is a Military Veterans in Journalism production, and is brought to you monthly by co-hosts Lori King and Drew Lawrence Twitter | Lori King ⁠@intro2pj⁠ / Drew Lawrence ⁠@df_lawrence⁠ Got an idea for a podcast guest? Shoot us an email at ⁠lorikingblog@gmail.com⁠ and/or ⁠drew@mvj.network

On this episode of Sword and Pen, guest Anthony Vazquez talks about his transition from being a landing support specialist in the marine corps to a visual journalist at the Chicago Sun-Times, a newspaper that canned its entire photo staff for journalists using smartphones in 2013. If you are a photojournalist, a journalist who takes their own images, a student who wants to be a visualist storyteller, or a military veteran who wants to break into visual journalism, this episode is for you. Listen as Anthony > Talks about how his military experience played a key role in covering one of his first big breaking news stories for the Associated Press in Mexico Makes a case for veterans working in the newsroom Explains how he went from working at a grocery store to being a member of Report for America to interning at the Sun-Times (and he never left) Discusses what's happening at the Sun-Times now, a decade after the photo department was replaced because the management wanted more videos You can follow Anthony on Instagram  and view his work on his Website This episode is hosted by Lori King Sword and Pen is a Military Veterans in Journalism production, and is brought to you monthly by co-hosts Lori King and Drew Lawrence Twitter | Lori King ⁠@intro2pj⁠ / Drew Lawrence ⁠@df_lawrence⁠ Got an idea for a podcast guest? Shoot us an email at ⁠lorikingblog@gmail.com⁠ and/or ⁠drew@mvj.network

On this episode of Sword and Pen, navy and army veteran Caron LeNoir talks about her vast experience in journalism, business and activism. Baltimore native Caron comes from a family with deep artistic and political roots. She first takes us back to her childhood, and how her family of accomplished artists directly influenced her ability to tell stories through multiple formats. She started performing on stage at age 3, was on the radio in the second grade, and literally grew up in the darkroom. Listen as Caron, the founder of CARONISMedia Group and The Center for Sensual Arts, delves into podcasting advice, entrepreneurship, the power of networking and activism, and her commitment to MVJ and its speaker's bureau. Caron on ⁠Twitter⁠ | Instagram | LinkedIn This episode is hosted by Lori King Sword and Pen is a Military Veterans in Journalism production, and is brought to you monthly by co-hosts Lori King and Drew Lawrence Twitter | Lori King ⁠@intro2pj⁠ / Drew Lawrence ⁠@df_lawrence⁠ Got an idea for a podcast guest? Shoot us an email at ⁠lorikingblog@gmail.com⁠ and/or ⁠drew@mvj.network