“You want what?”

Still staring at the coffee spots on your desk from the startled spit take you’ve just executed, you realize the reporter on the telephone line was sincere in her request: Let me come into your organization unchapheroned, with video camera, and go where I will, when I will, interviewing whomever I want.”

If your immediate reaction to such a request is of the “Hell NO!” variety, then you are among the vast majority of those in corporate America…at least according to continuing research among corporate executives conducted by The Media Trainers.

Yet, another group of organizations, namely the U.S. military —arguably the most control-oriented set of hierarchies in the world — will allow, nay, is actively encouraging exactly that, should they decide to start pulling triggers in Iraq.

The U.S. military plans to “embed” reporters among its troops when the fighting starts in Iraq. In place of periodically filing into a briefing room where generals parcel out sound bites and pre-impact video clips from smart bombs, reporters will live with, march with and go into battle with their assigned military units. In terms of large organizations giving over control, especially control to the news media, the decision is unprecedented.

In TMT’s continuing poll of corporate executives preparing for media training seminars, nearly 73% disagree at some level (see chart) with the statement that they would allow a reporter unescorted into their operation. And 53% of those disagree strongly. (To date, a total of 609 executives have responded to that questionnaire item.)

America’s military has done a startling about face on the issue. Interviewed on NPR’s “All Things Considered” Feb. 23, Brian Whitman, deputy assistant secretary of defense for media operations, made the case for the military’s change of heart regarding reporters.

“First and foremost this is how reporters have asked to cover the conflict if there is one,” Whitman said. (TMT-trained spokespersons will recognize this as an excellent opening sound bite and a darned good Interview Objective.)

Questioned about the terms under which embedded reporters will operate on the battlefield, Whitman acknowledged the potential for restrictions on the reporter, but emphasized that the military has pushed that decision down to the individual battlefield commander. Pushing important decisions down the hierarchy is a concept at the very core of corporate culture change efforts undertaken among American companies for years. Yet probably few have implemented that policy to the extent of America’s military.

“There may be times because of the tactical situation that live reporting may not be possible…because the reporter may be in a situation where he cannot use his equipment to be able to report at that time. And it may be such that reporting in real time may give benefit to our adversary,” Whitman said. “But these are things that the reporter and the commander on the ground can come to a common understanding on. I think that our commanders today understand the role and responsibilities of the press. And I think that given the right framework, both the press and the military can accomplish their very important missions by working together and alongside each other.”

Still, the possibility exists that reporters will be front and center when mistakes are made, when plans fail…or worse. According to Whitman, the U.S. military has accounted for and accepted that potential.

“Combat is unpredictable. Human error is bound to occur. There will be mistakes that are made on the battlefield,” he said. “And I fully expect that those mistakes will be reported on, just as I expect that the professionalism, and dedication and the successes that our forces will have will be reported on also.”

Embedding reporters among its battlefield troops is a bold statement by the U.S. military that, when dealing with the news media at least, control is counterproductive. America’s military forces have adopted a model for interaction with the news media that focuses on cooperation rather than control. It’s an experiment that bears watching.