The wind was brutal, causing snow to blow sideways, and thousands of protesters to seek shelter. I had no choice but to hunker down in my van — parked in the middle of the Standing Rock protest camp — and try to file a dispatch.
I was reporting for Task & Purpose, a start-up veteran-focused news and culture publication, covering one of the largest acts of civil disobedience in American history, one which hundreds of veterans were taking part. That trip was six years ago. I was just getting my feet wet (or, lips chapped in that case) as a reporter who could go into austere conditions and come out with a good story, but I was hooked.
Five years have passed since my last report for T&P, an exclusive embed in Afghanistan and T&P’s first piece of on-the-ground reporting from a combat zone, but I’m proud to announce I’ve returned as the next editor-in-chief. It’s an honor to take the helm and continue building on its legacy — I could not be more excited.
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This publication has done incredible work since I was last here. From reporting important news, telling the stories of service members and veterans alike, and cracking the occasional joke, T&P is one of the premiere news and culture outlets in the military and veteran space. I’m humbled to join this team and be a part of the next great chapter in T&P’s legacy.
What’s next? The world we live in is changing by the minute with uncertain macroeconomic conditions at home, a military in transition, and American service members within earshot of Russian rockets abroad. Our talented reporters must rise to the occasion every day to deliver news to those in uniform, give a voice to those same service members when they’ve been wronged, and ensure they and the entire military community have a media outlet they trust.
You can expect to see our reporters in the field next to you, enduring the rain, wind, and vegetarian MREs. You will see them in the Pentagon, holding our leaders accountable. And, in the future, you may see us in the trenches alongside you, ducking artillery while sending dispatches home on your behalf.
We have an important task before us, and our purpose is clear. Keep reading, keep watching, and make sure you’re subscribed to our newsletter and following us on your preferred social media platform. You do not want to miss what we have coming next.
From the battlefield to the barracks,
Marty Skovlund Jr.
Editor-in-Chief, Task & Purpose
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