Gina Cavallaro
Encyclopedia
Gina Cavallaro is an American journalist who has covered the U.S. military in Iraq
and Afghanistan
.
Cavallaro’s career in journalism
began in San Juan
, Puerto Rico
, with WOSO
, the island’s only English-language radio station. She then became a reporter and editor at the English-language daily newspaper, The San Juan Star
. After serving for one term as the press secretary for Rep. Carlos Romero Barcelo
from Puerto Rico she went to work for the Army Times
, which is owned by Gannett Company
, as a deputy news editor in 2001 and became a full-time staff writer in 2002.
At Army Times, she covered U.S. military operations in Kuwait
, Qatar
, Jordan
, Germany
and dozens of Army posts in the United States
. She embedded with the U.S. military in Afghanistan
and Iraq
several times. In 2005, she befriended 20-year-old Spc. Francisco Martinez in Iraq, who was assigned as her escort, and later watched him be shot and killed on patrol by an enemy sniper, a story she told in the Army Times and expanded upon in her book, Sniper: American Single-Shot Warriors in Iraq and Afghanistan.
She co-wrote Sniper with former Army Ranger
Matt Larsen
. The foreword is written by the 31st Vice Chief of Staff of the Army
Gen
. (Ret.) Richard A. Cody
, architect of the Asymmetric Warfare Group
and former commander of the 101st Airborne Division
(Air Assault) and the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. The book is a collection of stories and impressions from dozens of snipers -- soldier
s and marines, including Rangers and Special Forces
Soldiers -- who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In 2010, Cavallaro became a senior writer at Marine Corps Times
.
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
.
Cavallaro’s career in journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
began in San Juan
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, with WOSO
WOSO
WOSO is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format. Licensed to San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA, it serves the Puerto Rico area. The station is currently owned by Sherman Broadcasting Corporation and features programing from ABC Radio, CBS Radio and Westwood One. It is one of two...
, the island’s only English-language radio station. She then became a reporter and editor at the English-language daily newspaper, The San Juan Star
The San Juan Star
The now-defunct The San Juan Star was an English-language, Pulitzer Prize winning newspaper based in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The newspaper was published by Star Media Network, a subdivision of San Juan Star, Inc., which once owned San Juan City Magazine, El Mayagüez Star, and El Ponce Star.The...
. After serving for one term as the press secretary for Rep. Carlos Romero Barcelo
Carlos Romero Barceló
Carlos Antonio Romero Barceló is a Puerto Rican politician who served as the fifth Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the second governor to be elected from the New Progressive Party and also Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico from 1993 to 2001, making him one of the more successful...
from Puerto Rico she went to work for the Army Times
Army Times
Army Times is a weekly newspaper serving active, reserve, guard and retired United States Army personnel and their families, providing news, information and analysis as well as community and lifestyle features, educational supplements, and resource guides.Army Times is published by the Gannett...
, which is owned by Gannett Company
Gannett Company
Gannett Company, Inc. is a publicly-traded media holding company headquartered in Tysons Corner, Virginia, United States, near McLean. It is the largest U.S. newspaper publisher as measured by total daily circulation. Its assets include the national newspaper USA Today and the weekly USA Weekend...
, as a deputy news editor in 2001 and became a full-time staff writer in 2002.
At Army Times, she covered U.S. military operations in Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
, Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
, Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and dozens of Army posts in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. She embedded with the U.S. military in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
and Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
several times. In 2005, she befriended 20-year-old Spc. Francisco Martinez in Iraq, who was assigned as her escort, and later watched him be shot and killed on patrol by an enemy sniper, a story she told in the Army Times and expanded upon in her book, Sniper: American Single-Shot Warriors in Iraq and Afghanistan.
She co-wrote Sniper with former Army Ranger
United States Army Rangers
United States Army Rangers are elite members of the United States Army. Rangers have served in recognized U.S. Army Ranger units or have graduated from the U.S. Army's Ranger School...
Matt Larsen
Matt Larsen
Matt Larsen is a United States Army Ranger and Combatives instructor known as "The Father of Modern Combatives" for creating the United States Army's modern combatives doctrine and establishing the U.S. Army Combatives School...
. The foreword is written by the 31st Vice Chief of Staff of the Army
Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army
The Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army is the principal advisor and assistant to the Army Chief of Staff, the second-highest ranking officer in the US Army. He handles the day to day administration of the Army bureaucracy, freeing the Chief of Staff to attend to the interservice...
Gen
General (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, general is a four-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. General ranks above lieutenant general and below General of the Army or General of the Air Force; the Marine Corps does not have an...
. (Ret.) Richard A. Cody
Richard A. Cody
Richard A. Cody is a retired United States Army general who served as the 31st Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army from June 24, 2004 to July 31, 2008. He retired from the Army on August 1, 2008.-Early life and career:...
, architect of the Asymmetric Warfare Group
Asymmetric Warfare Group
The Asymmetric Warfare Group is a United States Army unit created during the War on Terrorism to craft doctrine for asymmetric warfare. The unit is stationed at Fort Meade, Maryland and reports directly to the TRADOC.-Mission:...
and former commander of the 101st Airborne Division
101st Airborne Division
The 101st Airborne Division—the "Screaming Eagles"—is a U.S. Army modular light infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France, Operation Market Garden, the...
(Air Assault) and the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. The book is a collection of stories and impressions from dozens of snipers -- soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
s and marines, including Rangers and Special Forces
Special forces
Special forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...
Soldiers -- who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In 2010, Cavallaro became a senior writer at Marine Corps Times
Marine Corps Times
Marine Corps Times is a weekly newspaper serving active, reserve and retired United States Marine Corps personnel and their families, providing news, information and analysis as well as community and lifestyle features, educational supplements, and resource guides.Marine Corps Times is published...
.