Pentagon Helps Out With "Black Hawk Down"

"The Department of Defense (DoD) public affairs office has thrown its support behind the making and release of Black Hawk Down, a film about the 1993 raid in Somalia that left 18 US soldiers dead," writes PR trade publication PR Week. The DoD provided boot-camp training to actors, technical advisors, eight helicopters, and more than 100 soldiers. According to PR Week, the DoD package cost $2.2 million. Pentagon public affairs officers also have discussed the movie with the media and arranged for screenings on military bases. "As a governement agency, we don't endorse products or services. But when there is something in the public interest, we support that," an army public affairs specialist told PR Week. The film was released earlier than planned to capitalize on the "US' mood following the September 11 attacks."