Charlie at the Pentagon

I was saddened by the passing of Charlie Aldinger, the consummate journalist of all things military. I have two strong memories of Charlie, both from a mid-2000s visit to the Pentagon. Charlie was guiding then EiC David Schlesinger and me on a visit to petition the Pentagon brass to do more to protect Reuters unilaterals in Iraq. What struck me most was that Charlie knew exactly how to navigate the miles of Pentagon corridors that all looked alike to me and how warmly he was received by officers who were generally suspicious of journalists - especially one as fair and objective as Charlie. ■