#MediaMonday – Paula Pedene
This feature comes to us from Paula Pedene, the author of the weekly Veterans Voice column in the Arizona Republic.
Time to share, Paula!
Where did you grow up?
Lynwood, California
How did you get your start in writing? Tell us about your experience.
Since my early childhood, I loved English, reading, and writing. When I was in 10th grade at Prescott High School a journalism class started. The idea of writing for a living intrigued me so I took the class and fell in love with it. I excelled at journalism and worked on both the school newspaper and yearbooks throughout high school. After that I knew I wanted to be a journalist, but my family didn’t have money to send me to college, so I enlisted in the U.S. Navy to pursue a degree, serve my country, and see the world. The journalism field was extremely crowded, so it took me two years before I could get into it. In the meantime, I ended up working in administration, helping with files and official personnel folders. Each day, at the Naval Facility (NAVFAC) Bermuda (yes, the beautiful island!) I would type up the “Plan of the Day,” which was a mimeographed paper that was handed out to all the staff. I knew there was much more information available than what I could fit into the daily one-pager (front and back) and asked if I could create a newsletter to help share additional information. The Commanding Officer and Executive Officer approved and thus the NAVFAC Driftwood became reality. After hours, I was able to volunteer my time on the other side of the island at the Naval Air Station (NAS Bermuda), where they had an official Navy newspaper called the NAS Skyliner. Here I was able to work with Public Affairs Officers who managed the overall outreach and communications to get stories published. When it came time for me to transfer to my next duty station, my Commanding Officer made a call to the Navy Personnel Management office and asked if there was any way I could get placed into a journalist billet. He shared my passion and efforts and, with his intervention, my orders were changed and I attended the Defense Information School to learn how to be a journalist, photographer, and broadcaster.
Tell us about your Veterans Voice column in the Arizona Republic. What inspired it?
The Veterans Voice Column started at the Arizona Republic in 2001 by Coast Guard Veteran Art Sloane. He covered this beat until 2016 when his health wouldn’t let him continue. The column floundered for a few years and in 2018 I was asked to revive it. I’ve been writing the weekly column for seven years now.
What types of pitches and stories are you looking for?
Anything and everything to do with our nation’s military veterans! I’ve covered veterans who fought in numerous battles and conflicts, shared highlights of veterans who receive special awards, shared stories of numerous veterans who are advocates for their colleagues, authors, speakers, entrepreneurs, and even celebrities who serve as Grand Marshals for parades.
What are some of your favorite or most memorable stories you have covered in the Veterans Voice column?
I think many journalists can attest to the fact that the personal stories of overcoming hardship truly resonate. Some of the most memorable have been the stories of ex-Prisoners of War, the families who still have sons and daughters Missing in Action, what we are doing to help homeless and suicidal veterans, and how we are honoring and recognizing our veterans for the price they have paid for our freedom.
Best way to pitching your column?
The best way to reach me is via email with the subject “Veterans Voice Column idea, pitch, story, etc.”
What are some of your hobbies?
I’m not sure it’s a hobby, but what I love the most is spending time with my family. My husband and I are both Navy veterans and we continue to advocate for them with our work at the nonprofit Honoring America’s Veterans. Our joys are our children, our oldest son Robert is 32 and our youngest son, Steven, is 30. After those two blessings, I am a dog lover. We have a two-year-old 55-pound cream colored Labradoodle named Bella and a white poodle bichon mix named Coco who is 15 years old. When those areas are covered, I enjoy yoga, the spa, cooking and traveling.
Do you have any favorite local spots?
As a spa lover, I have tried most of them, and my favorite is the Scottsdale Fairmont Princess.
Contact information to reach you: Paula@Pedene.com.
