TECHNICAL ERROR IN BBC STORY ON THE US MARINE CORPS:
Can any of you spot the error?
See my comment back to the BBC via their error notification form:
Regarding the article on the United States Marines posted at this address: news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8388336.stmThe writer begins the article stating that the Marines are the “9/11 branch of the military”… This is incorrect due to a slight cultural misunderstanding. In the US, prior to the events of Sept 11, (9/11), in an emergency, you dial 911 on the phone to get police, fire and rescue services moving in an emergency situation. When the Marines refer to themselves as the 911 of the military, it is related to the national emergency phone number, it has nothing to do with the events of 9/11.
I can see how the writer may have understood it to be related to 9/11 but I thought I would send you this message.
NOTE: I will let you know if they change it…
Here is the fix the BBC made, short but better:
“It calls itself the 911 branch of the US military – the first responders. And once again they’re about to be thrust into the frontline.”
That would be the second mistake! come on BBC! Get with it… By the way, I have heard nothing from them and last I looked there were no changes to the article…
I thought you were talking about the lack of capitalization of Marines in the article title.