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We've spoken with National Security producer Mary Walsh before about what it's like covering the Pentagon, which she's been doing since President Clinton was in office. This week, she offers us a look behind the scenes – including the changes that new Defense Secretary Robert Gates has already made in how the Department of Defense interacts with the media.

You can listen to the whole interview by clicking below, or read on for excerpts.

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PE Chat With Producer Mary Walsh

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You've covered the Pentagon since 1993. How do you think the relationship between the military and the media has changed since then?

I think there's been a monumental change, first of all, in that what we cover now is very real world. It used to be that we would go out to bases to cover training exercises and there was a lot of coverage of military accidents that would happen… if there was an accidental firing of a rocket that killed or wounded soldiers on the ground or a helicopter crash or that kind of thing.

All of that really pales in comparison to war, where American troops are in combat constantly. In addition, I think that there has been sort of a joining of reporters that cover the military and the military commanders at all levels -- from the generals down to the sergeants because we've spent a lot more time covering them in action in Iraq and in the training centers as they get ready to go to Iraq. We've met their families in a way that we had not before the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan because of the number of soldiers, Marines, airmen and sailors that have been wounded and killed. So we've talked to grieving spouses and we've seen the incredible heroics of family members taking care of wounded military members in places like Walter Reed and Brooke Army Medical Center.

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National Security Producer Mary Walsh began at CBS News as an assistant to the political director in the Washington bureau and moved on to be based in Atlanta, New York and Tokyo. Since 1993, she’s been assigned to the Pentagon, and has covered the U.S. military here and around the world – including Iraq, Kuwait, Turkey, Somalia, Bosnia, Haiti, Germany, the Philippines and Korea. Today, Mary gives us a look inside those experiences, and tells us about what kinds of stories about U.S. troops she’d like to see more of and about some of the more grisly realities of combat first aid.

What do you do at CBS News?

I'm a producer on the National Security beat. I work with CBS correspondent David Martin covering the Pentagon and the intelligence agencies.

What single issue should be covered more at CBS News?

There are more than 160,000 American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan -- I'd like to see more stories about what they're doing day-to-day. I'd like to "meet" those soldiers by hearing what they have to say about their experiences on the battlefield. The problem is, this kind of coverage is incredibly dangerous.

Give us a great behind the scenes story.

Last year David Martin and I spent some time in Samarra, Iraq with Bravo Company of the 1st Infantry Division. When I walked into the base camp (a shell of a building -- one shower, no flush toilets) the first thing I saw was an area with stretchers and IV poles all set up for incoming wounded. I was talking to a soldier and noticed that along with ammo and other military gear he had a row of safety pins on his vest. I asked what they were for -- he said to close wounds. Combat first aid. That night there was an RPG attack. No one was hurt, thank God.

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National Security Producer Mary Walsh began at CBS News as an assistant to the political director in the Washington bureau and moved on to be based in Atlanta, New York and Tokyo. Since 1993, she’s been assigned to the Pentagon, covering the U.S. military here and around the world – including Iraq, Kuwait, Turkey, Somalia, Bosnia, Haiti, Germany, the Philippines and Korea. Recently she produced correspondent David Martin’s interview with Richard Armitage, who recently came forward as the diplomat who leaked undercover CIA agent Valerie Plame's identity to columnist Robert Novak. (You can watch that story and the extended interview .) She also produced last week’s look inside the National Counter Terrorism Center – you can check out the back story on that piece here.) So check out some of Mary’s work and e-mail us a question for her. She’ll answer our questions and yours on Thursday.

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