RELEASE, INDEMNIFICATION, AND HOLD HARMLESS AGREMEENT AND AGREEMENT NOT TO SUE 1. The United States of America (the "Government"), acting by and through the Department of Defense, believes it to be mutually beneficial to both the Government and news media organizations ("media organizations") to place selected news media organization employees ("media employees") with selected military units ("military units") for the purpose of providing news media coverage before, during, and after military operations. The placement of media employees with military units is referred to in this Agreement as "embedding" or the "embedding process" and will require media employees to live, travel, eat, sleep, and conduct all professional and personal activities with the military unit to which the media employees are "embedded." 2. Definitions. a. The term "Government" means the United States Government, including its departments, subdivisions, agencies, instrumentalities, officers, employees (including military and civilian personnel), servants, contractors, volunteers, and agents. b. The term "media organization" means the "media employee’s" employer, a registeredU.S. or foreign profit or not-for-profit organization, its successors, and assigns. c. The term "media employee" means an employee or agent of a "media organization", his or her guardians, executors, administrators, heirs, and assigns. 3. Media organizations and media employees understand and agree that the embedding process will expose media employees to the same risks and hazards as those to which the military members of military units are exposed, including the extreme and unpredictable risks of war, combat operations, and combat support operations, as well as common and uncommon hazards of military living. Media organizations and media employees fully understand and appreciate the following: a. The embedding process will expose media employees to all hazards of a military environment, including but not limited to the extreme and unpredictable hazards of war, combat operations, and combat support operations. The military environment is inherently dangerous and may result in death or personal injury of media employees or damage to personal property. b. The embedding process may include strenuous and inherently dangerous activities, including transportation in, and close proximity to, military tactical vehicles, aircraft, watercraft, and other Government (and Government contracted) vehicles and may involve substantial risk of serious injury or death as the result of the media employee’s own actions or inaction, the actionsor inactions of others including agents, contractors, officers, service members, and employees of the Government, the conditions of the Government facility and the natural environment, the known or unknown condition of any government-furnished equipment, and the inherent dangers of war, combat operations, and combat support operations. 2 c. The embedding process requires media employees to be in overall good physical health and condition. Persons who are not in overall good physical health and condition should not participate in the embedding process. Media employees should consult their physicians prior to embedding to be certain they are qualified to do so. Persons with a history of heart or lung disease or conditions, or coronary disease, or other chronic or pervasive diseases or conditions may not participate. Likewise, those women currently pregnant may not participate. Anyone suffering from any injuries, conditions, ailments or pre-existing conditions that could be affected by the embedding process may not participate. d. As part of the embedding process, the Government will make available anthrax and smallpox vaccinations to media employees, provided it is done at no cost to the Government (full reimbursement of all Government costs) and provided that the media employees sign an additional agreement regarding the risks involved. These vaccinations are voluntary and are not a prerequisite for participating in the embedding process. Media organizations and media employees agree, for those media employees choosing to receive the anthrax and smallpox vaccinations, that this Release, Indemnification, and Hold Harmless Agreement and Agreement Not to Sue specifically includes all risks and hazards associated with the smallpox and anthrax vaccinations, including any negative reactions, adverse effects, including the media employee’sillness, infirmity, or death. 4. The media employee agrees to: a. Participate in the embedding process and to follow the direction and orders of the Government related to such participation. The media employee further agrees to follow Government regulations. The media employee acknowledges that failure to follow any direction, order, regulation, or ground rule may result in the termination of the media employee’sparticipation in the embedding process. b. Voluntarily, willingly, and knowingly ASSUME ANY AND ALL RISKS, known and unknown, in any way associated with the embedding process, war, combat operations, and combat support operations. c. RELEASE, INDEMNIFY, AND HOLD HARMLESS the Government from and against any claims, demands, actions, liens, rights, subrogated or contribution interests, debts, liabilities, judgments, costs, and attorney’s fees, arising out of, claimed on account of, or in anymanner predicated upon the media employee’s participation in the embedding process, includingany loss or damage to property or the personal injury or death of any person which may occur as a result of the media employee’s participation in the embedding process, even where that loss,damage, personal injury, or death is caused or contributed to, in any manner, by the Government. 5. The media organization agrees to permit its media employees to participate in the embedding process. As a condition of being permitted to participate in the embedding process, the media organization agrees to RELEASE, INDEMNIFY, AND HOLD HARMLESS the Government from and against any claims, demands, actions, liens, rights, subrogated or contribution interests, debts, liabilities, judgments, costs, and attorney’s fess arising out of, claimed on account of, or inany manner predicated upon the media employee’s participation in the embedding process,including any loss or damage to property or the personal injury or death of any person, even where that loss, damage, personal injury, or death is caused or contributed to, in any manner, by the Government. 3 6. The media organization and media employee hereby covenant and agree they will never institute, prosecute or in any way aid in the institution or prosecution of any demand, claim or suit against the Government for any destruction, loss, or damage to the media organization’sproperty or the media employee’s property, or the personal injury or death of media employeeswhich may occur as a result of the media employee’s participation in the embedding process.7. The media organization and media employee grant express, voluntary, and knowing consent to the rendering of all emergency medical or dental treatment that may, in the professional judgment of a Government medical or dental officer, become necessary while participating in the embedding process. Transportation to a definitive Government or commercial care facility may be required as an adjunct to authorized emergency medical or dental care. Persons receiving Government medical or dental care who are not otherwise eligible to receive such care shall be obligated to reimburse the Government. 8. The media organization and the media employee understand and agree that the Government may terminate the embedding process at any time and for any reason, as the Governmentdetermines appropriate in its sole discretion. 9. This Release, Indemnification, Hold Harmless Agreement and Agreement Not to Sue shall be interpreted according to federal law. It is to be construed as broadly and inclusively as is permitted by relevant federal law. If any portion of this document is held invalid, the balance shall continue in full force and effect. ___________________________ ____________________ Media Employee’s Signature Date___________________________ ____________________ Media Organization Date By:________________________