The Baltimore Sun posted an article about "The Men Who Stare at Goats" mentioning the role Maryland played in the events that inspired the movie.The article is titled "Battle satire 'Men Who Stare at Goats' has a Maryland link.  It's strange but true. Maryland played a role in the events that inspired the military satire 'Men Who Stare at Goats' " - Baltimore Sun, Micheal Sragow.

The Baltimore Sun writer Micheal Sragow explains to his readers how many of the exploits filmmakers ascribe to Channon's Troops actually happened at Fort Mead Maryland just a few miles from Baltimore. There was also a phone interview commentary  with Jim Channon about the First Earth Battalion and his view on the impact of the movie.

It seems in the interview Micheal received a glimpse past the movie errors into the real world of a Warrior Monk.

Michael Sragow wrote in the closing of the article, Jim "believes that he saved lives in Vietnam by relying on hunter's skills that could be considered psychic. And he feels ESP is "necessary" for American successs in contemporary conflicts. "The secret of modern warfare is, don't get into danger zones. You can't do that without extended awareness."

So in the end, the entertaining farrago of make-believe and scrambled history in "The Men Who Stare At Goats" doesn't faze Channon. He compares his collision with Hollywood to "a 'meeting engagement.' That's when two armies bump into each other and make a mess. The ones that are quickest on their feet win. I've been quick in this case. So far it has been an amazingly successful engagement."

Spoken like an honest-to-God, flesh-and-blood Jedi warrior."

The Baltimore Sun
November 1, 2009

http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/movies/bal-ae.goats01nov01,0,7832466.story

Baltimore Sun Finds First Earth Battalion Roots in Their Own Backyard.
-Article by The Wormhole Squadron Media Office.