Whats it take to get to an Embed Slot??

If anyone is curious about how you go about getting an embed slot with the U.S. Military in Iraq, here is a little primer......
Be prepared to send a lot of e-mails, and make more than a few phone calls. My personal quest began in November of '06 when I set out to find a stateside unit that I could deploy with. My reasons were two-fold, first was to get to know the troops prior to their being in combat, and observe their training. Secondly was financial reasons, flights to Kuwait can really hamper your budget.
Once you find a unit that is willing to let you tag along, you have to get permission from MNF-I (Multi-National Force-Iraq) in Baghdad for the embed. Among other things, you must work for an agency or publication, have been published, agree to their ground rules, have insurance, Kevlar helmet and body armor. MNF-I also has several forms to fill out with general info, such as what you will cover while embedded, and your next of kin.
After being approved to embed, and to travel with a unit, you have to make arrangements to get to that unit. That's where I am right now, I have my flight booked, car and hotel reserved and packing my bags as this gets typed! What do you pack for a war? We'll go into that tomorrow.