My son's Soldier Prayer for me captured on hidden camera
Friday, July 20, 2007, 12:25 PM
Julian's prayer.For Daddy[ 11 comments ] | [ 1 trackbacks ] | permalink | Discussion | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us
Milblogs in the News: Airman's shooting: Antiwar passion?
Thursday, July 19, 2007, 12:42 PM
(The Philadelphia Inquirer) But the Internet furor stirred by the shooting has been unmistakable. The incident quickly became a cause celebre, fanned by a host of conservative and military bloggers across the country as well as national columnist Michelle Malkin, who claimed that Schrieken had been targeted by an antiwar zealot.
"I've watched the blogs," said Willingboro police spokesman Joe Dey. "It picked up fire."
Read the entire story here.
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New Milblogs Added
Tuesday, July 17, 2007, 01:22 PM
Here's the list of new military blogs added to the Milblogging.com database. It seems like it was months ago when I last blogged, but it's really only been a few days.
If I had known I couldn't get to a computer to blog, I would've posted a picture of me with my t-shirt off as my latest entry. That's practically the equivalent of 500 new blog entries by me.
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Readers respond to the Golden Rules of Care Packages
Wednesday, July 11, 2007, 06:53 PM
After posting the Golden Rules of Care Packages, I've received colorful commentary from several readers. One reader went as far as to send in her own list of rules she calls, "Soldiers Rules for Care Package Requests". If you ask me, some of the care packages soldiers receive really don't even count as Care Packages. I mean, c'mon, Word Finds? Seriously, at this rate, I'm waiting for one of my buddies to open a Care Package and pull out a Barbie Dream House. Or a breadmaker. Who knows? Maybe even a pile of sand. That would be awesome.
SOLDIERS RULES FOR CARE-PACKAGE REQUESTS
by Karen
1. Don't request Playstations. Get back to the real
war! Finish the job and come home. The faucet's
leaking and the gutters need cleaned.
2. Don't request 100mph tape. Every one of us will
send 20 rolls. You'll end up with enough to put
Babylon back together again!
3. Don't request water guns. When you were eleven you
had a water gun, and wished for a real gun. Now you
have a big rifle and you want a water gun? Make up
your mind!
4. Don't request Maxim magazine. Most of us sending
care packages are women and children! Don't you have
enough stuff making you homesick?
5. Don't request fans. Stop whining about the heat -
if you've never been in labor you know nothing about
discomfort! Nothing.
6. Just how many freakin' tan t-shirts does one army
need?
7. Don't request iPods. Stop using the care package
sites to get free electronics. You earn more than some
of us. Hire me as your personal shopper.
8. Don't request Red Bull. Do you know how much it
costs to mail you a case of Monster or Red Bull?
No-Doze will dissolve easily in your hot bottled
water.
9. Don't request Axe products. You're 7200 miles away
from any woman who cares what you smell like, and you
didn't care that much when you were home!
10. Don't request Gold Bond. Nobody wants to hear
about your foot fungus and jock itch. Deal with it.
War is hell.
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Milblogs in the News: Military Blogs
Wednesday, July 11, 2007, 12:27 PM
(Knoxnews.com) If you have ever wondered, like I have, about military blogs, then I have found an answer.Head over to National Guard Spc. J.P. Borda's Milblogging.com to get an idea of how many military blogs there are out there.
It might be more than you think.Try 1,756 military blogs in 30 countries with 3,595 registered members. And counting.
And the thing that I really find exciting is that troops on the ground in Iraq are able to blog about their experiences. You have almost instant reporting from the war that is raging so far from home.
This, indeed, is a new world for the brave.
Read more here.
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Milblogs in the News: Blog Power On Display In The Annals Of Congress
Tuesday, July 10, 2007, 03:18 PM
(Beltway Blogroll) Earlier in the year, lawmakers turned to the blogs for information during their debates about sending more U.S. troops to Iraq. In the Senate on Jan. 31, for example, Texas Republican John Cornyn quoted from the "Why I Joined" MySpace entry of Army Second Lt. Mark Daily, who was later killed in Iraq.Hugh Hewitt and Michelle Malkin were among the prominent bloggers who cited Daily's words.
Read the entire story here.
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Milblogging.com in the News: Military bloggers communicate with families in realtime
Tuesday, July 10, 2007, 03:03 PM
(BizTech Magazine) There are more than 1,400 military-related blogs, according to National Guard Spc. J.P. Borda, a 32-year-old software analyst who runs milblogging.com, an aggregator of milblogs from around the world. But not only soldiers are blogging, spouses and parents are too. The milblogging community is large, but like most military communities, it is tight. Word spreads fast when someone is injured or killed, and support for family members is immediate..Read the entire story here.
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What’s new: Writing the Wartime Experience
Sunday, July 8, 2007, 10:31 AM
(The National Endowment for the Arts) The National Endowment for the Arts created Operation Homecoming to help Selected from more than 12,000 pages submitted to the NEA, nearly one hundred memoirs, stories, poems, and letters are published in Operation Homecoming: Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Home Front in the Words of U.S. Troops and Their Families, edited by Andrew Carroll.
Lawrence Bridges’ documentary MUSE OF FIRE includes remarkable readings and interviews with U.S. troops and their families, as well as insightful commentary from acclaimed authors and actors.
Read more here.
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Rules on Sending Care Packages (New and Improved!)
Thursday, July 5, 2007, 07:30 PM
I recently revised the Golden Rules of Care Packages because I know my readers always enjoy a good laugh. Either at my expense, or theirs. The only real point to this list, is to have a laugh. So, keep that in mind if you choose to read on. Me, personally, I love each and every care package I receive... 1. Do not send party invitations for weddings or Independence Day or any other festivities while we are deployed. Probably, because we can't attend. Anybody who sends a party invitation to a deployed soldier is clearly retarded.
2. Do not continue to write a soldier, when the soldier never writes you back. If you really want attention that bad, jump off a building.
3. The meanest thing you can do to a soldier is to send generic, not name brand goods. Hey, I like to save money too, but you should at least have the decency "to not" send care packages. Sending generic brand goods is worse than taking a dump in a cardboard box and shipping it over.
4. No more magazines dated back to 1980. It's not like anybody is actually going to read them. I know vacuum cleaners with better Care Package sense than you.
5. Don't ever send school supplies unless we ask. Most soldiers don't like to criticize care packages, but you could send over a box of deadly scorpions or feces, and that would be the best package you've ever sent. Yes, seriously.
6. Do not send a typed written letter about your personal life to a soldier. It doesn't matter if you're Elvis Presley back from the dead or the first person to ride a unicorn. Receiving a typed letter about your personal life is the lowest form of support known to a soldier.
7. Don't shop at the Dollar Store for your soldier. I'm sure it sounds great when you tell your family and friends that you support the troops by sending care packages, but if you're shopping at the Dollar store, you're probably worse off than we are. Please, send us the mailing address to the bridge you live under, and we'll try and help.
8. If it's not electronic, it's not worth sending. I'm convinced 99% of what people send us is garbage. I haven't seen a soldier yet, complain about receiving an iPod in the mail. I'm just saying.
9. Do not send crossword puzzles. Or word finds. It's a sure way to disappoint a soldier when they open the Care Package. I've seen people who were punched in the face repeatedly; look much happier than soldiers who opened care packages with Crossword Puzzles.
10. Don't tell a soldier that you understand what he or she is going through because your neighbor's cousin, who has a sister, who has a brother, knows somebody who was deployed. It's a sure way of having your care package transformed into a kicking ball. Or, a smoking pile of ash.
Uh, Author Uknown
Have a rule you'd like to add? Send it to milblogging@gmail.com
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Happy Fourth of July from Bad Voodoo Platoon!
Wednesday, July 4, 2007, 10:01 AM
(pictured above from left to right in back: Thomson, Toby Nunn of Northern Disclosure, Molina, Ranger Nievera of Brotherhood of Courage, from left to right in front: JP of Milblogging.com, Baker of Hard Soldier) Thanks to VAJoe.com for the t-shirts. And don't forget to check out VAJoe's Milblogger Interviews!
Bad Voodoo Bloggers not shown in picture: Jones of West Coast Notorious, and Sid of RangerSid.com
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Milblogger in the News: Milblogs
Tuesday, July 3, 2007, 04:17 PM
(Inside Northside) What does a military wife who doesn’t live near a military installation do when she needs to create a sense of community?In the
Read the entire story here.
Thanks to Greta for the tip.
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Somewhere in Iraq on my First Mission
Tuesday, July 3, 2007, 08:53 AM
Here’s a picture of me on my first mission in
And for those of you who emailed in, “Brad Pitt body double”. Well, c’mon, let’s not get carried away.
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What other bloggers are saying: Milbloggin'
Sunday, July 1, 2007, 09:20 AM
(Conservative Thoughts) To those who milblog I offer my sincere appreciation. Not only do they provide a real life, real time glimpse into their lives but additionally they show their dedication, commitment, strength and courage to not only serve their country but address the world and echo these qualities. All done in the face of some public opposition or in spite of it. Their character and impressive attention to duty is remarkable. We are all able to enjoy the freedom we often take for granted because of them. And they still take the time to inform the public, help each other out and offer whatever they can infurther service to country.
Read the entire story here.
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A story by one of my Supporters
Saturday, June 30, 2007, 02:30 PM
One of my long-time supporters and readers, who goes by Linda on her blog, wrote an awesome story which talks about me and my original blogging from Here’s an excerpt from the story:
The sweetest story was about his 3 yr old son who had a Goofy doll to represent his Dad and carried it everywhere. One night he woke up crying and told his mom he wanted his dad. His mom tried to give him Goofy and he said no, I want my real dad! Mom said she did, too, and they both cried for a bit. These kind of stories were what made us love JP. I’m speaking for quite a few people he affectionately calls his “crackheads”. (It better be affectionately, dude!)
Read the entire story here.
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New Milblogs Added: June 17th - 28th, 2007
Saturday, June 30, 2007, 02:19 PM
West Coast Notorious, Jones, Iraq, Military blog written by a Team Leader in the Cali..., 28 Jun 2007
Jim Spiri in Iraq, Jim Spiri, Iraq, Jim Spiri is embedded with Golf Company, 2nd Batta..., 26 Jun 2007
Training to be a Soldier's Wife, Bshel07, United States, I am just trying to learn how to release and deal ..., 25 Jun 2007
Charlie Foxtrot, Charlie Foxtrot, United States, Thoughts and comments on the incoherant entangleme..., 23 Jun 2007
The Unlikely Soldier, The Usual Suspect, Iraq, I'm an infantryman currently serving in Iraq. I'm ...,
Connected - Surviving Life as Army Wives, Amie and
Fightin' 6th Marines!, Fightin6thmarines,
Bouhammer's Military Blog, Troy Steward, United States, This is my anything-military related blog. The top...,
Rookie Army National Guard Wife, Kimberly Wiechec,
Army Blogger Wife, ABW, United States, Preparing for my husband's third deployment to Ira..., 17 Jun 2007
Non-Essential Equipment, Non-Essential Equipment, United States, The true tales of a misanthropic military wife, FR..., 17 Jun 2007
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Bad Voodoo Military Bloggers
Thursday, June 28, 2007, 04:13 PM
I'm proud to say, my Platoon Bad Voodoo probably has the most milbloggers ever in a single Platoon. You need to be patient though, many of the Bad Voodoo soldiers are new to blogging, and because of the nature of our job, internet access is limited. Here's a short list of Bad Voodoo soldiers who have blogs (more are under construction):Northern Disclosure
West Coast Notorious
Milblogging.com
Hard Soldier
Ranger Sid
Brotherhood of Courage
I'm seriously thinking we belong in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the most bloggers in a single Platoon. Unfortunately, it's kinda difficult to get listed in the book. I tried submitting my name a couple times, but surprisingly I got rejected. Apparently, being as handsome as me isn't considered "Guinness worthy". Neither is wrestling tigers. With your bare hands. While blindfolded. I know, I couldn’t believe it either.
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What other Milbloggers are Saying: Downrange
Thursday, June 28, 2007, 11:09 AM
(Charlie Foxtrot) Over the last few years, there have been many good blogs written 'downrange' in both Most of the good bloggers tend to be Army or Marine. Maybe because they have the most interesting things to pass along. But also perhaps because the USAF IT folks won't let you come within spitting distance of blogging (Blogger, etc) or webmail websites. They are all locked out because they pose and 'inherent threat'. And here I thought we were the most technologically advanced service....oh never mind.
Below are some of the downrange bloggers that I currently find most interesting.
ACUTE POLITICS (Army, Fallujah)
BADGERS FORWARD (Army, Ramadi)
FIGHTIN' 6TH MARINES (USMC, Fallujah)
THE GUNNER'S WORLD (USMC, Fallujah)
JACK ARMY (Army, Iraq)
JAKE'S LIFE (USMC, Fallujah)
LICARI OF ARABIA (USMC, Fallujah)
MILBLOGGING.COM (Army, Iraq)
NORTHERN DISCLOSURE (Army Iraq)
PRO DEA ET PATRIA (Army Chaplain, Iraq)
Read the entire story here.
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The Biggest Military Supporters Around
Wednesday, June 27, 2007, 03:28 PM
The
Yeah yeah, I was easily entertained when I was 5. But then again, it's easy to stay amused when you're raised in the wild by wolves. Like me. Raaaaaawwwwwwwwrrr!
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Bad Voodoo Platoon Logo Almost Complete
Wednesday, June 27, 2007, 03:06 PM
Alot of readers have been asking about Bad Voodoo t-shirts. Well, I have good news. One of our soldiers made a design, and then the graphics people at GX: The Guard Experience magazine illustrated the drawing. So, in the next week or so we'll be making t-shirts available to our Bad Voodoo supporters.
The folks at GX magazine work non-stop. I have to hand it to them, any time we need something, they get it done. They must work like 76 hours a day. They're like robots. If I showed up at their offices I'm pretty sure all I'd find is little robot droids scurrying around the office on wheels, bumping into one another, referring to each other by numbers. And also in the office: a huge wall portrait of me. I'm picturing the size of
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Milblogs in the News: Guatemala: An Open Internet - Anyone Can Blog
Wednesday, June 27, 2007, 07:18 AM
(Global Voices Online) Ten years before, no word about the Guatemalan Army was heard - not in the news, not even in colloquial chats. That´s why it is really interesting to find a military blogger, in Perspectiva Militar [ES], you can learn more about the training and adventures of a kaibil, a member of a quite controversial unit of the soldiers. There you can learn more about a view not often shared by media.Read the entire story here.
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