Military blogs added to Milblogging (July '12)
Friday, July 27, 2012, 11:30 PM
There have been lots of great military blogs submitted to Milblogging in July.
The military blogging community sadly lost a member earlier this week. As I wrote about yesterday, SGT Eric Williams was killed on Monday in Afghanistan as he was on his journey home.
Eric Williams, Eric Williams, Afghanistan, My name is Eric Williams and I am a flight medic...
My Camo Kids, Lora, United States, My husband is Active Duty Army, Infantry, currentl...
MOMentarily Distracted, Ginny, United States, A proud Army wife and stay-at-home-mom to 3 amazin...
LinLori: Brace Yourself, This Could Be Awesome, Lin Clements, United States, A Navy wife with prior active duty experience shar...
U.S. Army War College, United States, The purpose of the Information as Power blog is to...
ISAF - International Security Assistance Force, Afghanistan, In support of the Government of the Islamic Republ...
Navy Medicine Live, United States, Navy Medicine is a thriving, global health care sys...
NORAD and U.S. Northern Command, United States, The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORA...
Human Performance Resource Center (HPRC), HPRC, United States, HPRC is a DoD initiative with a mission to provide...
Joining Forces Blog,, United States, The First Lady and Dr. Biden have met with militar...
Blog Brigade, Multiple authors, United States, The Blog Brigade is the place to discover what mil...
Warriors Arts Alliance, Deborah, United States, Veterans' Writing and Visual Arts
Grand Rapids Home for Veterans, AngryCitizen, United States, News of what is going on at the Veterans Home in G...
Back in the Mainstream, Northern Arizona VUB, United States, This blog highlights free resources for veterans, ...
The Kabul Cable, Tyrell Mayfield, United States, This website will serve as a portal into the curre...
MCU Center for Teaching & Learning, United States, Welcome to Marine Corps University’s Center for ...
FlySafe, Major General Greg Feest, United States, Insights and Views from Major General Greg Feest
We See the Same Stars, Carmen, United States, Read about my journey from military wife to civili...
Magnolia Lane, Melissa Lyons, United States, The life of a miltary wife and family including to...
God Squad, John, United States, HELPING VETERANS, SERVICE MEMBERS, AND MILITARY FA...
My Army Experience, Brandon McGuire, Germany, The daily live of a 25B in the Army. This blog cov...
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Milblogger killed on return home from Afghanistan
Thursday, July 26, 2012, 04:49 AM - Fallen Military Bloggers, Afghanistan Military Bloggers
Army Sgt. Eric E. Williams died Monday in Afghanistan. He was assigned to Company C, 3-82 General Support Aviation Battalion of the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade.According to North County Times, Sgt. Williams was just starting his long journey home when he came under enemy fire and died.
Williams was also a military blogger who had kept an online journal on Blogspot since 2008.
The blog’s title is called: Eric Williams and can be found at http://myfriendthemedic.
In his last post published only days before he was killed he wrote of coming home.
“This deployment is coming to an end, in a few days we will be on a plane back to the United States to rejoin our family and friends and to try to readjust to a certain semblance of what we think life should be. The truth is everything has changed, we collectively have changed. We have changed as people, as an army, as citizens of the United States. We face uncertainty in nearly every aspect of our lives. Our families have been without us for a year and we have only two weeks to try to enjoy the extremely limited time we have with them before its back to the daily grind. Two weeks to try to reconnect, although this process can take weeks, months or even years. There is no promise that any of us will return unchanged. But we collectively have been granted access to something few ever see, or choose to see for that matter. We have bared witness to the atrocities of war. We have thrust ourselves into the midst of chaos in order to do something so important, so visceral, that few will ever understand what it means. We collectively have risked it all and put everything on the line to save our fellow man, regardless of nationality, race, religion or sex. I for one will reflect on these experiences for decades to come. And I know my comrades will as well. I cannot begin to describe the things we’ve seen, felt, or heard. We have lost brothers and colleagues. We have felt the sting of losing someone we tried our hardest to save. We have cleaned up the blood and reset our equipment in order to go back out and do it again. These people I work with are some of the most dedicated men and women I have ever met. They come from all walks of life and although different in so many aspects, all come together collectively to accomplish this mission. I’m proud to say that I work with some of the most professional people there are. But now we are going home. Were out of this god forsaken country, but we take with us the weight of a thousand missions. To try to dissect them as best we know how.”
North County Times has two good articles (hereand here) on Sgt. Williams.
The story published Tuesday also spoke of his blog saying, “He also wrote eloquently of his growing disillusionment with the "general American public," which didn't understand the sacrifice of his brethren.”
Read more of Sgt Williams’ blog here.
RIP Sgt. Eric E. Williams.
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NTSB issues update on milblogger's fatal crash
Thursday, July 26, 2012, 04:08 AM - Fallen Military Bloggers, News Stories
The NTSB has released another update into its investigation in the F-21 Kfir crash at Naval Air Station Fallon in Nevada that killed military blogger Captain Carroll “Lex” Lefon, USN (ret), back in early March.Although an official cause hasn’t been ruled on, Lefon told air traffic controllers he was running out of gas before he crashed, according to the Associated Press.
The NTSB released its preliminary report back in mid March where it discussed the fact that Lefon stated to air traffic controllers that he was in a “critical fuel state”.
Here’s a look at the preliminary report released on March 13:
On March 6, 2012 at 0914 pacific standard time, an Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) Kfir F-21C2 single-seat turbojet fighter type aircraft, registration N404AX, operated by Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC) under contract to Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) as a civil public aircraft operation, crashed upon landing at Naval Air Station Fallon, Fallon, Nevada. The sole occupant pilot aboard was killed, and the airplane was substantially damaged by impact forces and fire. The flight had departed Fallon at 0752 the same day, and attempted to return following an adversary training mission. The pilot initiated two Ground Control Approach (GCA) radar approaches to Fallon and then attempted to divert to Reno but was unable to land there as the field was reporting below minimum weather conditions. The pilot then turned back toward Fallon and stated to air traffic controllers that he was in a critical fuel state. The pilot descended and maneuvered first toward runway 31, then toward runway 13. The airplane struck the ground in an open field in the northwest corner of the airport property and impacted a concrete building on the field. Weather at the time of the accident was reported as snowing with northerly winds of 23 knots gusting to 34 knots, and visibility between one-half and one and one-half miles.
Full story on the NTSB’s latest update available here.
I have not seen the newest update mentioned in the AP story on the NTSB website yet.
Related stories:
Flights suspended that killed military blogger
Military blogger Neptunus Lex laid to rest
Services for Capt. Carroll "Lex" Lefon, USN (ret)
Over 1,000 comments in tribute to Neptunus Lex
Open Thread on Neptunus Lex for condolences
RIP Milblogger Carroll LeFon (aka Lex) of Neptunus Lex
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News: Why agencies need a social media policy
Thursday, July 26, 2012, 02:29 AM - News Stories
7 Reasons Every Government Agency Needs a Social Media Policy. The popularity of social media across many different demographic groups has allowed for an unprecedented level of openness and connectedness, which also provides substantial opportunities for “good government.” By using inexpensive and widely accessible social media platforms, government agencies can engage and communicate with a citizenry eager for conversation in ways previously impossible or impractical. However, employee use of social media is not without risk. In the absence of a formal, institutionalized policy on social media communications, there is a very real possibility of the rapid spread of misinformation, unauthorized leaks of classified or sensitive material, and damaging off-the-cuff interactions that can cause public relations nightmares... (OhMyGov)
Discharged Tea Party Marine says military publication made example of him. Two months after former Marine sergeant Gary Stein was discharged from the service for founding the Armed Forces Tea Party Facebook group and making strong political statements, he thought the flurry of publicity surrounding his disgrace was finally over. Not so, he discovered last week. Stein was briefly the unexpected star of a public affairs article informing troops how they could stay “social media savvy during the election season,” appearing in the lead sentence as an example of what not to do. “Basically what it says is, ‘don’t be Gary Stein,’” he told Human Events. “It just went through everything that you cannot do as a service member. It was basically a scare tactic.”
(Human Events)
Mobile App Helps Families with Military Life. JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash., July 24, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Department of Defense has a new smartphone mobile application to help service members and their families manage the challenges of military life. LifeArmor has seventeen behavioral topics with information, assessments, videos with personal stories and interactive exercises to develop coping skills. LifeArmor can be downloaded for free at the App Store, Google Play and soon on the Amazon Marketplace...
(Digital Journal)
Ohio extends time for submitting stories of World War II-era life. The state government is allowing more time for Ohioans to submit stories by or about people who lived during World War II, including veterans and family members who stayed at home. The Ohio departments of Aging and Veterans Services said they will accept submissions through Aug. 20 for the War Era Story Project, extending the original deadline by nearly three weeks because of public interest. The stories should focus on experiences during the war and the years that immediately followed, state officials said. The project was begun in June. The departments are to begin sharing the stories with the public in November. It is a follow-up to the Department of Aging’s 2009 Great Depression Story Project...
(Dayton Daily News)
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Military Blog rankings according to Invesp
Wednesday, July 25, 2012, 02:12 AM
Invesp, an e-commerce website that specializes in conversion optimization, has a section called blogRank that collects data on thousands of blogs, evaluates them against common metrics like Alexa rank and Google indexed pages, then ranks them using a unique formula.The site has an entire section on military blogs that includes rankings in a variety of different categories including:
Military Blogs: The ultimate rank
Military Blogs: by Feedburner RSS membership*
Military Blogs: by unique monthly visitors
Military Blogs: by Google indexed pages
Military Blogs: by number of incoming links (via Bing)
Military Blogs: by Google PR
Military Blogs: by Alexa rank
Military Blogs: by Compete rank
You need to add your blog to the list to get ranked, but getting ranked is not instantaneous. According to a message on the website, once you submit your blog it could take months to show up online.
Many of the top military blogs include Michael Yon: Online Magazine, Blackfive, The Mudville Gazette, Doonesbury-The Sandbox-Military Blog and U.S. Air Force Live.
Ranked as the #1 blog right now according to blogRank's ultimate ranking system is Michael Yon: Online Magazine with a site score of 100, followed closely by Blackfive with a site score of 99.68.
Details as to how the “Site Score” formula is calculated are unknown.
Rankings are a tricky thing.
Going solely off Alexa rank, then U.S. Air Force Live takes the cake as of today.
Go by RSS membership, then Blackfive clearly dominates with over 13,000 members.
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Upcoming military writing event Sept. 12-14
Tuesday, July 24, 2012, 06:16 PM - Bloggers turned Writers
If there’s one blogger who knows what’s going on in the military writing world it’s Randy Brown (aka “Charlie Sherpa”) of the military blog Red Bull Rising.Earlier today Randy posted information about an event taking place in Denver this September for military writers called the Sangria Summit: A Military Writer’s Conference.
Via Red Bull Rising:
“Writers with interests toward publishing military-themed works of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry are invited to the inaugural "Sangria Summit: A Military Writers' Conference" Sept. 12-14, 2012, at the Marriott City Center, Denver, Colo. The event is sponsored by Victor Ian LLC, a military media and gaming business. The business publishes Lanterloon, an eclectic lifestyle, technology, and military blog; and has a physical storefront called "Dragons and Dragoons" located in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Bloggers and brothers James and William Burns are co-founders of the event. "I have an interest in creative writing," says James Burns. "Our game store customer base is largely military. Fort Carson is right next to us. The effort to know my customer led me to Carl Prine [Until recently, the blogger at "Line of Departure"] and Isaac Cubillos. I wanted to do something to help."
Lanterloon editor Isaac Cubillos, author of the Military Reporters Stylebook and Reference Guide, is serving as the Sangria Summit conference director.”
More information about the event can be found here.
The official Sangria Summit website can be found at sangriasummit.com.
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Facebook Memorial set up for Navy K9 Handler
Tuesday, July 24, 2012, 05:57 PM - News Stories, Facebook
Navy K9 handler Michael Brodsky died on July 21 from injuries he suffered while serving in Kandahar, Afghanistan.According to news reports Brodsky stepped on a mine as he was returning to a fire fight shortly after rushing his K9 partner to shelter.
Via WPTV:
“Friends and family members of a U.S. Navy sailor from Tamarac are in mourning after learning the 33-year-old died from injuries he sustained earlier this month in Afghanistan.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael J. Brodsky, 33, died from the injuries caused by a blast from a dismounted improvised explosive device in Kandahar Province, the Department of Defense announced Tuesday.
Family members said he had lost both legs and was struggling to stay alive.”
A Facebook memorial page has been setup by Nicole Arbelo who runs a group called K9 Heroes.
Since going online earlier this week, the page has nearly 1,000 likes and has been quickly filled by video tributes and messages.
You can visit the memorial page here.
Full news story here.
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News: War stories endure on DVD
Monday, July 23, 2012, 11:35 PM - News Stories
Plymouth veteran's war stories endure on DVD. In 2003, Haver's youngest son, Jay, talked him into writing down his memories and telling his story on video. The result was two hours of storytelling. Some stories are sad. Some are hilariously profane. Pierre Haver had a storyteller's basic skills. When he entered the service, Haver said, the Army Air Force needed drivers. He never learned to drive. So, instead of going to Europe with the Army Air Force, he headed for the South Pacific as a hospital attendant...(Mansfield News Journal)
Pentagon issues new stricter rules for unauthorized disclosure of information. In a “closed door” secret Congressional hearing on the subject of “unauthorized disclosure of classified information”, the defense department said DOD “must do more to protect sensitive information”, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said in a press briefing. This policy change came after members of Congress complained about leaks of classified intelligence information to members of the press on the floor of the floor of the United States Senate...
(Examiner)
Twitter to appeal ruling on Occupy protest tweets. Twitter Inc. says it will appeal a court's ruling requiring the company to release an Occupy Wall Street protester's tweets. The Wall Street Journal (http://on.wsj.com/MNU977 ) reports that a lawyer for the company announced the decision to appeal on Twitter on Thursday. Lawyer Benjamin Lee said the ruling "doesn't strike the right balance between the rights of users and the interests of law enforcement." The tweets are expected be used against Malcolm Harris...
(KEYC)
Civil War Road Show coming to Schuylkill County Fair. Civil War history buffs will want to make sure they get out to the week-long Schuylkill County Fair, which opens July 30. The Pennsylvania Civil War 150 Road Show, a traveling exhibition housed in an expandable 53-foot tractor-trailer, is making its debut in Schuylkill County. And, according to Fair President Paul T. Kennedy, it will be one of the fair's centerpieces. "It will be smack-dab in the middle of the fair between the Indoor Midway and the Fruit and Vegetable Building," Kennedy said Thursday. The Road Show will be part of the festivities throughout the fair, which runs from July 30 to August 4. The fair will open at 4 p.m. that Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The fair will open at 11 a.m. that Tuesday and Saturday, Kennedy said...
(Republican Herald)
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Staff Favorites: Veterans History Project stories
Sunday, July 22, 2012, 04:39 AM
Veterans History Project staff selected some of their favorite stories from the VHP collection of first-hand military accounts.Here’s a look at the veteran stories they picked:
Edward Bayon (chosen by Alexa Potter)
After the fighting in World War I ended, Edward Bayon, formerly a staff sergeant with the Army, married a French girl and decided to stay in France when he signed on with the American Graves Registration service. In April 1923, he was charged with taking a barge laden with the caskets of 952 American soldiers through the canals of France, Holland and Belgium, on their way back home. Bayon recorded his memory of this singular event in the one document in his collection. He was not prepared for the remarkable reception that the Belgians provided him on his mission.
[More here]
Howard Catton Gilbert (chosen by Stephanie A. Weaver)
Growing up in Seattle in the 1930s, Howard Gilbert developed a fascination with the water and ships. Enlisting in the Navy once the U.S. entered World War II was almost a foregone conclusion. He served on a troop ship and Liberty ship in both Pacific and Atlantic. Being on the water didn't remove him from action or its consequences: he saw two ships in his convoy sunk by a German submarine, and his troop ship took on wounded from the battle for New Guinea.
[More here]
John Horn (chosen by Alexa Potter)
John Horn, a staff sergeant with the 3rd United States Army Intelligence Center, was a German-Jewish émigré. While some members of his immediate family left Germany for America or Palestine before the war, many remained. Most of Horn's letters home deal with general topics—the routine of Army life—but in October 1945, Horn writes from Berlin with a heart-wrenching account of the fate of his family. In only a few lines, Horn encapsulates the murder of Germany 's Jews: the round-ups, the danger of living under assumed identities, the efforts of a few who would save Jews undermined by the actions of traitors, and finally the deportations to certain death at Auschwitz.
[More here]
Arthur Roland Keller (chosen by Tom Wiener)
Arthur Keller enlisted in the Marines at the age of 19 during a trip to Chicago from his home in Fairfield, Iowa. At that time, the spring of 1918, the U.S. was starting to send over replacement troops to replenish their losses. Keller, who was interviewed by his daughter in 1974, offers a vivid portrait of life in the trenches, dealing with relentless German shelling and just as persistent body lice. Though he considered the Marines the best disciplined of the services, Keller acknowledges the spirit of cooperation among all those serving. After the Armistice, Keller and a comrade spent six months of the Occupation living with a German family, forging an unlikely bond that prompted a tearful farewell in July 1919.
[More here]
Otto Ferdinand Leven (chosen by David Sager)
Otto Leven served in the army during World War I. He was of hearty German stock (his parents immigrated to America around 1886) and spent most of his twenty-three civilian years on his family's farms in Kay County and Newkirk, Oklahoma. Drafted in October 1917, he was assigned to the 90th Infantry Division and served in the 357th Regiment. Leven apparently wrote home copiously, his surviving letters projecting earnestness charm, and enthusiasm. Leven was mortally wounded while on patrol on September 29, 1918 and died two days later. His last letters home offer the reader an irony created by the contrast between Leven's generally cheery prose and the harshness of war. The irony is further defined by Leven's description of a dream he has where he envisions his mother and sister laying out his clothes.
[More here]
Geraldine Fisher Litvak (chosen by Yvonne Brown)
After World War II broke out in Europe in 1939, Indiana teenager Geri Fisher never questioned her grandmother as the woman severed ties with her relatives back in Germany, fearful that some were sympathetic to the Nazi cause. It was common for her grandmother to provide shelter and clothes on her farm to European Jewish refugees, whom Geri called "Aunt" and "Uncle." At 18, attending a business college in San Antonio, Texas, Geri started to understand the personal impact of the war on December 8, 1941, when she heard President Roosevelt's words, "We are at war." She participated in USO-sponsored "invitation-only Tea Dances" attended by military personnel from Randolph Field and other installations. Later, she obtained a high security clearance to be able to enter the base and entertain veterans returning from Europe suffering from battle fatigue.
[More here]
Robert B. McCollum (chosen by Stephanie A. Weaver)
Robert McCollum's life took an unexpected turn during his tour of duty in Assam, India, in World War II. His performance in a variety show titled "Hump Happy" led to an assignment as part of a traveling troupe of entertainers who worked bases in India, Africa, Sicily, and Yemen. Though the troupe was disbanded and the men went back to their original assignments, McCollum had been bitten by the show business bug, and after the war he continued to delight audiences in nightclubs and other venues, working with some of the biggest names in entertainment.
[More here]
More staff favorites here.
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Facebook chat: First military base gay wedding couple
Saturday, July 21, 2012, 04:16 AM - News Stories, Facebook
Slate.com’s Katherine Goldstein hosted a Facebook chat for people to ask questions of civilian Will Behrens and Tech. Sgt. Erwynn Umali-Behrens, the first gay couple to be married on a military base.The ceremony took place on June 23 at the chapel at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst reported the NY Daily News.
You can read an edited transcript of the chat here on Slate. The full conversation is available on Facebook here.
Many people chimed in on the conversation with positive messages, but not all the comments were supportive.
Fred Blevins wrote, “I think it's time i took Slate off my news feed. This gay military thing just doesn't make sense. If these two are ever on the same battlefield together, where will their focus be? Answer: on each other.”
While news was spreading of the first military base gay wedding, The House of Representatives passed an appropriations bill on Thursday with an amendment that would ban same-sex weddings from taking place on military bases in the future.
More on that here.
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News: Anti-Obama Marine used in Corps' PSA warning
Friday, July 20, 2012, 07:27 PM - News Stories
Anti-Obama Marine miffed by Corps’ PSA. A Marine booted from the service earlier this year after using Facebook to bash President Obama is unhappy with the Corps for describing his travails in a public-service announcement about the career risks of misusing social media. Former Sgt. Gary Stein, who administrates the Armed Forces Tea Party page on Facebook, received national attention when he was ousted in April with an other-than-honorable discharge. The Corps’ PSA, “Staying social media savvy during election season,” was published online Tuesday by public affairs personnel at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., and uses Stein’s ordeal to warn other Marines about not repeating his mistakes...(Marine Corps Times)
Anti-Obama PAC Uses Military Logos Without Permission. An anti-Obama political action committee has been caught brandishing military logos on their website without proper authorization. Adam Weinstein at Mother Jones found that the “Special Operations For America” — a group purporting to speak on behalf of active duty troops and veterans against the Obama administration — is using the trademarked insignia of the Marines, Air Force, Navy, Army, and U.S. Special Operations Command on its website and social media pages...
(ThinkProgress)
My Little Pony Has Invaded The US Military. The My Little Pony fan club extravaganza BronyCon went down at the Meadowlands in New Jersey a couple weeks ago, and some news from the scene has bled over into the military world. Joe Gould at Outside The Wire reports that some of the BronyCon attendees were military servicemembers who include themselves among the My Little Pony fans called "bronies". The Military Bronies even have a Facebook page that jumped from about 1,500 to over 2,000 "likes", after Gould's post went up, and is filled with interesting comments about what military life is like for such a unique subculture...
(Business Insider)
Documentary Channel Takes You Into the War Zone With the US Television Premiere of "Under Fire: Journalists in Combat". This August, Documentary Channel (DOC) explores the increasingly dangerous, emotional conditions faced by our nation's war correspondents with the US television premiere of director Martyn Burke's "Under Fire: Journalists in Combat" on Saturday, August 11 (8 pm ET/PT). As battle lines continue to be drawn around the globe, now more than ever our country relies on those gathering news and information in extreme war conditions. An eye-opening look inside the lives of these war reporters, "Under Fire: Journalists in Combat" shares the firsthand account of the brutal circumstances, unimaginable experiences and psychological and emotional toll endured in the quest to share the stories from the war zone...
(PR Newswire)
Documentary tells the story of the creation, expansion of Fort Drum. LeRaysville, Wood’s Mills, Sterlingville, Lewisburg, Alpina and North Wilna...These used to be hamlets in eastern Jefferson County. They were wiped out in the early 1940s, ramping up to World War II, when the U.S. Army tore apart the settlements and displaced nearly 2,000 people in what’s called the largest use of eminent domain in New York state history. This incident, adding 84,000 acres to the expanding base, is part of the story told by R. David White and his son, Matthew White, in a new documentary film, “Fort Drum: The First 100 Years.”
(Syracuse.com (blog))
Navy vet shares story. Like many young teenagers of his generation, U.S. Navy veteran and Jefferson County resident Nathan "Nat" B. Hughes couldn't wait to sign up to serve following the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. A native of New Jersey, Hughes, 83, would still have to wait a few more years before he was eligible to join the fight overseas. His father would play a part in the war effort after being ordered by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to begin work engraving Allied invasion charts...
(The Journal)
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Soldier found dead spoke of funeral on Facebook
Thursday, July 19, 2012, 03:05 AM - News Stories, Facebook
21 year old Pvt. David Vines was found dead in his barracks at Fort Lee on Monday.Foul play isn't suspected but the cause of death has yet to be determined.
According to the Beaumont Enterprise, Vines spoke of his funeral on Facebook, although it was months earlier in April.
On April 14, Vines posted the following message to his Facebook page:
"When I die (hopefully not until I'm 100) I want my funeral procession to have a fireworks display, a marching band and lots of food. So everyone can celebrate my life as it was. I hate the morbidity of death when we should celebrate someones life as it affected ours. After all who actually wants someone to cry for them when they are in a better place anyway? Maybe that's just me."
Full story here.
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Free Syrian Army soldiers chronicle life on Facebook
Thursday, July 19, 2012, 02:53 AM - News Stories, Facebook
The online news site Al Bawaba headquartered in Jordan tells the story of how Free Syrian Army soldiers are keeping some records of their daily lives through Facebook, including the minutiae.“He was talking about apricots to his exiled brother on Facebook, when a bomb exploded close to where he and a group of Free Syrian Army soldiers were in the outskirts of Homs.
He and some of his comrades were mildly injured, but this is daily life for FSA soldiers: everyday is bitter sweet.
Mohammad talks to his brother via Facebook about the meals he and his comrades prepare. It’s not exactly home-cooking as they have to stop every time the bombing starts, meaning most of the dishes end up ruined. For breakfast they cook meals made of semolina and sugar: anything that doesn’t require electricity.”
I have yet to find any mention of blogs or Twitter accounts, but if you come across a Free Syrian Army military blog or Twitter account please feel free to submit it to Milblogging.com.
Full story here.
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Air Force Social Media Guide published online
Wednesday, July 18, 2012, 03:34 AM - Milblogging/Op Sec Guidelines, News Stories
The Air Force Guide to Effective Social Media Use, which was originally published in March 2012, has been posted online by Public Intelligence, a website that dedicates itself to defending the public's right to access information.The 22-page guide is split up into 13 sections:
- Introduction
- Social Media for Airmen and Their Families
- Social Media for Leaders
- Social Media Considerations
- Security
- Common Social Media Platforms
- Social Media and Your Public Affairs Program
- Social Media and the Air Force Public Affairs Agency
- Air Force Symbol
- Policy
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Glossary
- Acronyms
Here are some snippets:
- In general, the Air Force views personal social media sites positively and respects your rights as Americans to use them to express yourself. However, by the nature of your profession, you are always on the record and must represent our core values
- It’s highly recommended that you set privacy settings so that only “friends” can see specifics. Even after establishing privacy settings, don’t assume your information will remain private; there’s no guarantee.
- Always use common sense: For example, don’t inform potential criminals you’re going out of town!
- When using social media in an official capacity, it’s important to be honest about who is posting information on behalf of senior leaders.
- The primary concern for Airmen using social media is maintaining operations security.
- If you’re using smartphones or tablets to take pictures and access social networking sites, you or your family could be inadvertently posting the exact geographic location of your home, workplace or even daily travel patterns. This technology is known as geotagging.
- The Air Force Office of Special Investigations has seen an uptick in the number of senior leaders impersonated online.
- It can be difficult to keep up with the social media realm because it seems that a new social media platform like Storify or Pinterest is born every day.
- Only units with a compelling need to communicate with the public may have an official Air Force social media property.
Download the guide here (PDF).
Source: Public Intelligence (via Wired)
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News: YouTube weapons training and more
Tuesday, July 17, 2012, 11:54 PM - News Stories
Syrian Rebels Use YouTube, Facebook for Weapons Training. Rebels fighting against Bashar Assad in Syria’s civil war are outgunned, outmanned and largely aren’t professional soldiers. So they’re turning to social media for tutorials in how to use their weapons...(Wired News (blog))
Armed Forces Casualty Notifications Taken Over by Facebook. Imagine you have been waiting for your loved one to call you from Afghanistan or you are counting the days until they come home, instead as you log on to Facebook, you find a message from someone in their unit telling you that person, who you love so much, is dead. No warning, no preparation, and no one in the room to help you process the tragic news. Casualty Notification Officers are trained to deliver personal notification with compassion and understanding...
(Flip the Media)
Civil War Oil Paintings On Display At Virginia Museum. More than two dozen Civil War oil paintings are going on display in Virginia. An exhibit of paintings by Mort Kunstler opened on Monday at the Virginia Museum of the Civil War at Virginia Military Institute's New Market Battlefield. The paintings were selected by Col. Keith Gibson, who is executive director of the VMI museum system. They were featured in the VMI Museum's main gallery earlier in the summer...
(WRIC)
Korea develops apps for battlefield usage. The Korean government has developed and completed nine battlefield applications for Samsung's Galaxy S and other Android-based smartphones. A senior defense official told The Korea Times on Sunday the government had been looking into using smartphones for military operations and development work started last year. Military units and other organizations also jointly assessed the suitability of these new-developed apps and concluded mobile software were assets to the country's armed forces...
(ZDNet)
U.S. ARMY LAUNCHES APP COMIC. The U.S. Army announced today that it has launched America's Army Comics, a free iPad and Android tablet app for viewing issues of the America's Army comic series. The app, which can be downloaded from iTunes (http://bit.ly/NkcahT) and from Google Play (http://bit.ly/ScK4FS), explores the storyline behind America's Army. Created by the same team that produces the highly successful America's Army PC games, America's Army Comics offers a groundbreaking digital comic reading experience highlighted by revolutionary animated panels, authentic sound effects and bold musical scores...
(Game Industry News)
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#MilitaryMon and #MilitaryMonday Tweets
Monday, July 16, 2012, 07:58 PM - Twitter
You may have already seen these tweets below, but for those of you not on Twitter, I've rounded up just a handful of the #MilitaryMon and #MilitaryMonday messages that were posted today.As I suspected Carson Daly is still tweeting support to the troops years after the hashtag was first started.
I’m not gonna lie, I’m impressed. I haven’t even kept up with #MilitaryMon regularly. I have absolutely no good reason, except that I've been on Twitter a lot less. That said, I don't even use Facebook. Sounds unbelievable, but it's true. Thanks to years of MySpace back in the day, I'm practically worn out.
@CarsonDaly
Thanks to those who serve(d). We are free because you are brave. #militarymon
@kissmygumbo
U.S. Army Olympians http://shar.es/tdgVi via @sharethis #MilitaryMon
@cowgirl_PMG
Today is also #militarymon :) thanks to everyone that has/is serving our country today & for all of your hard work fighting for this country
@Dakota_Meyer
You can support our veterans by donating to special organizations like @HomesForOurTrps, one of my favorites*! #MilitaryMonday
@christybella
Salute to ALL who served and are serving #MilitaryMonday Grateful for your service!!
@NationalGuard
RT @HNYFILM #MilitaryMonday shout out to @USArmy @USNavy @USMC @USCG @USAirForce @NationalGuard Thanks for your service.
@Qynton
Bless the many men and women, continuing the fight for our freedom, and America's safety! #militarymon #GBOT #PFOT
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C-130 image prompts concerns on Facebook
Monday, July 16, 2012, 03:53 AM - News Stories
Last week, Tico Vilarioo took a photograph of a C-130 spraying mosquitoes over Homestead, Florida.
The image, which can be seen below, was posted to Facebook.
The military has helped to control the mosquito population before, but that hasn’t stopped a number of people from expressing concern that the military is becoming increasingly involved in domestic affairs.
Via infowars.com:
“So now the Military is spraying for mosquitoes. They’re using AC130 cargo planes that fly 150 over head to spray. I was literally sprayed as I was outside cleaning and feeding the animals. Question for those that may know a little more than I do. Isn’t the State, our local government supposed to be doing this? Why is the military becoming integrated into civilian operations? Doesn’t this violate the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878? Here’s a picture I took of the plane flying over the neighbor’s house. It flew over our house three different times,” said Vilarioo.”
I can’t stand mosquitoes. They’re practically the state bird of Florida this time of year from what I remember so if this helps residents, I say why not.
Here’s a link to the story over at InfoWars.com.
You really need to read the full piece to grasp the level of paranoia.
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IDF commanders let go over Facebook picture prank
Sunday, July 15, 2012, 05:36 PM - News Stories, Facebook
Here's a story you don't see very often that is almost funny, except the soldier who was the victim in the prank was “devastated and barely left the house”.According to UPI:
"The commanders -- a lieutenant and a sergeant major of a combat unit -- were let go after they replaced a soldier's Facebook profile picture with a picture of a similar-looking nude man.
Before the prank, the commanders saw the sergeant access his Facebook account on a laptop. They then ordered their troops to a nearby training grounds to simulate a response to a sudden emergency.
While the troops were carrying out the drill, the commanders went into the soldier's tent and changed his Facebook photo to a picture of a naked man."
What were these commanders thinking?
Heck, if I know, but shortly after the prank happened the soldier received messages from people asking him about the photo.
Given that Facebook accounts often are connected to family, friends, classmates, coworkers, and more, this had bad news all over it.
Full story here.
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News: Bragg shooter Facebook page and more
Sunday, July 15, 2012, 04:26 PM - News Stories
US social media account in China disappears. A popular microblog produced by the U.S. Consulate in Shanghai on China's most popular blogging site was inaccessible Friday, with a search for the account saying results could not be displayed and "relevant sensitive information or garbage content has been filtered." U.S. officials from the State Department, the embassy in Beijing and the consulate were not immediately available for comment, but on a microblogging site hosted by another Chinese company, Tencent, the consulate says the account disappeared Thursday morning...(Ventura County Star)
Accused Bragg shooter said he had dementia. The soldier accused of shooting and killing his battalion commander on Fort Bragg, N.C., faced legal trouble at home and in the Army, according to news reports. He wrote of his troubles on Facebook, saying he had been diagnosed with dementia. Spc. Ricky G. Elder, 27, died June 29 of self-inflicted injuries, a day after the shooting of Lt. Col. Roy L. Tisdale...
(ArmyTimes)
Kashmir Twitter Trail. Frustrated at the lack of media coverage in their country, hundreds of Pakistani youth took Twitter by storm. Late last night and all the way til the next day, #WeLoveKashmir trended at top spot with countless Pakistanis and Kashmiris participating. This comes a day after an attendee from the Social Media Mela revealed a fellow attendee/blogger’s immature attempt to ridicule Kashmiri resistance’s ‘poster boy’ Shakeel Ahmad Bhatt (coincidentally Kashmiris were commemorating Kashmir Martyr’s Day the same day)...
(PKKH)
WW II hero shares story of survival and escape he was once forbidden to tell. "We were all from 18 to 21 years old," Jim Vaughn says. "And we were cocky. We felt we could win the war all by ourselves." But they soon learned it wasn't that easy. Nearly 70 years have passed since Air Force Staff Sargent Jim Vaughn's airplane went down in enemy territory. He brought his kids, grandkids and great-grandkids to an exhibit of World War II aircraft at Jabara Airport to show them the type of plane and share the story of a generation rapidly passing away...
(kwch.com)
Marquette grad shares stories of war, personal aftermath in 'The Long Walk'. On a good day in Iraq, Marquette University graduate Brian Castner disarmed roadside bombs. But other days, too many other days, he walked through the aftermath of car bomb explosions, picking his way around the body parts of soldiers, police officers and civilians, trying to determine what had blown them up. The damage he experienced was not left behind in Balad and Kirkuk...
(JSOnline)
Augusta woman scammed after meeting man on military dating site. An Augusta woman fell victim to an internet scam by wiring $5,765 to a man she met on a military dating Web site. Tracy Burns, of the 2300 block of Walden Drive, said she communicated with Benson Shiffer, 51 – who claimed to be an Army sergeant – for several weeks on militarycupid.com and through an instant messaging service, according to a Richmond County sheriff’s incident report...
(The Augusta Chronicle)
Cuban army general’s son posed for photo with hands around the neck of ‘Fidel Castro’. The son of a Cuban army general assigned as advisor in Venezuela posed for a photograph with his hands around the neck of a wax figure of the former Cuban leader. A Cuban army general assigned as an advisor in Venezuela has two children living abroad, including one in South Florida who was photographed “strangling” a statue of Fidel Castro, a Miami blogger reported Wednesday...
(MiamiHerald.com)
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Warriors Arts Alliance announces writing contest
Friday, July 13, 2012, 03:49 AM
Complete details of the contest are below. Judges include Mark Bowden, journalist and author of Black Hawk Down, Veteran and award-winning poet, Brian Turner, author of Here, Bullet and Phantom Noise, and William Trent Pancoast, author of Wildcat and Crashing.
Thanks to Mail Call!Supporting the Troops and Red Bull Rising.
Via Warriors Arts Alliance:
What are we looking for?
First-hand perspectives and viewpoints by veterans, current troops and family members that give us a glimpse of your wartime experience. We’re looking for creative nonfiction, poetry, fiction, and high-contrast photos (to be printed in black and white) to document a unique time in our nation’s history as told by the original storytellers—the people who were a part of that history.
Please include a brief biography of 75 words or less with all submissions.
Mail your submissions to Warriors Arts Anthology, Southeast Missouri State University Press, One University Plaza – MS 2650, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701. Submissions must be postmarked by midnight on August 1, 2012.
Contest Guidelines:
Genres: Poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction (personal essays). One entry per person per genre.
Prizes: $250 awarded as top prize in each category.
Word Limits: 5,000 words for prose (fiction and creative nonfiction); up to 3 poems (5 pages) for poetry. Submissions exceeding these limits will be automatically disqualified. Remember, only one submission per person per genre!
Entry Fee: None
Deadline: Time-stamped by midnight August 1, 2012
Winners will be notified by November 1, 2012
Electronic submissions only for the contest!
TO ENTER:
The contest entry must be previously unpublished.
Manuscripts must be submitted electronically as a Microsoft word document. Save with a .doc extension. Please combine all poems into one document and use the first poem’s title as title of the document.
Put your name and contact information on the first submission page of your submission document and nowhere else within the submission.
Please include a brief bio of 75 words or less with the submission.
Email by midnight on August 1, 2012 to upress@semo.edu
Learn more here.
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