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SouthCom Chief Encourages Military Members To Blog
June 19, 2008
It’s a well known fact that the Military powers that be haven’t always been very fond of Military members publishing personal blogs. Especially if those military members are blogging from the war zone. Just a few days ago, our good friend CJ with A Soldier’s Perspective, posted here and here when he discovered that his blog wasn’t accessible from Military computers in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as on bases here in the United States. Like, CJ I’m not sure how the military determines which blogs are acceptable to be accessed from military computers and which ones aren’t. I know that up until last November, ASM was accessible from military computers and now it’s not. I also don’t know if which ones are allowed and which ones aren’t, vary from installation to installation, though it does appear that it does. So, when I read on Army Times that the Chief of SouthCom encourages military members to blog, it caught my eye.
The Chief of the US Southern Command, a 4 star urged military members recently, to become published writers and bloggers. He did so at a 3 day conference that was held at the US Naval Institute that began on Tuesday in Virginia Beach, Va. Admiral James Stavridis, is himself an author of several guides and books that pertain to the Navy. He said that he feels it’s important for members of the military, military contractors, civilians and retirees to read, think, write and publish. He says that the process of reading and writing is very important, because our nation faces an “innovative” enemy like the attackers involved in the September 11, 2001 attacks.
“The most important reason is that the people who want to do harm to this country are doing so,” he said. “They are thinkers.”
Admiral Stavridis feels that by publishing works through blogs, journals, books, etc, people are able to ensure the ideal of sharing and exchanging ideas, knowledge and information. Hopefully, by Admiral Stavridis being vocal about his thoughts on blogging and other methods of getting out information, the military will eventually start relaxing their stance on military blogs. Like CJ, our goal is to provide information to our readers and the general public about our Troops and their accomplishments. At the same time, like CJ, we don’t have a problem pointing out mistakes and screw ups made by the military, when we hear about them or see them occur.
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This is very good news. It goes to show the slow acceptance of blogging, both in the military and civilian sectors. I have been watching over the last year or so as blogs have become more accepted as news sources and portals for reliable information.
Yes, it does, Anthony. But, the there is a HUGE gulf between a speech an Admiral or General makes and his POLICIES. If our general officer ranks really believed this, they would create and enforce a POLICY that installation IT managers do not block blogs. Until they do so, it’s just talk.
There have been numerous general officers and field grade officers who have extolled the virtues of milblogs, yet the noose keeps tightening on the community. It takes policy, not speeches.
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