Military Social Networking
by Our military personnel are making full use of social networking. They show us all the horrors of war in words and pictures. It’s a new freedom for the military but an ax is about to be thrown into the works.
The military is flying its colors on the Web, and not always with the Pentagon’s approval. Our soldiers are letting the public know of the tyrannies of hard riding master sergeants and the horror of war. Hiding behind password protection they have a freedom the military has never known before.
by author
The Pentagon is approving of the interaction to a certain point. Civilian officials and four star generals are hailing the power of social networking to humanize troops, and shape public opinion about the war. However the troops are not always in tune with the Pentagon’s official voice, and it’s impossible to police the thousands of troops who use the networks. Soldiers send out daily pictures, videos, and posts. The Pentagon is not a happy camper. They want the last word on information released to the public.
So, as we might have expected, The Department of Defense plans to issue a new policy in the near future that will set restrictions on accessing social networking sites from military computers. Some officers say if that happens it will set the military back in efforts to expand and modernize military use of the web. While this won’t effect those who own their computers, thousands of military personnel’s only access to the Web is through their work computer.
Image via Wikipedia
Gen. William B. Caldwell 1V, the commander of the Army Combined Arms Center at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. advocates for more open access to the Web. He says, “Social networking allows interaction among enlisted soldiers, junior officers, and generals, that wasn’t possible a decade ago. He requires students at the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth to blog.
It is said that the Pentagons purpose in keeping the troops off the Web is a desire among certain officers to control news of the war going out. They site concerns about security and decorum. To the enlisted military personnel it’s all a question of exploitation of the grunts in the field, and the right to tell their stories.
One military blogger who uses the name “Mud Puppy” said, I think that people need to hear from us, more than they need to hear from the bigwigs. War has a cost and that cost is paid for by the soldiers.
http://newsflavor.com/world/middle-east/soldiers-die-in-iraq-due-to-contractors-shoddy-work/
http://newsflavor.com/world/usa-canada-/vietnam-vet-honored/
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Post Commentken bultman
On September 12, 2009 at 2:54 am
Interesting. Company computers on company time…dicey. Loose lips sink ships…maybe. One Private’s subjective spin on a story…not good. The Pentagon’s subjective spin…not good, either all the time. This willl work itself out, I think.
Penggaroo
On September 12, 2009 at 3:36 am
Interesting piece.
unown971
On September 12, 2009 at 3:50 am
Great article, Ruby!
lillyrose
On September 12, 2009 at 4:00 am
interesting read Ruby x
Nikita K
On September 12, 2009 at 5:49 am
I think this is a good way people can really get to know these nation heroes and what they do for the benefit of the nation. I wasn’t really aware of it before but thanks for letting me know, Ruby!
CHAN LEE PENG
On September 12, 2009 at 6:27 am
Interesting, particularly to know this GENTLEMAN standing bravely for the welfare of the people. Thanks and have my liked it.
Yovita Siswati
On September 12, 2009 at 10:30 am
Interesting article as always!
Ruby Hawk
On September 12, 2009 at 12:32 pm
Ken, I’m thinking if both sides speak out maybe we can look at everything and find the middle ground. We wouldn’t want security broken but does the grunt in the field know anything to jeopardise security? I would like to see what the soldiers see and we know the pentagon doesn’t want that to happen, else there would be an outcry to stop the war. In any case there is much they will not to say on blogs. My gransons hardly answer anything I ask because it’s against policy. They do state their opinions, and I think that’s what the pentagon is worried about.
chitragopi
On September 12, 2009 at 12:37 pm
Informative
Tanya Wallace
On September 12, 2009 at 7:36 pm
I agree Ruby! They should be able to speak their minds after all it is a free country and it is called free speech although perhaps there was a confidentiality agreement in place with the whitehouse and on company time is not good but it does give the American people some insight as to what is really going on! Also I agree with the last statment made by the blogger“Mud Puppy” people do need to hear from them, more than they need to hear from the bigwigs and the soilders are the ones suffering the reprecussions of this war not the big wigs! Top notch journalistic work as usual Ruby!!
PR Mace
On September 12, 2009 at 9:37 pm
They should be able to speak up and talk about what they feel is important but the problem would be the ones that abuse the system and someone always does, they could cause serious problems.
MySoldiersSweetheart
On September 13, 2009 at 12:53 am
We still have to respect the Operational Security, even if they do not. Just because the military does not, does not mean we give out any information. Kind of makes no sense to me. Though I know a lot of soldiers do this anyway. Great article!!
Lostash
On September 13, 2009 at 2:01 pm
As lomg as sensitive information is not released, I don’t see the problem. And lets face it, these social sites allow troops to keep in touch with family at home when they have access to a PC. That’s no bad thing in my eyes. The bosses are just implementing a policy that most organisation now employ. I bet it won’t be long before a war hero is dismissed/disciplined over a breach of computer policy.
Kate Smedley
On September 16, 2009 at 12:43 pm
I wasn’t aware of any of this, it is a difficult issue, well argued and informative article.