caprice sacrilege: Inside the VA's Office of Online Communications

Inside the VA's Office of Online Communications

Saturday, September 22, 2012, 08:21 PM

Inside look at the VA's Office of Online Communications

DoD Live has a video that takes a look at the VA's Office of Online Communications.

The employees in the video discuss the VA's outreach mission and how they use social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr, to help accomplish the mission.? The VA also runs the blog VAntage Point to connect with veterans.

If you watch the video you may recognize a friendly face from the milblogger community: Alex Horton of Army of Dude who is a VA New Media Specialist.?

The video is about four minutes long and takes you inside the offices at the Department of Veterans Affairs which I've never been inside, but from what I can see they're real nice.? If you look at the screenshot above, they almost look a little like the ESPN offices you often see in those funny ?This is SportsCenter? commercials.

The video is well done, but I'm gonna be honest, to really grab the viewer's attention,?I was hoping they would have started off with something like a "This is VeteransAffairs" commercial spot (like those ESPN commercials).

I can see it now ? a smiling VA employee sitting at their desk, reading?aloud suggestions from a "VA Suggestion Box" that say things like, "Reliable claim processing."? Then have three other employees standing over that employee, all?laughing out loud.?

Maybe have one spitting up coffee...another in tears laughing.?

Also, maybe have one of the Army Mule Mascots in the background trying to use a copier machine?

News: Vietnam soldier's war diary returned

Friday, September 21, 2012, 11:27 PM - News Stories Vietnam soldier's war diary returned to family. A battered diary retrieved from the body of a Vietnamese soldier by an American serviceman in 1966 was returned to the author's family Friday in an emotional ceremony.?? The diary, an identity card, old bank notes and a small photograph, were discovered by the American soldier who found the body of Vu Dinh Doan slumped in a machine-gun pit after a battle in central Quang Nai province.? "I never knew my father but I have always dreamed of him - and now I have a chance to know more, to understand more about him," the fallen soldier's eldest son Vu Dinh Son said, fighting back tears as he accepted the mementos...?
(AsiaOne)

Never forget: World War II Airman, POW shares story of resiliency. JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. (AFNS) -- Two flags wave in the wind of his front yard. The first is the U.S. flag, the symbol of his country. The second is the Prisoner of War/Missing in Action flag, the symbol of his sacrifice.? His living room is decorated in combat medals, including the Purple Heart and Prisoner of War medal. They are relics of his military service, sacrifice and dedication.? Today, Charleston, S.C., native Jim Gatch, an 89-year-old Army Air Corps veteran and POW survivor of World War II, sits in his home safe and sound, but it hasn't always been this way...
(Air Force Link)

RIVERSIDE: POW tells story at March ceremony. World War II prisoner of war Cecil Davis still recalls his first day at Dachau concentration camp in Germany.? ?In the morning, I saw the striped pajamas,? the Hemet resident said, referring to the uniforms worn by inmates. Davis was keynote speaker at a Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Recognition Day Ceremony at March Air Reserve Base on Friday, Sept. 21...
(The Press-Enterprise)

After Facebook posts, Pa. hostage-taker surrenders. PITTSBURGH (AP) ? Klein Michael Thaxton hadn't been much of a Facebook devotee. He posted no status updates in two years on the social network. On Friday, though, he surfaced with a jarring post: "i cant take it no more im done bro."? The 22-year-old Army veteran was on the 16th floor of a downtown Pittsburgh office building at the time, armed with a hammer and kitchen knife, and holding a businessman hostage, police said...
(NewsOK.com)

Hours left in war artist fundraising campaign

Thursday, September 20, 2012, 06:52 PM - Afghanistan Military Bloggers

Marine and his wife by Rob Bates

Rob Bates, a former Marine and war artist, will be going to Afghanistan this December and embedding with a Marine platoon.

He launched an Indiegogo fundraising campaign to help pay for expenses associated with embedding and has nearly met his goal of $5,000.

The money will help cover costs such as travel insurance, art/media supplies, gear/clothing and more.

With only 9 hours left, the "Sketching the Drawdown" campaign has raised $4,570 and only needs a little more to reach its target.

For those who contribute $25 or more will receive a signed giclee print of the work produced from Rob?s time in country. ?Even if you're unable to donate, you can still help by spreading the word of the fundraising page.

The fundraising page has all the details about his upcoming embed as well as some background on Rob and his work.

To see more of Rob's work, you can visit his blog.

Follow Rob on Twitter here.

Portrait of "Marine and his wife" via rbportraits

Milblogs get some news coverage in Alabama

Wednesday, September 19, 2012, 09:37 AM - Milbloggers in the News, News Stories Military blogs were highlighted in a news article today that appeared online at al.com, an Alabama internet source for?news and information.

The article is titled ?World Wide Web Wednesday: Milblogs?.

Michael Tomberline for The Birmingham News writes:

KABUL, Afghanistan - "Yellowhammering Afghanistan" falls into the category of blogs known as military blogs, or "milblogs" for short.

Any blog that has a connection to the military or a deployment, either written from the soldier's perspective or the spouse's back at home or any other connection qualifies as a milblog. At any given time, there are between 3,000 and 4,000 blogs being written.

Some, like mine, only exists as long as the deployment does. Others have taken on a life of their own and continue long after the military member returns home.

You can find an exhaustive collection of the miblogs at the Milblogging web site. I've chosen a few of my favorites to share on this second World Wide Wednesday.

A long-time favorite of mine is "Blackfive." It always touches on interesting topics written from a soldier's perspective (and bluntness) and has the added benefit of multiple contributors to help keep it fresh. A close second favorite is "A Soldier's Perspective," for many of the same reasons.
Full story and more to read here.

Thanks to Tomberline.

News: Real-Life Love and War Story

Wednesday, September 19, 2012, 06:36 AM - News Stories Still standing: A hero and a love story. There are war stories, and there are love stories. Sometimes, they are one and the same.? In May, Taylor Morris stepped on an IED. He was serving in Afghanistan as part of the Navy's Explosive Ordinance Disposal Team. In many ways, his life changed forever that day -- he lost both of his legs, a hand, and the other arm up to the bicep.? But in many ways, Taylor's life is still the same. His family still jokes around with him. He still has his girlfriend Danielle by his side. He is strong, incredibly strong, and his story is just beginning.
(HLNtv.com)

Al-Shabaab tries to mislabel Kenyan forces as 'invaders' of Somalia. On Twitter, the group frequently refers to the Somali National Army as an "apostate militia" and AMISOM troops as "invaders", particularly focusing their verbal attacks on the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).
(Sabahionline.com)

Veteran creates character from war experience. As he takes a drag off his cigarette, dressed in a purple, polka-dotted tie, Iraq War veteran Kevin Powers looks put-together on the eve of his literary debut. In a half-hour, he will head inside to regale a crowd with the war story of his narrator, Private Bartle.? But if Powers tells a story of courage in his acclaimed first novel, it isn?t a traditional one.
(The Daily Texan)

Re-Tracing The Steps Of A Civil War Photographer. Today's 150th anniversary of the Battle of Antietam got us thinking: What if Civil War photographer Alexander Gardner could revisit some of the original sites he photographed? If he used his equipment today, what would the images look like? That is: How have the landscapes changed ? or stayed the same?
(KQED)

PBS film examines an unexpected consequence of the Civil War: the mountains of dead.? RICHMOND, Va. ? In the PBS American Experience documentary "Death and the Civil War" premiering Tuesday night, bloated Union and Confederate bodies are shown scattered on battlefields and in trenches and bleached skulls and body parts are stacked like cordwood.?
(The Republic)

New memorial: Museum seeks photos of those killed in Vietnam War. Museums tell the story of past times, but they don?t have to tell that story in a static and un-changing way. The For Those Who Served War Museum in the Mercer County War Memorial has evolved into a dynamic museum that seems to change with each new season.
(Bluefield Daily Telegraph)

Antietam Tells The Story Of America's Bloodiest Day. SHARPSBURG, Maryland -- It would be hard to imagine a more aesthetically appealing battlefield than Antietam: 3,250 acres of neatly maintained fields and 19th-century farmhouses spread out over gently rolling hills, separated by zig-zag split-rail fences and tastefully accented throughout by nearly 100 sometimes ornate, sometimes simple marble and granite monuments and some 500 forever silent cannon.
(HuffPo)

Taliban tweet while soldiers' families mourn

Tuesday, September 18, 2012, 08:40 AM - Twitter, News Stories

Plenty of news sites and blogs are reporting that the Taliban have posted a photo of former Afghan army sergeant Hikmatullah on Twitter, accompanied by a tweet that reads:

"Hikmatullah, hero who shot dead 6 Australian invaders, wounded 4 on 30th August 2012."

Hikmatullah killed three Australian soldiers last month by turning his gun on them.? It?s reported that the soldiers ?were relaxing at their base? when they were killed.

Stjepan Milosevic, 40, a lance corporal from 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment was killed.?

Also killed were Robert Hugh Frederick Poate, 23, a private from 6 RAR, and James Thomas Martin, 21, a sapper from the 2nd Combat Engineer Regiment (2 CER).

The message, which can be seen here, was posted online this past Sunday.

The tweet comes only a few short weeks after the attack, as their families and friends mourn their loss.

Like always, I'm still wondering how terrorist organizations are allowed to post this type of stuff on Twitter.? Twitter does have boundaries, but apparently the company does not believe tweets gloating over the death of NATO forces is in violation.

@ABalkhi, the Twitter account that posted the tweet, has been going at it for a long time, even getting into a war of words online with NATO.

The tweet on Sunday with the photo of Hikmatullah prompted several responses, including tweets from Howard Stern regular Joey Boots who goes by @JoeyBoots on Twitter.? The messages can be seen directly below the Taliban tweet.

In the latest news, following a spike of insider attacks, U.S. and coalition forces scaled back partnering and advising operations with the Afghan National Security Forces.

Military fam posts vid of toddler behind wheel

Monday, September 17, 2012, 04:26 AM - News Stories, Facebook

WCNC-TV is reporting that a North Carolina military family is under fire for cell phone video of their two-year-old behind the wheel of a moving car

WCNC-TV is reporting that a North Carolina military family is under fire for cell phone video of their two-year-old behind the wheel of a moving car.

Apparently, the two-year old asked to drive, so of course?the parents put him right behind the steering wheel with his Marine father.?

?They thought it would be cute.?

The mother then took video on her cell phone, which they later posted to Facebook.? A friend saw the video and called the local TV station, which led to the uproar.

Honestly though, I'm?convinced the?little guy?has driven before.?

I mean, hands at 10-and-2, checking his mirrors... not bad.

If cell phones and Facebook have taught us anything, it's that you don't take a video of you doing something stupid and post it online.?

Granted, just yesterday I let my six-year old use a chainsaw in the backyard.? But at least I had the smarts not to take a video and post it to YouTube.

Tell me I?m not the only one who thinks a six-year old chopping down a tree is not the cutest.

At this point, the family has had to endure some name-calling, but luckily for them, the police have not charged them with anything, even though putting a toddler behind the wheel violates child restraint laws.? Who knew?

They said they now realize it was a dangerous move.

The real amazing part is that the news stories focus on the fact that the family is a "military family", when it could've been anyone.? They could've said "North Carolina Family" or "Local Family" or whatever.? But no, it had to be a "Military Family".

More here at WCNC including the video.? I found another clip here on YouTube.

British Army approaching 900K Facebook Likes

Sunday, September 16, 2012, 09:36 AM - Facebook

While the United States Marine Corps totals 2,746,842 ?Likes? on Facebook and grows by nearly 2,000 likes every day, other military organizations around the world continue to grow as well.

The British Army on Facebook has reached 880,000+ likes and could very well reach the 900,000 mark before year?s end.

And there are plenty of foreign military Facebook pages in the hundreds of thousands of likes.

The Armed Forces of the United Kingdom is at 525,000.

The fan page of the Pakistan Army topped 400,000.

The US Military dominates Facebook though in terms of fans, with the US Marine Corps in the top 2 spots.?

You can learn more about Facebook Page metrics at PageData.?

The website is an independent Facebook Page tracking service of Inside Network.

To see the top 30 "Most Liked" government organizations on Facebook, go here.

93-yr-old pilot encourages vets to tell story

Sunday, September 16, 2012, 06:23 AM - News Stories

Pilot Betty Walls Strohfus, flew military aircraft during WWII with the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs).

Pilot Betty Walls Strohfus, flew military aircraft during WWII with the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs).?

Although 25,000 women applied to join the WASP, only 1,074 of them passed the training and joined.

Apparently, all records of the WASP were classified and sealed for 35 years, so little was known about the history.

But that's changed over the years.

In 2010, the WASPs were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal at a ceremony in the Capitol.? The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest civilian award in the United States.? The list of recipients includes Native American code talkers who served in WWI and WWII.? The code talkers were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2000.

Strohfus has also helped tell the story of the World War II women pilots.

KAALtv is reporting that the 93-year-old Strohfus is focusing on veterans, encouraging them to share their stories- "to ensure the memories of war are never sealed again."

Learn more about the Women Airforce Service Pilots here on Wikipedia.

I also paid a visit to the Veterans History Project website and found Strohfus? profile which includes an audio interview.

Photo of Strohfus standing next to a "Fly Girls" display, courtesy of the DoD.

Infographic: Military better educated than civilians

Saturday, September 15, 2012, 11:58 PM - News Stories Fact Of The Day #44: U.S. Military Better Educated Than Populace It Protects (INFOGRAPHIC). As a whole, the U.S. military is far better educated than the American population it defends. 82.8% of U.S. military officers in 2010 had at least a bachelor?s degree, compared to 29.9 percent of the general population. 93.6% of enlisted soldiers had at least a high school diploma, compared to 59.5% of America...?
(The Huffington Post)Coleshill World War II bunker tells story of Auxiliers. A replica World War II bunker has opened in Oxfordshire telling the story of a secret unit of fighters.? The Auxiliers were Winston Churchill's guerrilla army, prepared to attack the Germans after a possible occupation of Britain.? The National Trust has built a replica of the original training site and bunker in Coleshill, which has opened to the public for the first time...
(BBC)
Man Guilty of Offensive Posting toward Fallen. Man who posted a Facebook message after the deaths of six British troops that read "all soldiers should die and go to hell" has been found guilty of a grossly offensive communication.? Azhar Ahmed, 20, admitted posting the message in March, but told Huddersfield Magistrates Court he thought it was distressing but not offensive.? District Judge Jane Goodwin said Ahmed's Facebook remarks were "derogatory, disrespectful and inflammatory".
(Military.com)
Military commanders want to choose their own battlefield apps. The Army is also experimenting with an apps store-like approach to let commanders choose intelligence analysis tools on their own. However, some field leaders are pressing for the freedom to bypass DCGS-A altogether and choose other tools, Fogarty reports...
(FCW)
Sesame Street app for military families. Oscar, Earnie, Cookie Monster and the gang have something to say to? kids of? service members.? The application,? Sesame Street for Military Families, is available initially for iPhone,? and includes? topics such as deployments,? homecomings, injuries, grief and self-expression. The app and its materials ?are an extension of Sesame Workshop?s ongoing efforts to support our troops and their families,?
(
Fredericksburg.com)
Orfordville woman?s book tells story of WWII survival.? Modern-day feminists have nothing over Margrit Louise Prestbroten.? Born and raised in Germany, she experienced war first-hand as a woman, teacher, and finally, as a survivor.? Like others who endured World War II and emigrated to the United States, Margrit never lost the memories of those traumatic years.? And to ensure that today?s generation and future generations remember what life was like when the world was at war, her story has now been told in print...
(
Beloit Daily News)
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Army ROTC cadets share their experiences online

Friday, September 14, 2012, 09:43 PM

Ever wondered what's it like to be an Army ROTC cadet?
Army Strong Stories, a site dedicated to sharing the stories of Soldiers, family members, friends and supporters, has several perspectives of ROTC cadets posted on its site.
Here are some ROTC submissions that were shared with me.
- Cadet Denney Domnik and his fellow cadets film their time in Costa Rica for Cultural Understanding and Language Proficiency (CULP) in, CULP Costa Rica 2012 Video 1 and CULP Costa Rica 2012 Video 2.
- Some cadets completed the Leadership Development and Assessment Course (LDAC), a five-week summer training course and evaluation program that takes place during their junior and senior year. After completing LDAC at Joint Base Lewis-McCord, Cadet Ryan Cho shares assessments and obstacles he overcame in his blog post, Back home from Atropia!.
- As school starts up again, watch ROTC: A Great College Experience, where Cadet Alexander Beltran shares what kind of college experience ROTC provides and what to expect on a daily basis. Alongside Colonel Peggy Combs, Cadet Beltran offers his personal experiences as a cadet from classes to ROTC programs to social life.
You can find new, current and past ROTC-related content on Army Strong Stories at http://armystrongstories.com/tag/rotc/
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Iraq War Vet Hugh Martin Wins Writing Award
Thursday, September 13, 2012, 05:11 PM - News Stories Congratulations are in order for Iraq War veteran Hugh Martin, winner of the Iowa Review's 2012 Jeff Sharlet Memorial Prize for Veterans.
The Jeff Sharlet Memorial Award for Veterans is a creative writing contest for U.S. military veterans and active duty personnel.
It?s hosted by The Iowa Review.
The contest is open to veterans and active duty personnel writing in any genre and about any subject matter.
According to The Iowa Review,
?Martin?s work was selected from 265 contest entries in all genres.? Judge Robert Olen Butler noted that he was ?keenly moved by the depth of feeling and high quality of writing by these veterans. Hugh Martin's poetry represents this body of work at its finest, evoking wartime's moment-to-moment experience with brilliantly observed clarity while illuminating its manifestation of our shared human condition with wisdom and compassion. The best of what I read was not, in its essence, the work of veterans; it was the work of artists."

PBS NewsHour published an online interview and also posted one of Martin?s poems, which you can read below:

Intravenous
--Jalula, Iraq
A rope of black smoke
above the city. Police sirens. The feet
of the crowd over pavement.
We don't know who she is: barely
a year alive, her blue leggings wet, stuck
to the skin with her own blood.
Doc Johnson holds her head
like an orange in his open hand. He kneels
beside the white Opel while Kenson aims
the mounted light from his M4
through the shattered window to her face,
the glass spread around her
like rock salt on the brown
seat cushions. Doc scissors her cotton sleeve,
pushes his thumb to her arm for a vein--nothing...
He finds one, eye to hairline, pulsing
with her screams; he wipes the skin
with antiseptic, and with one hand,
steadies her head as an Imam's voice
blankets the night in waves; cars filled
with wounded weave around us with the dust.
Doc lowers the needle to this girl's blue vein,
and it touches her skin like pricking
the Tigris on a smooth map of the earth.
More at PBS NewsHour.

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Twitter feud between US Embassy & Brotherhood
Thursday, September 13, 2012, 04:30 PM - Twitter, News Stories Online spats are not unusual for the popular microblogging site Twitter.
In this corner: the U.S. Embassy?s Cairo Twitter page (@USEmbassyCairo) with over 26,000 followers.?
In the other corner: the official Muslim Brotherhood?s English Twitter feed (@Ikhwanweb) with over 42,000 followers.
The AP is reporting that a Twitter feud has broken out between the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, Egypt, and the Muslim Brotherhood.
By the looks of it, the so-called spat was very brief.
So, what happened?
According to the AP:
"It started when Ikhwanweb, the Twitter page of the Muslim Brotherhood, retweeted a message in English from the group's deputy head, Khairat el-Shater.
"We r relieved none of (at)USEmbassyCairo staff were harmed & hope US-Eg relations will sustain turbulence of Tuesday's events."
"Thanks," the embassy replied. "By the way, have you checked out your own Arabic feeds? I hope you know we read those too."
You can read more about the story here.
By the way, I decided to add the number of followers to help understand who has more influence online, but in terms of ?Klout?, the US Embassy has the Brotherhood beat.
According to the website Klout.com, the US Embassy has a score of 72, while the Brotherhood has a 65.

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News: Soldiers in trouble over Facebook rants
Thursday, September 13, 2012, 04:14 PM - News Stories Soldiers face court martial for alleged anti-protester rants. Four soldiers face a court martial next month for allegedly making hateful online comments about protesters during the student crisis in May.? The soldiers are stationed at CFB Valcartier near Quebec City.? The Canadian Forces has been investigating Facebook postings by people who identified themselves as members of the army, said Capt. Julie Brouillette, spokeswoman for the 5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group.? An anti-fascist group tipped off the army to several postings made in the spring at the height of violent province-wide protests over tuition hikes...
(Calgary Sun)Brownsville, TN City Board Members Talk About Facebook Post. The (Brownsville) city board convened in a short session late yesterday. Most of the meeting was routine with a number of permits issued and informational updates ? but Alderman John Simmons talked about a matter that has troubled many since Monday night (...) Facebook Post.? (Alderman) Simmons voiced concern about a Facebook post regarding an incident which allegedly occurred at a Brownsville convenience store involving a store worker and a soldier.? The Facebook post from the angry soldier has spread far and wide...
(WNWS)
First Ever "Million Eyes on the Issue" Social Action Campaign Launches With Facebook Debut of Award-Winning Documentary "THE INVISIBLE WAR". "Million Eyes on the Issue," a new and unique social action campaign, launches with the Facebook premiere of Oscar? and Emmy?-nominated filmmaker Kirby Dick's award-winning documentary THE INVISIBLE WAR, a scathing and policy-changing investigation into the epidemic of rape in the U.S. military.? Cinedigm Digital Cinema Corp. and social entertainment leader Milyoni will launch the social media initiative on Monday, September 17th at 9pm ET/6pm PT when THE INVISIBLE WAR is made available to Facebook's massive audience...
(US Politics Today)
POW to share inspirational story at Viterbo. Charles Plumb was five days from the end of his tour when his plane was shot down over Vietnam. The Navy fighter pilot was captured, tortured and held in North Vietnamese prison camps for six years.? He calls his story a survival story.? Instead of trying to forget the horrors of captivity, Plumb spends his post-war life sharing it with audiences...
(Lacrosse Tribune)
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News: Kids' drawings tell story of war's horror
Wednesday, September 12, 2012, 03:38 AM - News Stories Blog - Children?s drawings depict the horror of Syrian conflict. Tanks, shells and mortars are hardly the norm in children?s drawings, not to mention a bloodied face or arm. But when I recently gave paper and crayons to Syrian children who have taken refuge in Lebanon, their artistic efforts drove home how most have seen horrors that no child should have to witness.? The children and their parents are among 50 families taking shelter in a mosque in Arsal, near the Syrian border...
(Amnesty International)
U.S. officials launch new strategy to prevent suicide. A new nationwide strategy to prevent suicides, especially among U.S. military veterans and younger Americans, is tapping into Facebook, mobile apps and other technologies as part of a community-driven push to report concerns before someone takes his own life.? The effort, announced on Monday, is the first new plan in more than a decade to address what officials say is a growing public health issue...
(Reuters)
JBLM soldier accused of exploiting young girls for nude photos. An Army soldier stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord is charged with coercing young girls in Pierce County into sending him nude photos.? David Michael Ford, 24, is in jail Tuesday, charged with 25 criminal counts, including possession of child pornography and extortion, as well as communication with a minor for immoral purposes and sexual exploitation of a minor...?
(KING5.COM)
Stories From A New Generation Of American Soldiers. Iraq War veteran Brian Castner opens his new memoir, The Long Walk, with a direct and disturbing warning:? "The first thing you should know about me is that I'm Crazy," he writes. "I haven't always been. Until that one day, the day I went Crazy, I was fine. Or I thought I was. Not anymore."? More than 10 years since a new generation of Americans went into combat, the soldiers themselves are starting to write the story of war...
(NPR)
Romney's Afghanistan Screw-Up and My Tweet. Mitt Romney is still entangled in the mess he created when he failed to reference (let alone thank) the tens of thousands of US soldiers serving in Afghanistan during his speech at the recent Republican convention. His big night in Tampa was mostly overshadowed by Clint Eastwood's improv act, but his Afghanistan oops also contributed to the bad post-convention bounce for the Romney campaign, with Romney trying to explain the oversight in the days afterward...
(Mother Jones)
Veterans, families asked to share war stories in Dallastown. Every veteran has a unique story to tell.? The ways war has affected the lives of those who have served their country are as numerous as the individuals who have served, and the Dallastown Area Historical Society is eager to document all of those things.? From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, local veterans and their families are invited to Community Share Day upstairs at the Dallastown American Legion...?
(York Dispatch)
Former POW Recounts Survival Story. Seventy years after he was captured and tortured by the Japanese during World War II, 95-year-old Louis Zamperini recounted his ordeal Friday to a rapt audience of students and faculty at JSerra Catholic High School.? Before the war, Zamperini was a 1936 U.S. Olympic runner whose blazing final lap in the 5,000-meter race earned him a handshake from Adolf Hitler...
(San Clemente, CA Patch)
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Deadliest country to be a journalist in 2012

Wednesday, September 12, 2012, 02:59 AM
This week, Tamer al-Awam, a documentary filmmaker and freelance journalist, was killed in Aleppo, Syria.?
According to the website Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a nonprofit organization that promotes press freedom worldwide, al-Awam became the eighteenth journalist to be killed in Syria in 2012.? The 34-year old died after suffering shrapnel wounds from government shelling.
As it stands today, Syria is the most dangerous country in the world to be a journalist based on the number of journalists killed.? Somalia is the second most dangerous country with six journalists killed so far in 2012, followed by Pakistan and Brazil.?
In 2011, the deadliest country was Pakistan, followed by Iraq, Libya and Mexico.
According to CPJ, 14 of the 18 deaths in Syria in 2012 were due to crossfire/combat deaths.?
CPJ classifies deaths in three different categories: murdered, in crossfire/combat, and dangerous assignment.
Among those killed this year in Syria was reporter and photojournalist Marie Colvin, who was killed in February.? The U.S.-born Colvin was reporting for The Sunday Times of London.
Here's a look at those journalists killed in Syria in 2012, along with when and where they were killed:
Tamer al-Awam, Freelance
September 9, 2012, in Aleppo, Syria
Mosaab al-Obdaallah, Tishreen, Freelance
August 22, 2012, in Damascus, Syria
Mika Yamamoto, Japan Press
August 20, 2012, in Aleppo, Syria
Ali Abbas, SANA
August 11, 2012, in Damascus, Syria
Hatem Abu Yehia, Al-Ikhbariya
August 10, 2012, in Al-Tal, Syria
Mohammad Shamma, Al-Ikhbariya
June 27, 2012, in Doursha, Syria
Sami Abu Amin, Al-Ikhbariya
June 27, 2012, in Doursha, Syria
Ahmed al-Assam, Freelance
May 28, 2012, in Homs, Syria
Bassel al-Shahade, Freelance
May 28, 2012, in Homs, Syria
Ahmed Adnan al-Ashlaq, Shaam News Network
May 27, 2012, in Damascus, Syria
Lawrence Fahmy al-Naimi, Shaam News Network
May 27, 2012, in Damascus, Syria
Ammar Mohamed Suhail Zado, Shaam News Network
May 27, 2012, in Damascus, Syria
Anas al-Tarsha, Freelance
February 24, 2012, in Homs, Syria

R?mi Ochlik, Freelance
February 22, 2012, in Homs, Syria
Marie Colvin, Sunday Times
February 22, 2012, in Homs, Syria
Rami al-Sayed, Freelance
February 21, 2012, in Homs, Syria
Mazhar Tayyara, Freelance
February 4, 2012, in Homs, Syria
Gilles Jacquier, France 2
January 11, 2012, in Homs, Syria
More information at CPJ.
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Military blogs added to Milblogging (August '12)

Tuesday, September 11, 2012, 03:42 AM

More than 30 military blogs were submitted to the Milblogging database in August.?
There are some interesting blogs to highlight in the bunch like the Thoughts and feelings of a Syrian freedom fighter, written from Homs, Syria.? RAF Blogs from Afghanistan, is a group blog written by British forces in Afghanistan.? It?s part of a mass blogging initiative involving dozens of personnel writing regular posts from the front line on the Army, Navy and RAF websites. Also in the latest round of blogs is Hooah and Hiccups, one of many military spouse blogs who finished in the Top 10 of the Circle of Moms Top 25 Military Mom Blogs contest.
There are many more to read through, so take a look below.
The Sweet Life of a Southern, Army Wife , Rachel Jernigan, United States, I am a southern girl whose husband recently commis...
My Sailor to Me , Kourtney, United States, The chronicles of a Navy sailor, his quirky wife, ...
Taking Point , William Treseder, United States, Providing stories and advice for vets, by vets on ...
Oregon Military Department , Not specified, United States , The official blog for the Oregon Army National Gua...
PRT GHAZNI , GHAZNI PRT, Afghanistan , We are a Provincial Reconstruction Team made up of...
The Edge Less Traveled , Michelle, United States , Aloha! I am a wife and a mother who has an incredi...
War, Women and Whiskey , Josh, United States , The experiences of an enlisted soldier in combat, ...
Live, Laugh, Love...Our Way , Amy Brown, United States, This is where we share our crazy adventures of bei...
Tips On The Tips , Megan Egerton Graham, United States, While You Were Away is committed to providing reso...
Hooah and Hiccups , Samantha Curtis, United States, My journey from college grad, to Army wife, to new...
Military Mom Talk Radio , Sandra Beck and Robin Boyd, United States, Military Mom Talk Radio provides a powerful platfo...
Oh, the Places You'll Go , Renee, United States, Just my every day life as a fiancee soon to be wif...
A Different Battle , Buck Cutlip, United States , War stories, rants, advice, humor and unfiltered o...
US-infantry , Matthew Day, United States , We are an online community that was started by and...
Live, Love & Learn with Ms. MommyHH6 , Ms. MommyHH6, United States, Ms. MommyHH6 is an Army wife, mother and special n...
My Chaotic Army Life , Tara Ruby, United States , you think your life is crazy ?. hmmm, try mine o..
Dependent Life , Jessica Allen, United States, a wife's perspective of Air Force life ?
From the Ranch , Debra LeCompte, United States, The words here are about my life as the wife of a ...
Thoughts and feelings of a Syrian freedom fighter , Big Al Brand, Syria, Thoughts and feelings of a Syrian freedom fighter ...
U.S. Africa Command Blog , Not specified, Germany, The United States Africa Command, also known as U....
RAF Blogs from Afghanistan , Multiple authors, Afghanistan, British forces in Afghanistan have launched a mass...
Wounded Times , Not specified, United States, Wounded Times is operated by Point Man Of Winter P...
The Optimistic Army Wife , Liz, United States, I am Liz and I joined the Army Wife Life in Decemb...
Welcome to the adventure! , Kori Yates, United States, Kori Yates, author of Olive Drab Pom-Poms, loves t...
True Love Conquers All , Darlene, Japan, I am a mother to a beautiful little boy, a wife to...
Af osi wife , Mrs. L, United States , wife to an afosi agent for nearly 18 years, mom to...
The Life of a Military Family , Marcella, United States, Marine Wife, SAHM of two, mistake making, sports l...
Midland Army Wife , Stacy, United States, 9 years into our marriage, my prior-service husban..
Wanderlynn , Lynn Beha, United Arab Emirates, One dark, lonely Omaha winter while my husband was...
Embracing This Life , Laura, United States, A blog from a young military wife about embracing ...
Polic?a A?rea , Polic?a A?rea, Espana, This is the blog of the Spanish Military Air Polic...
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Syrian filmmaker killed in Aleppo (Video)
Monday, September 10, 2012, 03:38 AM - News Stories Syrian filmmaker Tamer al-Awam killed in Aleppo: report (VIDEO). Syrian filmmaker Tamer al-Awam has been killed in Aleppo, reported Agence-France Press, while government-led shelling there took dozens of lives today, according to Reuters. ?The UK-based opposition Syrian National Council said the 34-year-old, who is also a well-known Syrian poet and writer, has "lost one of its dear sons," according to AFP...
(GlobalPost)
At 94, veteran MP in Vegas recalls WWII experience. At 94 years old, Gene Stephens still looks fit in a crisp khaki and leather Military Police Corps uniform like the one he wore in World War II.? To the best of his knowledge and in the memories of Military Police Regimental Association members, he's the last living original member of the Military Police Corps.? Stephens travels this month from home in Las Vegas to Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., for the 71th anniversary of the corps that dates from 1941...
(Daily Journal)
Hashtag #Jihad and Apps Increase for Cyber Jihad. As part of their online media strategy, jihadi organizations have in recent years begun using Western websites and technologies ? uploading videos to YouTube[1] and to the San Francisco-based Internet Archive,[2] creating official Facebook pages,[3] and over the past year, "tweeting" news flashes from the jihadi fronts. During that time, MEMRI's Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM) Project has monitored how Al-Qaeda-affiliated online jihadi groups and their followers have embraced Twitter...
(Right Side News)
Chavez ally: Twitter account seized, recovered. Venezuela's National Assembly president said his Twitter account was taken over on Saturday in an online attack that unleashed a series of bogus messages saying a coup was under way.? Diosdado Cabello, a close ally of President Hugo Chavez, said on state television that his account has been blocked to prevent more false messages, and later said he had recovered control of the account...
(The Associated Press)
Vietnam?s ?Turning Point?: Top of Utah vets tell war stories on KUED documentary. Their memories of Vietnam are as different as their military service during the epic conflict.? One remembers the ?non-stop Fourth of July explosion? on the front lines of the Battle for Hamburger Hill; another recalls being met on the beach by girls carrying flowers during a raid against the Viet Cong.? Anti-war protestors, booby traps and photo reconnaissance missions are among other reflections of seven Top of Utah veterans featured in a new documentary on the Vietnam War airing Monday, Sept. 10...
(Standard.net)
Amnesty International Unpublishes Fake Blog Posts Published by Hackers. Fake blog posts were published on Amnesty International's blog, Amnesty tweeted Aug. 27.? According to the Associated Press, the hackers posted at least one fake story that "claimed that a research mission conducted by Amnesty inside Syria has uncovered 'crimes against humanity committed by the Syrian rebels,' including prisoner abuse and execution" and "called on the United Nations to impose an arms embargo on nations supporting the Syrian opposition..."
(iMediaEthics)
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Taliban posing as attractive women on Facebook
Saturday, September 8, 2012, 03:32 PM - News Stories, Facebook
Did you know that the Taliban have been posing as ?attractive women? on Facebook in order to befriend soldiers in Afghanistan?
That might be news to some, but according to a story published in NEWS.com.au earlier today, the Taliban?are using social media to befriend coalition soldiers and gather intelligence about operations.
The news story specifically talks about the risks Australian soldiers face, and points out a review of the impact of social media on its military.?
I visited the Australian Department of Defence website and found the review (PDF).
The review I found was conducted in 2011 and is quite extensive.? ?It was conducted by a small team at George Patterson Y&R, an Australia-based advertising agency.
It?s not a quick read.? The review is well over 350 pages long and includes topics such as trends, legal obligations, management, morale, marketing, branding, crisis management strategy, and much more.
One section in particular discusses the social media training Defence personnel receive.? ?Predeployment briefings on OPSEC are the main way Defence personnel are educated on the risks.
There?s even a mention about the fake Facebook profiles discussed in the NEWS.com.au story.
"media personnel and enemies create fake profiles to gather information. For example, the Taliban have used pictures of attractive women as the front of their Facebook profiles and have befriended soldiers.?
While I?m not sure what sparked the NEWS.com.au story except for highlighting the risks soldiers face, the writer does point out that The Department of Defence is working on new social media guidelines that are set to be released by late December.
More at NEWS.com.au
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Military, police impostor who tweeted jailed
Friday, September 7, 2012, 11:56 PM - News Stories Bogus blogger who posed as Met police officer jailed.? A fantasist who blogged about his experiences as a police officer during last summer's London riots was today jailed for five years.? Ellis Ward, 29, gained a massive following with his postings about life as a Met police inspector on the streets of London.? He musings on Twitter were followed up by several national newspapers, including the Daily Telegraph which paid him ?600 for a column called "On the frontline".? But Ward's charade as a police officer was not just restricted to the internet, as he also posed as an Army major who had been injured in Iraq...
(The Independent)
Controversial Israel Blogger Gets Hacked (PHOTOS). The Tikun Olam blog run by Richard Silverstein was hacked on Friday when someone placed a picture on the site that reads ?I Stand With Israel?.? The blog, which is controversial in nature due to its history of breaking Israeli gag orders on military and intelligence matters, was created in 2003 and focuses mainly on Israeli-Palestinian issues and Israel?s broader relationship with the Arab world...
(Algemeiner.com)
Leaving Home: All War Stories Begin Like This?The hardest part of the deployment was saying goodbye to my wife and 15-month-old son. The emotions I felt the morning I left were not of pride and excitement but of dread, regret, and overwhelming heartache. It took several weeks to get the entire brigade out of Hawaii and into Afghanistan. We left in groups called ?chalks? at all hours of the day. Thankfully I had some family there to see and help me off...
(TIME.com)
Wartime diary helps to tell Colossus story. The diary was written by Post Office engineer Tommy Flowers who designed the codebreaking machine.? The secrecy surrounding Colossus meant Mr Flowers' position in the history of computers has been overlooked.? First switched on in 1943, Colossus is now acknowledged as being the world's first electronic, digital computer.? Colossus was built during World War II to decrypt the high-level messages sent between Hitler and his generals. The intelligence received from the messages is thought to have shortened the conflict by two years and saved many lives...
(BBC)
KUED tells stories of Vietnam War. For the men and women who served in Vietnam, it was the signature sound of the war. Whump ? whump ? whump.? The rhythmic thumping of helicopter blades could mean life or death: An assault deep in enemy territory or life-saving medical evacuation, critical re-supply or a return to base and rel
Source: http://milblogging.com/index.php?entry=entry120922-202110
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