We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2010 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/12/radio_silence.html Sat, 24 Mar 2012 15:09:24 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2012 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/12/radio_silence.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/12/radio_silence.html Fri, 18 Dec 2009 23:59:15 -0600
-SMM
]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/12/radio_silence.html#comment-96531 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/12/radio_silence.html#comment-96531 Sun, 20 Dec 2009 21:36:10 -0600
Concomitantly, an increase in milblogging, miltweeting carries with it an increased risk.

How does the military respond?

The bonehead response is to shut down milblogging and miltweeting (citing the security risk). Such a response requires no thinking, and is very Old School.

The New School might put together workshops of security managers and try to come up with a more moderate solution, one involving acceptance of low thresholds of risk and allowing milblogging and miltweeting.

I'm on the fence. I was USAF Strategic Air Command, a VERY Old School outfit. I was a Squadron Security Officer within that strac Command, responsible for training, and in some ways performance, under strict security guidelines. Having been SAC-umcised, you couldn't beat the Old School out of me with a stick, but I also consider myself a modern thinker when it comes to information transfer/sharing.

There has to be a way to "vet" military members who would then have milblogging/miltweeting access, and restrict those activities from those who would do it unsupervised. That middle-of-the-road path might be hard to find, but we must persevere to find it.

For civilians, there must be NO rules. The First guarantees that. For dependents, it gets foggier, and dependents will probably wind up having to follow active-member rules.

This isn't the only culture clash between military leadership and looser civilian custom, and it won't be the last, either.
]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/12/radio_silence.html#comment-96513 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/12/radio_silence.html#comment-96513 Fri, 18 Dec 2009 16:29:58 -0600
Meaning that if they shut down the blogs, the lose their end-run around the MSM for getting out their stories.

The ones they like as well as the ones they don't.

It wasn't a perfect idea, nor perfectly executed, but it has some impact along the lines of what we were looking for.

The point wasn't how powerful we are - with a few exceptions, we aren't - but how useful we are, even if we're unruly about it.  And that utility is independent of who sits in the Oval Office any given year.

As for the Googlebomb aspect of it - the use of virtually the same verbiage, and the coverage of the event by several mid- and upper-tier bloggers and news/magazine sites, had exactly that effect, and in a more coherent fashion than if we'd all done 75 different posts.]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/12/radio_silence.html#comment-96485 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/12/radio_silence.html#comment-96485 Thu, 17 Dec 2009 16:35:21 -0600
The sound of all those milbloggers making a googlebomb with their keyboards might be more appropriate.

I'm reminded of the old "tree falling in the forest" simile.
]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/12/radio_silence.html#comment-96484 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/12/radio_silence.html#comment-96484 Thu, 17 Dec 2009 16:16:49 -0600 Can I post a copy of this on my blog if I link back to you? http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/12/radio_silence.html#comment-96479 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/12/radio_silence.html#comment-96479 Thu, 17 Dec 2009 13:36:25 -0600 People currently in the military gave up the right to free speech as it relates to military matters while they are serving.

We aren't talking about military or national secrets here, a soldier still has the right to have a life.

GO MilBlogs!!!!!

]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/12/radio_silence.html#comment-96471 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/12/radio_silence.html#comment-96471 Thu, 17 Dec 2009 10:01:07 -0600 Does the phrase "inappropriate command involvement" mean anything anymore? Amen This isn't about Op Sec, this isn't about troop movements, or command directives or ROE's. This is about a fathers children and the local school board. Further since when did the COC have the authority to give orders regarding spouses? I'm with BillT. If this is the so called New Army then retention NCO's are going to have their work cut out for them when the job market re-acclimates.]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/12/radio_silence.html#comment-96467 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/12/radio_silence.html#comment-96467 Thu, 17 Dec 2009 08:08:36 -0600
You rightfully raise the question,  "Does the word 'discipline' mean anything anymore?" First of all, discipline is a two way street, top down and then, and only then, will you earn the respect. This is called, "Commanding Respect". As our leaders, lead the rest will follow, this is the only leadership that  will result in the discipline, that you seek.
]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/12/radio_silence.html#comment-96463 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/12/radio_silence.html#comment-96463 Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:38:39 -0600 People currently in the military gave up the right to free speech as it relates to military matters while they are serving.

He's not in trouble over a military matter -- he took exception to the way his children were being treated in school. A *public* school. The school administer had her *feelings* hurt and lodged a complaint with the IG of CJ's command, who decided she should have redress for the damage to her exaggerated sense of self-esteem.

When did the chain of command expand to include civilians unconnected in any way with the military? Must be that "New Army" I keep hearing about.

Does the word "discipline" mean anything anymore?

Does the phrase "inappropriate command involvement" mean anything anymore?


]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/12/radio_silence.html#comment-96462 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/12/radio_silence.html#comment-96462 Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:20:49 -0600
And, I'm not sure how much "spouting off about the military" is going on.  To me, "spouting off" implies malicious intent or careless disregard.  The milbloggers I know - and greatly respect - aren't saying things out of carelessness, or to be spiteful, but to tell important stories, or to bring attention to things they view as issues that need addressing.
]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/12/radio_silence.html#comment-96461 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/12/radio_silence.html#comment-96461 Wed, 16 Dec 2009 22:09:43 -0600
If you want to spout off about the military - resign and have at'er.  Until then - button it!]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/12/radio_silence.html#comment-96460 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/12/radio_silence.html#comment-96460 Wed, 16 Dec 2009 21:49:26 -0600 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/12/radio_silence.html#comment-96458 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/12/radio_silence.html#comment-96458 Wed, 16 Dec 2009 17:06:46 -0600 ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/12/radio_silence.html#comment-96456 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/12/radio_silence.html#comment-96456 Wed, 16 Dec 2009 12:18:47 -0600 ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/12/radio_silence.html#comment-96454 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/12/radio_silence.html#comment-96454 Wed, 16 Dec 2009 10:32:17 -0600 Illegitimus non carborundum
]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/12/radio_silence.html#comment-96453 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/12/radio_silence.html#comment-96453 Wed, 16 Dec 2009 09:46:04 -0600 I'm in. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/12/radio_silence.html#comment-96452 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/12/radio_silence.html#comment-96452 Wed, 16 Dec 2009 09:26:27 -0600 Count me in http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/12/radio_silence.html#comment-96450 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/12/radio_silence.html#comment-96450 Wed, 16 Dec 2009 07:52:53 -0600