sedna cosmologist: News: WWII Vet hesitant to talk about military

News: WWII Vet hesitant to talk about military

Thursday, August 16, 2012, 11:26 PM - News Stories World War II veteran from Advance hesitates to tell story. Ivan Woodfin is just one of many World War II veterans who has said he's hesitant to tell a story of their time in service.? Woodfin said it's not something they like to talk about because it makes them relive those memories.? "I just don't want to go back and relive what I had to do," said Woodfin.? Now, his life in Advance is pretty peaceful.? "Played golf all day," said Woodfin.? But the emotion still comes when he talks about his time in World War II.? When asked how often he talks about it, he said, "not very often."
(KFVS12)

Reuters hacked for third time with hoax al-Faisal death. Hackers first hit the agency's blogging platform at the beginning of August, with claims that the Syrian rebel army was on the retreat.? Two days later the agency's tech news Twitter feed was taken over and pro-Syrian government messages posted.? It is unclear who is behind the hack.? Reporting on the breach, Reuters said that cyberwar between the pro and anti-government factions in Syria had intensified with Saudi Arabia emerging as a staunch opponent of Assad...
(BBC)

Video: How to Create Your First Blog Post. Blogging on Fort Stewart Patch is an effective way to reach a ready-made audience on base, in Hinesville and beyond.? Blog posts that originate here, are often syndicated to other Patch towns in Georgia. Military-specific content is often shared to other military Patch sites.? Some bloggers show their expertise, others show the impact their organizations have had in the community. Some just write fun posts.? Whatever the reason, each had to start somewhere.? The accompanying video, from our sister site Camp Pendleton Patch, shows how to get started with your first post. It contains a lot of information, so pause as often as necessary...
(Fort Stewart, GA Patch)

?Dr? Winson Seow closes his Facebook account. WINSON Seow, who had claimed to be a military surgeon until his credentials were questioned, has closed his Facebook account a day after he apologised for misleading the public, reported Nanyang Siang Pau.? The account with the username Dr Winson Seow has 4,373 fans. However, Seow's personal account was not removed.? Seow, 26, wrote a message to inform fans of the closure on Wednesday.? ?Due to the restriction set by Facebook, I'm unable to change the display name in this page hence I have no alternative but to deactivate this account by today. I'm sorry for the inconvenience caused...
(The Star Online)

Afghanistan Soldier Tells the Story of Rebuilding Life After War. St. Petersburg, FL (PRWEB) August 16, 2012.? Bryan A. Wood is a quiet and unassuming police detective who works to keep the streets of St. Petersburg, FL safe for its citizens. In 2003, however, Wood fought another battle in a distant land halfway around the world, and in many ways, that battle has never ended. Wood has beautifully documented this battle in his gripping memoir ?Unspoken Abandonment: Sometimes the hardest part of going to war is coming home."? Wood's story, which has been gaining fans and is now flirting with several best-seller lists, is based on the journal he kept while serving with the 747th Military Police Company and Third Special Forces Group in Eastern Afghanistan...
(Virtual-Strategy Magazine)

The Duffel Blog makes news headlines for satire

Wednesday, August 15, 2012, 04:52 AM - News Stories

The Duffel Blog makes news headlines for satire

The military website The Duffel Blog is making headlines for not only its satirical stories, but for its ability to fool readers into believing, for example, that the DoD banned Tapout clothing for all military personnel.

Yesterday, Military Times ran a story featuring the site called Satirical military news site fools some readers.

Gina Harkins writes:

?A fake military news site is doing such a good job of lampooning the service, it?s already duped some officials into thinking their breaking news is real.

Former Marine Sgt. Paul Szoldra, from Lakeland, Fla., runs The Duffel Blog, the military?s equivalent to the satirical newspaper, The Onion. He has about 20 writers regularly contributing stories on a volunteer basis from the Army, Navy and Marine Corps.?

The military blog has quickly grown in popularity, resulting in nearly 9,000 ?likes? on Facebook.

The Army Times took an insightful look at the site that is well worth the read.

Full story here.

Follow The Duffel Blog on the web here and Facebook here.

FCW: DoD's new policy 'likes' social media, but...

Wednesday, August 15, 2012, 04:19 AM - News Stories DOD's new policy 'likes' social media, but with caveats. For all its benefits and the enjoyment it brings to the people who use it, social media has a dark side. When it comes to military users, one slip ? such as an inadvertent mention of a deployment timing or location ? can endanger lives. But given its intrinsically open nature and constantly changing boundaries, how can the Defense Department effectively manage social media?
(Federal Computer Week)

Amateur video: Rebels claim army fighter jet shot down over Syria. Syrian rebels claim they have shot down an army fighter jet in the skies above the village of Al Muhassan...
(itnnews)

Military sexual assault is focus of YouTube series. The enormous obstacles and emotional torment that a female solider confronts in reporting a sexual assault in the military are the focus of the three-part Web series "Lauren" debuting Monday on YouTube's new channel WIGS, which focuses on drama for women.? Featuring "Flashdance" star Jennifer Beals and Troian Bellisario, "Lauren" gives a close-up look at the challenges women service members face in trying to find justice after being raped. It's a problem that military leaders have given unprecedented attention to this year...
(Boston.com)

Civil War Diary of an Adams County native helps to pen new Civil War book. The century-old letters and journals of an Adams County native are the focus of a new Civil War book.? The Quincy Herald-Whig reports the accounts of Lewis F. Roe provide a first-hand view of the day-to-day activities of Civil War soldiers and the dangers they faced in battle.? According to the newspaper, Roe was a farmer who served in the 7th U.S. Infantry and the 50th Illinois Volunteer Infantry between 1860 and 1865...
(The Republic)

Artist uses her talent to honor military pilots. When Sherry Boggs nearly died in 2004, she lost her home, most of her possessions and months of memory ? but not her talent or her faith in God.? Boggs is an accomplished artist who specializes in aviation and ordnance art. Her artwork hangs in venues across the country, including the legendary ?Top Gun? naval aviation school in Miramar, Calif...
(Sturgis Journal)

Navy Social Media Directory: Facebook, Twitter, more

Tuesday, August 14, 2012, 02:50 AM

Navy.mil has what it calls a one-stop shop social media directory that provides links to official Navy social media pages across the internet.

The directory is built manually ? each command submits their information and then the submission is reviewed.?

There are a number of guidelines and requirements that must be followed in order to get approved.

According to the checklist provided on the site, requirements for an official command social media presence include:

- Commanding Officer or qualified Public Affairs Officer approval
- The POC must include a valid .mil address when submitting
- The presence must have a URL to an official DON website
- The presence must post disclaimer text (required for Facebook & Blogs)
- The presence must have a user agreement (required for all sites that provide for public comment ? primarily Facebook & Blogs)
- The presence must be clearly identified as ?official?
- The presence must be unlocked and open to the public
- Only ?official pages? on Facebook can be registered
- Social media presences identifying an individual vice the command or billet are not recommended as an ?official? presence with the exception of a notable few (e.g. SECNAV, CNO, MCPON).
- Requests to register social media presences that are too targeted or specific will be reviewed and may be disapproved.
- Requests to register social media presences that are based on an event will be reviewed and may be disapproved.
- How you write your command name on the form is how it will appear in the directory.

While you won?t necessarily find links to Pinterest or Google+ in the Navy.mil directory, you will find links to Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, and even blogs.

A quick glance at the list of social media sites currently listed, shows that Facebook has the strongest presence, outnumbering blogs by what appears to by at least 10 to 1.?

Twitter has the next strongest presence, followed by YouTube.

The list of official web logs may not be new on the Navy.mil directory, but the DoD Social Media hub, which lists all of DOD's official pages across various social media networks, hasn?t supported the listing of blogs since it launched years ago.

As of today on Navy.mil, you can find blogs such as the The United States Navy Band blog and blogs for Navy ships like the USS NIMITZ called Old Salt Blog.

Ft Hood hosting Facebook, TV Townhall Aug. 14

Tuesday, August 14, 2012, 02:26 AM - News Stories, Facebook According to the Killeen Daily Herald, Fort Hood will be hosting it second Facebook and TV Townhall.? It will be broadcast via satellite using DVIDS.

Fort Hood?s Facebook page, which has nearly 20,000 likes as of today, can be found at facebook.com/forthood.

If you?re interested in participating, the Facebook townhall takes place from 5 to 7 p.m today, August 14, 2012.? The TV Townhall takes place from 6 to 7 p.m.

You can call (254) 288-4990 to ask a question or click on the town hall tab at facebook.com/forthood.

The Telling Project: Americans Need to Know

Tuesday, August 14, 2012, 01:20 AM

While checking updates on the blog Red Bull Rising, I came across an interesting military project called The Telling Project.

The idea of the project is to stage a theatrical performance in which military veterans and their family members ?tell? their stories for their communities.?

To date, The Telling Project has performed in 14 cities and 9 states since 2008, putting over 50 veterans and veterans family members on stage to tell their stories of military life to their communities.

According to Charlie Sherpa, performances of ?Telling: Des Moines? are planned for November 2012 on the Ankeny, Iowa campus of the Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC).

To learn about The Telling Project including the upcoming schedule, clips, and more, visit http://thetellingproject.org

News links: Veterans share stories of war

Monday, August 13, 2012, 03:40 AM - News Stories Veterans Share Stories of Honor Flight, War. A sobering statistic flashed across the screen at Miller Park during the Stars and Stripes Honor Flight Field of Honor film debuted Saturday night.? ?One-thousand World War II veterans die every day.?? As the veterans pass, so goes the chance to honor them, to hear their stories and to learn from the Greatest Generation. But honor flights throughout the state allow for those veterans to be honored and appreciated and to share their stories with the rest of the world...
(Oak Creek, WI Patch)

Indiana veterans find peace by sharing war stories in monthly meeting at Anderson church. While the church has a pacifist background, pastor Robin Mayer said reaching out to veterans is an opportunity for the church to be "peacemakers."? "Many veterans carry stress that is not always given the attention it deserves," Mayer said. "This is an opportunity for us to help them find peace."? Mayer said it may seem contradictory for a pacifist organization to hold such an event for veterans, but it's not. She quoted Romans 14:19, which reads "Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification."
(Greenfield Reporter)

Israeli Blogger Detained Near Syrian Border in Turkey. A blogger with dual Israeli-US citizenship was detained in Turkey Saturday while reporting on Syria near the border in the Kurdish region.? Roee Ruttenberg, 34, is a writer for the leftist English-language blog +972Mag. He said Turkish police appeared to be concerned he was documenting Turkish military activities in the area. Ankara has long had struggles with separatist Kurdish extremists in an eastern region near the northern Syrian border...
(Israel National News)

Book chronicles Civil War life based on Adams County native's diaries.? The diaries of an Adams County man who served in the Civil War have sprung to life a century and a half later in a new book.? "From Western Deserts to Carolina Swamps: A Civil War Soldier's Journals and Letters Home" tells the story of Lewis F. Roe, an Adams County native who logged his observations from 1860 to 1865 while serving in the military before and during the Civil War...
(Quincy-Herald Whig)

Canadian reporter opens a window on the Mideast and on the futility of war. Nahlah Ayed had been a parliamentary reporter but the events of 9/11 were the instigation for her to join CBC as a freelance reporter. She is fluent in both Arabic and English. From her book, I think she was eminently suited to the complex subject she covered. She appears to be highly intelligent with a combination of simplicity and humbleness.? Since 2002, she briefly reported from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran but her reporting also came from Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Saudi Arabia and Syria...
(TheSpec.com)

Captured on 8mm film: Weddings, personal war stories, and other small illuminations of Israeli history. One of the scenes in a remarkable new film ?Israel: A Home Movie,? depicts a group of brawny men on their annual camping trip to Sinai at the outbreak of the 1973 Yom Kippur War.? The film, which is composed of archived home videos, captures Israeli history from the late 1920s through the early 1980s. Via the private moments that unfolded alongside the momentous ones, the film tells ordinary but striking stories of weddings, love, war, despair and loneliness...
(The Times of Israel)

Police social media tool nears 1MM subscribers

Sunday, August 12, 2012, 11:26 PM - News Stories The Associated Press has reported that police are embracing a?relatively new social media tool called Nixle that allows them to provide public alerts to their communities.

"Almost 6,000 law enforcement agencies are now deploying the public notification service Nixle to provide residents with real-time alerts on crimes in progress, traffic messes and missing children. Previously, the service has helped police in Amarillo, Texas, capture a fugitive wanted for aggravated robbery and probation violation; and authorities in Fayetteville, N.C., nabbed a suspect wanted for armed robbery soon after a Nixle alert was sent to residents."

The story goes on to say that while many government agencies have been using Facebook and Twitter as their public notification system, Nixle has increasingly become a more popular choice.

According to the Nixle website, "There are four types of messages; Alerts (many would refer to this as an emergency type alert), Advisories (less urgent need-to-know information), Community Information (day-to-day neighborhood to community-level information), Traffic (very localized traffic information)."

Full story here.

More on Nixle here.

Top 25 Military Mom Blogs, Voting Ends Aug 16

Saturday, August 11, 2012, 02:54 AM

Circle of Moms is promoting and recognizing military moms who blog by running an online contest.??

Circle of Moms gives their network of 6 million registered moms direct access to the Top 25 winners.? The Top 25 are also featured on The Roundup (the Circle of Mom's editorial channel).? According to the FAQ section, the feature includes a short interview, favorite posts, and a photo of each Top 25 winner.??

It?s great to see coverage of military mom blogs, especially to such a large audience.

Voting ends August 16, 2012 at 4pm PST and you can learn more about the contest here.

Here's a current look at the Top 10 standings as of August 11 (2:38 AM EST)

1. The Meat and Potatoes of Life (748 votes)
2. The Only Girl Among (562 votes)
3. Random Rants of an Army Wife (515 votes)
4. The Deployment Diatribes, (News From the Commander In Chief @ Home) (470 votes)
5. 5 Nuts in a Nutshell (401 votes)
6. Embracing This Life (373 votes)
7. This Fabulous Army Life (282 votes)
8. Writings of an Air Force Wife (279 votes)
9. Hooah and Hiccups (233 votes)
10. The Crow Family (225 votes)

Mashable: What is the Syrian Electronic Army?

Friday, August 10, 2012, 11:27 PM - News Stories What Is the Syrian Electronic Army? As forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad clash with the rebel Free Syrian Army in the streets of Syria, Internet-savvy government supporters are fighting a parallel information war in cyberspace. Called the Syrian Electronic Army, the group has a single mission: unleash an onslaught of pro-government propaganda upon the Internet.
(Mashable)

Rare WWII naval dispatch to be auctioned in Pa. Chief Yeomen Robert W. York knew he was clutching a piece of history as he hurried to find his boss aboard the USS Holland, which was trolling the Pacific days after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.? In his possession was a dispatch from President Harry S. Truman's navy secretary, dated Aug. 15, 1945, that read: "All hands of the United States Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard may take satisfaction in the conclusion of the war against Japan."? Japan had surrendered. World War II was over. York and his mates could go home.
(NBC29)

Scammers posing as soldiers selling cars online. A Craigslist car scam cruises through the Internet and has now parked in the Treasure Valley. The posting advertises a car for sale. A person claims to be a soldier and talks about selling immediately before he is deployed.? "I came across a 2004 Avalanche with 70 thousand miles on it and the guy said he was in the military so I was like okay, and he's selling it for 1900 bucks, " Michael Thomas said.
(KBOI 2)

Even The Army Can Use Digital Media. The Israel Defense Forces has been releasing some great videos on YouTube ? which do a wonderful job of humanizing the soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).? Today a video was released of the IDF?s only co-ed combat unit ? and a well spoken young woman detailing the final exercise after months of hard training.? This exercise does exactly what digital media is meant to do ? tell a story without a filter. This segment humanizes the faces of Israel?s soldiers and shows the faces of people many can relate to. Great public relations work.?
(Jewocity Blog)

Hacked Reuters blog appears still unpatched. News service Reuters appears to still be running the same outdated version of WordPress that allowed its blogging platform to be compromised by attackers last week.? Attackers published fake blog posts on Friday, including a purported interview with the leader of the Free Syrian Army.? Mark Jaquith, one of the lead developers behind WordPress, told The Wall Street Journal that? Reuters had been running version 3.1.1 instead of the latest version, 3.4.1.
(SC Magazine Australia)

Syria's electronic army wages war online. On Monday, it was a hijacked Reuters Twitter feed trying to create the impression of a rebel collapse in Aleppo. On Tuesday, it was another account purporting to be a Russian diplomat announcing the death in Damascus of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.? As the situation on the ground becomes ever more bloody, both sides in Syria are also waging what seems to be an intensifying conflict in cyberspace, often attempting to use misinformation and rumour to tilt the war in reality.
(TVNZ)

NYPD subpoena Twitter for user making threats

Thursday, August 9, 2012, 07:48 AM - Twitter

NYPD subpoena Twitter for user making threats

The NYPD subpoenaed Twitter earlier this week to get the identity of a user who tweeted under the username @obamamistress.? The user caught the attention of authorities after threatening to copy the Colorado mass shooting at Mike Tyson?s one-mad Broadway show.

?This s--- ain?t no joke yo I?m serious people are gonna die just like in aurora,? read one of the tweets posted in late July.

According to the NY Daily News, police identified the Twitter user and would be interviewing them this week.

The Aurora tweets weren?t the only threat-messages.

@ObamaMistress whose description read in part, ?having an affair with barack obama,Eric Holder, lamar Odom, Reggie Bush, and many many more,? even had celebrities on their hit list like Twilight star Kristen Stewart.

One message posted on July 30 read, ?Wow I got like six hundred people on my hit list and I still ain't finished yet. Wow that's gonna be a mass mass murder for real. #excited.?

The Twitter account has now been deleted, but with the help of Google cache?[screenshot above], you can see several? of the messages.

Mashable has a timeline of the mass murder tweets that include messages like "its not a threat it's a promise" and "Planning a murder is harder than I thought but people are going to die just like they did in the theater."

Full NY Daily News story here.

News: Disinformation in Syria's cyber war

Wednesday, August 8, 2012, 02:10 AM - Twitter, News Stories Disinformation flies in Syria's growing cyber war. On Sunday, it was a hijacked Reuters Twitter feed trying to create the impression of a rebel collapse in Aleppo. On Monday, it was another account purporting to be a Russian diplomat announcing the death in Damascus of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.? As the situation on the ground becomes ever more bloody, both sides in Syria are also waging what seems to be an intensifying conflict in cyberspace, often attempting to use misinformation and rumor to tilt the war in reality...
(Reuters)

Veteran of Guadalcanal finally tells his story of WWII battle. A group of World War II veterans are convening today in Washington, D.C., on the 70th anniversary of the start of the Battle of Guadalcanal. They plan to tour the national memorial that commemorates their service and share their recollections.? Paul Castiglione, 91, of Monroe is among them.? "Probably more children of those veterans will be on hand than the guys I served with," Castiglione said last week. "Fewer and fewer of us are around."
(HeraldNet)

Sack soldier for Bloody Sunday slurs, urges brother of victim. There have been calls for a Royal Irish Ranger to be discharged from the Army and charged with inciting hatred after he posted offensive comments about Bloody Sunday on the internet.? The soldier from Belfast put a banner on his Facebook page featuring the Parachute Regiment logo with sectarian slogans about the killings.? It was removed from the site yesterday...
(Belfast Telegraph)

Two local authors tell new stories about the Civil War. A Virginia and a Maryland author are each scheduled to speak this week about their recently published books contributing new information about the Civil War, a sometimes difficult undertaking when there are already more than 75,000 other books on the subject.? Carl Sell of Alexandria, Va. will discuss his book, ?Thank God, He Survived Pickett?s Charge? on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Fairfax Station Railroad Museum. He has researched the military record of his great-grandfather, Confederate Pvt. James Farthing, who was wounded during Pickett?s Charge at Gettysburg on July 3, 1863, and survived only to be wounded again a year later...
(The Washington Post)

Couple's post-war trauma experience spawns book. Andrea Carlile's husband made his commitment to the military before he did to her. So his deployments were expected.? But what Andrea wasn't prepared for was that her husband, Wes Carlile, formerly of Kokomo, would return from those deployments a man she didn't even recognize.? Andrea, a Logansport native, wanted her story of struggle and heartache to do some good. So she's written a book talking about the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder from the spouse's perspective...
(10tv)

Milblogger Family Reunion to be held

Tuesday, August 7, 2012, 08:21 PM

The first annual Milblogger Family Reunion is being held Labor Day weekend, August 31 through September 2, in San Antonio, Texas.

The event is being organized by the folks at the You Served military blog, winners of the 2012 Milbloggies in the U.S. Military Veteran category.?

Madison Rising, Soldiers? Angels, food, drinks, military bloggers, supporters and much more is taking place.

While I can?t attend myself, if you?d like to attend, pay a visit to You Served to get all the details.

DoD guidance on political activity, social media

Tuesday, August 7, 2012, 02:31 AM

The DoD issued a press release yesterday titled You posted what on Facebook? warning civilian and military personnel that not every thought or opinion should be expressed in public, especially when it involves politics.

The article highlights some of the guidelines that are spelled out in ?Political Activities by Members of the Armed Forces? (PDF) and "Civilian and Military Personnel Participation in Political Activities" (PDF).

With the 2012 election fast approaching, the DoD wants both civilian and military personnel to know the guidelines that affect what they can say and do on public media sites such as Twitter and Facebook.?

For example, Active-duty military personnel, should not engage in activities that suggest others "like," "friend," or "follow" a political party.

The press release gives real-world examples of some military personnel who have gotten into trouble because they violated DoD rules.? Like an Army Reservist who found himself in hot water last year after he took the stage at a Ron Paul campaign event while in uniform. This kind of political activity is prohibited because he was in uniform, says the DoD.

In terms of guidelines, here are some of the no-nos for military personnel spelled out in the documents.?

In general, active duty Service members may not:

- actively participate in partisan political activities, including fundraisers (mere attendance does not constitute participation);

- serve as an officer of a political club;

- speak at a partisan gathering or participate in any radio or television programs (including organized blog debates or discussions) that advocate for or against a political party, candidate, or cause

- seek nomination or candidacy for civil office (see DoDD 1344.10 for limited exceptions);

- display a large political sign, banner, or poster (as distinguished from a bumper sticker) on a personal vehicle;

- display a political sign, poster, banner, or other campaign material visible to the public at one's residence on a military installation (including homes located in privatized housing);

- attend political events as an official representative of the Armed Forces unless authorized by the Service Secretary concerned.

Full article here.

News: Pinterest for Weapons, Facebook and more

Monday, August 6, 2012, 04:31 PM - News Stories EdgeFuse: A Pinterest For Making Weapons. It was inevitable that defense contractors would embrace social media for R&D sooner or later. Mav6, a smallish aerospace outfit, is promoting a new platform called EdgeFuse that lets defense contractors, military personnel, and government employees trade relevant tweets and Instagram photos via smartphone--in short, a hybrid of Delicious and Pinterest. Will social networking build better weapons?
(Co.Exist)

Syrian Students Hold Facebook Protest. In the face of widespread hacking by supporters of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, Syrian exiles are trying a new tactic: Internet literacy protests. Members of the Union of Free Students in Syria, an inter-university resistance organization, held an Internet-based protest in the city of Homs and in Saudi Arabia. Protesters held signs with slogans like ?Protecting Your Account = Protecting Your Friends: A Different Password for Each Account"...
(Fast Company)

Vietnam: instigator of monkey torture photos fired from military. What's dumber than buying extremely rare primates, forcing them to feign smoking and having them skinned?? Snapping photos of your monkey torture session and posting them on Facebook.? That unfortunate chain of events has prompted Vietnam's army to dismiss a soldier whose Facebook-uploaded monkey torture snapshots have gone viral. According to outlets Asia One and the Associated Press, it appears the monkeys were bought off villagers and abused for kicks...
(GlobalPost)

After war, telling story is therapy. Brian Castner calls it "the Crazy," and he introduces readers of his debut book to this uninvited guest in the opening sentence of his Iraq war memoir.? "The first thing you should know about me is that I'm Crazy," writes Castner, employing the capital C to differentiate his affliction from run-of-the-mill, lowercase crazy.? "The Crazy" is Castner's name for the pressing, constricting feeling in his chest that started after he returned from Iraq, where he commanded Air Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal units during two tours in 2005 and 2006...
(Times Union)

Egypt military pardons blogger after criticism. Egypt's military said on Thursday it has dropped charges against prominent blogger Asmaa Mahfouz of insulting the country's ruling generals after a wave of criticism from rights groups. The military, in a statement on its Facebook page, said it also decided to drop charges against another activist, Loai Nagati, who also faced trial by a military court for insulting the generals...
(Business Recorder)

Soldiers posting classified data, photos on Facebook. ?I`ll be away to participate in a two-week company tactical drill and battalion general tactical drill and then come back.?? An active-duty lieutenant of the Korean Army recently uploaded on Facebook photos of armored vehicles in queue that were about to maneuver for a nighttime drill in addition to news on the exercise. The photo showed armored vehicles with vehicle ID numbers and weapons attached...
(donga)

Czech World War II re-enactor visits Cleveland: Military Notes. If you think the lessons of World War II are lost on the young, better check with Marek Malafa.? Malafa, 25, is a college student in Pilsen in the Czech Republic, who recently visited here to meet his relatives who live in Northeast Ohio.? He's also a dedicated World War II re-enactor, who is part of a group of about three dozen fellow Czech enthusiasts of that conflict who re-create the spirit and times of 1945 when Czechoslovakia was liberated by Allied troops...
(cleveland.com)

War Historian Keegan Chronicled Individual Toll of Battle. John Keegan, a British military historian whose groundbreaking book "The Face of Battle" cast a fresh look at warfare, capturing the fears, anxiety and heroism of the front-line soldier, died Aug. 2 at his home in Kilmington, England. He was 78.? The Telegraph newspaper in London, for which he had been an editor and writer, announced his death but did not disclose the cause...
(OregonLive)

Read a Syrian freedom fighter blog from Homs

Sunday, August 5, 2012, 05:35 AM - News Stories I think it?s important and interesting to hear first-hand accounts of what takes place during conflicts and I?ve been searching for blogs written from Syria.

Well, the search is finally over.

CNN has featured a blog written from Homs, Syria, in one of its latest news stories titled Syrian blogger: ?I live or die here?.

The blog is called Thoughts and feelings of a Syrian freedom fighter written by a man who calls himself ?Big Al?.???????

CNN summed up some HIGHLIGHTS from the story:

"Big Al" began blogging about his life in Homs, Syria, in September

Stuck inside while war happens outside, he watches "The Simpsons," listens to Nine Inch Nails

Al argues with his parents about whether to stay or leave Syria

Most protesters are young, like him. "I know my rights as a human being," he blogs

I recommend reading both the CNN story and Big Al?s blog to learn more.

Thoughts and feelings of a Syrian freedom fighter is the first Syrian blog listed on Milblogging.

Big Al is also on the social networking site Google+.

If you know of other blogs, please feel free to submit them here.

Fallen soldier's military blog featured in news

Sunday, August 5, 2012, 04:12 AM - Fallen Military Bloggers, News Stories

Army Sgt. Eric E. Williams Image credit: myfriendthemedic.blogspot.com

The blog of Army Sgt. Eric E. Williams, who was killed last month in Afghanistan, has been the focus of several recent news articles, after North County Times had originally reported that Williams had chronicled his military experiences online.

Williams? military blog has now become an online memorial, giving people a chance to remember and learn about his life in a personal way.

The blog has over 50 posts dating back to 2008 and several photos.

As I wrote about it in late July, his last post titled Coming Home was published only days before he was killed.

One stranger commented on his final entry:

?Hello, im a complete stranger that stumbled across this on facebook and im writing this in tears, but know that hes never gone and one day through some higher power beyond our control you will hold him again. Words cant even begin to scratch the surface of what your going through, but know that your son has changed the way i see american servicemen & women on a whole new level with a whole new profound appreciation.? Please take this to heart, and know that your son changed my life without ever shaking my hand or knowing anything of me. Peace be with you and your family, with a heavy heart.?

This week, as William?s flag-draped casket arrived in his hometown, more news outlets wrote of his blog.

LOVE: Thoughts of fallen soldier on his blog appeared in The Press-Enterprise.? The writer Carl Love writes:

?The sacrifices soldiers make for us are immense, especially the precious time away from loved ones. My father fought in Vietnam 2 ? years and words can?t describe how much I missed him growing up. Or the countless nights I was in bed restlessly praying for his safe return.

Back then my dad recorded his experiences to my mom in letters he wrote home almost every day. Williams was able to post his thoughts in a more new-age way on a blog ?My Friend The Medic.?

There, Williams laments all the birthdays he?s missed, including his mom?s for five years.

?I wish I wasn?t gone for everything, and it always weighs heavily on me,? he wrote.

And then there are the goodbyes. Perhaps it?s because the soldier thinks this time it could be for good.?

Stars and Stripes wrote a story called Coming home blog post becomes heartbreaking memorial instead.?

"In his online posting, Williams voiced concerns about returning from the seriousness and somberness of combat to an America where citizens ?want their Starbucks and celebrity gossip and their ?16 and pregnant.?? He voiced pride in his service, but also worry about what would become of him and his fellow servicemembers", writes Leo Shane III.

Williams is one of many fallen military bloggers and the second military blogger to die in 2012 to my knowledge.

In March, Captain Carroll ?Lex? Lefon, USN (ret) of the military blog Neptunus Lex died after the jet he was flying crashed at Naval Air Station Fallon in Nevada.

A public memorial service was held yesterday for Williams.

Image credit:? myfriendthemedic.blogspot.com

Charlie Sherpa: Why he writes about writing

Saturday, August 4, 2012, 04:03 AM - Bloggers turned Writers Military blogger Charlie Sherpa explained why he has been writing about writing on his blog recently, as opposed to writing about developments in the National Guard or Afghanistan or other stories readers have come to expect.

While his regular material is still on the radar, Charlie states his blog has two missions:

1.? To explain in plain language the roles, responsibilities, and routines of the U.S. citizen-soldier, with particular focus on the U.S. 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division.

2.? To illuminate ways in which citizen-soldiers past and present?as well as their families?can be remembered, supported, and celebrated.
"One of the ways people can "remember, support, and celebrate" is to record and share their experiences with the military through the written or spoken word. You don't need to be an seasoned writer or story-teller. You don't need to have done heroic things, or to have witnessed the horrors of war", writes Charlie.

Red Bull Rising is a great resource for anyone interested in military writing.

Here are five things to look forward to on Red Bull Rising:

1.? A static web page devoted to resources for aspiring and perspiring citizen-soldier-writer-veterans, and those who love them!

2.? A list of recommended up-and-coming blogs from those with eyes and boots still in Afghanistan!

3.? Book reviews! Lots of book reviews!

4.? Continued coverage leading up to the inaugural Sangria Summit in Denver, Colo., a Sept. 12-14 conference for writers of military-themed fiction and non-fiction!

5.? News of the upcoming annual 34th Infantry Division Association reunion! "Attack! Attack! Attack!??
Read more over at Red Bull Rising.

News: Fake Syria war story posted on hacked Reuters blog

Friday, August 3, 2012, 10:45 PM - News Stories Reuters Blog Hacked, Fake Syria War Story Posted. News service Reuters was the target of a blogging platform hack today.? The company first tweeted the news just after 10 a.m., saying that its blogging platform was compromised and "fabricated blog posts were falsely attributed to several Reuters journalists."? One of the stories, which Reuters deemed as "illegal," was posted today under Jeffrey Goldfarb's name. It falsified an interview with Riad al-Asaad, the head of the Free Syrian Army...
(PC Magazine)

Library Seeks to Record Local WWII Veteran Stories. Port Jefferson Librarian Samantha Winter blogged on Tuesday about an ongoing project to record the stories of local World War II veterans as a part of the library's "Living Heritage Project."? "Through oral and/or video interviews, staff from the library will sit down with willing veterans to discuss their personal accounts while fighting in our country?s deadliest war," she wrote.? Many of the veterans who fought in World War II are dying off and it is important to record their experiences for future generations...
(Miller Place-Rocky Point Patch)

Assad spam fills social media networks. The Syrian conflict is filling social networks like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Supporters and opponents of the Syrian regime are engaged in a fierce propaganda battle.? "Here are e-mail addresses and passwords of Al Jazeera employees" reads a message on the website of the "Syrian Electronic Army." The message goes on to say that the group has 40 British and 150 US news pages under its control as well as the websites of Syrians abroad "who are supporting the terror against our country."? The Internet portal is conceived as a propaganda arm of Bashar Assad's regime, encouraging its users to support the beleaguered dictator through spam attacks. The attacks are targeted at media critical of the Assad regime...
(DW.DE)

11 Social Media Tips for the Public Sector. Social media applications have become an (almost) accepted standard to explore new ways of communication between government and its stakeholders.? However, government agencies willing to jump onto the bandwagon had to jump over many hurdles to make social media work for them. As early as December 2008, the powerhouse behind what is now known as HowTo.gov ? Bev Godwin, Sheila Campbell, Jeffrey Levy and Joyce Bounds ? have published a manuscript describing the hurdles and perceived barriers for new forms of online engagement.? Many of these barriers prevented the rapid and risk-free adoption of social media technologies...
(Mashable)

War hero from Alva gone; his stories survive. Solon Duncan of Alva was a quiet man who fought hard, loved life, suffered much and died a quiet hero.? It took the federal government 50 years to recognize his military contributions with full veterans benefits and medals due him.? But he did not leave the world unrecognized.? Duncan, 82, a Korean War veteran and former prisoner of war, was buried in Alva Cemetery on Thursday with full military honors.? His stories remain behind...
(The News-Press)

Smartphone App Developed at JBLM Helping Families With Military Life. 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 17 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.? LifeArmor is a comprehensive learning and self-management tool to assist members of the military community with common mental health concerns...
(Patch)

CIA gets impersonated on Twitter

Thursday, August 2, 2012, 03:31 AM - Twitter, News Stories

Emily Heil has an article about the CIA and Twitter over at The Washington Post.

According to the story, someone was impersonating the CIA on the microblogging platform using the name @US_CIA.?

For those of you who don?t know, the CIA is not on Twitter.

Shortly after the CIA discovered the fake account, it was suspended by Twitter.? However, if you'd like to see some of the content that was posted by the user like the screenshot above, it can still be viewed through Google's cache which temporarily stores web content.

The postings in many cases, linked directly back to the official CIA government website.

For example, one tweet read:

"Veterans: the CIA wants YOU. You have proven your dedication to your country through your military service. http://t.co/Oc4AWSfU #Veterans"

The shortened URL takes visitors back to a jobs page on CIA.gov.

While many of the tweets seemed rather professional, as Emily Heil points out, ?Then the tweets grew increasingly wacky and it became clear that the folks behind it weren?t genuine g-men.?

The wacky tweets included messages like:

?The Agency is an equal opportunity employer. Here at the CIA we respect all religions, not just the Church of Latter Day Saints,?

Say what? Then this: ?Dear Ayatollah?@khamenei_ir, please consider tweeting in English. Our sole Arabic speaking NED analyst is out on vacation this week. Thanks!?
One of my favorites on the cached page reads:

@GoldsGym Think you are tough? Come & join the Agency! At the #Farm we'll raise you to be bigger, stronger, & faster.

Full story here.

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Source: http://milblogging.com/index.php?entry=entry120816-232603

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Monday, August 20, 2012

News: WWII Vet hesitant to talk about military

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