Well, so much for active-duty Army mil-blogging, if the Army Powers-That-Be have their way. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot, public affairs-wise… but color me fairly unsurprised by this latest move to constrain active-duty Army bloggers. Frankly, if I am surprised at anything, it’s that milblogs by active-duty troops managed to escape the clammy clutches of the Public Affairs office for as long as they have. For a long while, I thought that someone up in the higher-echelons was actually being rather clever; in taking the hands-off approach. Milblogs got the word out, without being tainted by association with military propaganda; about the war, about the military, provided expert commentary and feedback, under no particular censorship other than that of good sense and op-sec as practiced by the individual.
For surely the military public affairs world must have known about military bloggers, fairly early on (say at least by 2002). I myself made a long slog up to the PA shop at BAMC about that time, offering to pass on any appeals they might have on behalf of injured troops. This was when Blondie was over in Kuwait, and our readers at the time were overwhelmingly generous to her unit… to the point where I wanted to see it shared with other troops. I talked to a civilian PA type, who at least had heard of military blogs, and promised to pass on my e-mail and URL to his superiors, and that was the last I ever heard. I’d have thought, based on my own experience, that as interested as the Public Affairs was in traditional media coverage of the military… I’d have seen a little more interest. Unless they were total boobs about this newfangled internet thingy. That wouldn’t have surprised me… much, but assuming some sort of hands-off policy at least gave credit for intelligence and creative thinking at the highest military PA level.
But… and that is the industrial-sized, multi-purpose, all-wool-and-a-yard-wide but (Hey, who let Rosie O’Donnell in here?). But… the military is an authoritarian institution. Top down and paved wall-to-wall with regulations for most things. As a rough rule of thumb, those in charge are supposed to have an idea about what the lower ranks are up to… yes, even you, General Karpinski. And those in charge prefer that those lower down the chain of command are doing what they have been told to do. Personal initiative is all very nice, and even lauded from those who have proved they can exercise it wisely and responsibly. For everyone else, there are rules. And it is one of those lamentable realities of the military world that almost the first reaction to a new situation or set of conditions is to make a rule or regulation about it. Leopard, spots, can’t change. Reaction, knee-jerk, officers for the use of.
I thought the Army was about the most extreme in this regard; the Air Force generally operated on the initial assumption that their personnel were intelligent and responsible, and only descended like a ton of bricks when an individual decisively proved the contrary. The Army seemed to operate from the opposite set of assumptions…possibly because it either saved time or was just easier. I saw a perfect example of this during my year in Korea, at Yongsan Garrison. Out of the clear blue, the Army Powers-That-Be suddenly forbade uniformed personnel to consume food from street-vendors, unless it was something like a sealed soft-drink can, or something in a package. Probably some poor troop got a tummy-ache from a bite of bad bulgogi at a street stand, but after a great deal of vociferous complaint and requests for clarification (what constituted the sort of food that was forbidden, what exactly was a street vender? Some of the open-air vendors were pretty permanent establishments!) the Powers-That-Be grudgingly clarified their purpose; which was that they didn’t want us to be eating food prepared by unlicensed vendors. Well, asked we at AFN… wouldn’t it be more logical just to tell people to not eat from unlicensed vendors… maybe, perhaps, maybe teach our audience what a Korean Department of Health food-vendor’s license looked like, and how to request it politely?
Certainly not, returned the Army Powers-That-Be, rather grumpily… that was not how the Army did things.
Ah, said we, in resignation… Of course; it was just the easy way. Not the most thoughtful way, or the way that encouraged people’s own sense of self-preservation, or the way that preserved the livelihood of those hard-working and licensed local national food vendors, or the way that might truly protect uniformed personnel from bad food. It was just the easy way. Make a rule.
Why are you blaming the PAOs? Do you have any evidence that the initiative to shut down the blogs originated in public affairs offices?
I’d bet my next paycheck that this was promulgated by intelligence and counter-intelligence officers. PAOs give a crap about blogs about the same as letters to the editor, which is not at all.
The new rules are in AR 530-1, “Operations Security,” for which the proponent is not the Office of the Chief of Public Affairs.See here:
http://www.army.mil/-news/2007/04/19/2758-army-releases-new-opsec-regulation/
In January 2006 I got an email from a civilian PR firm exec who, on behalf of Army Public affairs, said the Army was going to reach out blogs. “To that end, the Army plans to offer you and selected bloggers exclusive editorial content on a few issues you’re likely to be interested in.”
I replied to count me in, and that’s the last I heard of it.
Comment by Donald Sensing — 20070502 @ 2007
TO: All, especially Loud-Mouthed Idiots like Instapundit and Hugh
RE: SHUT THE FLOCK UP!
Anybody here familiar with a term like OPSEC?!!??!
For cry’n out loud, you stupid idiots…..
Regards,
Chuck—-
[Never telegraph your intentions to the enemy. It cost lives….]
Comment by Chuck Pelto — 20070502 @ 2039
If only Al-Qaeda gave medals, the major who wrote this regulation would be in line for one.
Comment by Kevin R.C. 'Hognose' O'Brien — 20070502 @ 2103
For those of us civilians who want to make sure that the military gets the beans and bullets that it needs and that any government stupidities cost the minimum number of unnecessary casualties, milblogs are some of our best sources of information. You slow down and halt the publication of that information and you’ll end up with more stupid rules hamstringing the military, insufficient supplies, and the inevitable dead soldiers.
Logistics officers are starting to figure out that troops buying their own gear are a great first cut at the list of new equipment that should be added to the next round of purchases. Information officers should similarly be studying the milblogs. They obviously are not.
Comment by TMLutas — 20070502 @ 2119
Sgt. Mom,
Just saw your comment over at Black Five and realized I hadn’t visited for a while.
It will be interesting to see what the Marines do in response.
What I could see is bloggers in groups of 3 to 6 assigned to watch each other’s blogs for security violations. Self policing. Probably against regs.
Comment by M. Simon — 20070502 @ 2327
Power and Control?
No wonder I found my way here!!!
Comment by M. Simon — 20070503 @ 0002
Well, Rev. Sensing and Chuck kind of reinforce my point…I don’t think the PAO had anything to do with this, except by default. I’d have thought that communications professionals would have realized how valuable milblogs were, in doing the job of “getting out the word” into the larger public, and were quietly letting them alone to further that end.
And yes, Op-Sec is a very real concern, and so is the possibility that the enemy can pick up all sorts of interesting tidbits. One calculates the risks and benefits, of an enormous benefit against some risk… to me it would be more sensible to dissiminate a set of regs and practices as regards Army members’ blogs, and discipline those who transgress then. You know, one that gives guidance, as opposed to just flatly forbidding. But one would require some careful consideration, and the other is just immediatly the easier… which is the tendency of the Army anyway.
Comment by Sgt. Mom — 20070503 @ 0518
OPSEC is a worry but … the same troops who would give plans and intentions away on the internets would also give it away in a bar in Oceanside.
And so? Tell people not to do that (we already do) and punish them when they do. At least you can read a blog and tell when PFC Schmuck has given away movement orders. Can’t readily do the same in a bar.
For me it comes down to this: the side that has agility and smarts will win. Blogs communicate information and enable agility. This is a good thing and to be encouraged.
Or to put it in military cant: blogs are a force multiplier.
Comment by Brian Dunbar — 20070503 @ 0657
Opsec, Schmopsec. The brass is just worried that the troops will make them look bad in public.
Comment by Terry Hazen — 20070503 @ 1050
After reading some of the comments at Blackfive and Hugh Hewitt, I am tending more towards the suspician that it isn’t really Opsec concerns… otherwise there would have been a lot more of this, all the way along… No, I think it may be more political, and not so much the brass, but certain civilian politicans (Harry Reid, anyone?)whose message is being contradicted by the troops and their blogs.
I recollect a couple of stories during the Clinton/Monica Lewinsky scandal, when the ranks high and low were pointedly reminded that pouring scorn and derision upon the C-in-C for getting away with conducting himself in a manner that would cost them their commission (or non-commission)if they had been playing hide-the-salami in their office with a subordinate was not the done thing. At least, not at such venues as a dining-out.
Comment by Sgt. Mom — 20070503 @ 1225
Opsec, Schmopsec. The brass is just worried that the troops will make them look bad in public.
I know that - and I should have expanded. But it has been a concern in the past and may be used in the future.
I recollect a couple of stories during the Clinton/Monica Lewinsky scandal, when the ranks high and low were pointedly reminded that pouring scorn and derision
I had separated by then but I was still around for the stern reminders from above after Clinton was elected about using email for non-business reasons such as, well, mocking and derision for our new Commander in Chief. In particular some hapless NCO from 2nd Mar Div stepped out for a unit run and someone used his account for an email that was sent *@*@* .. essentially the entire Marine Corps.
“You have mail!” Hey someone get his battalion CO on the line and tell him the Commandant Is Not Pleased.
Comment by Brian Dunbar — 20070503 @ 1527
Michele Malkin says it’s in response to soldier’s dissing out Harry Reid’s “We’ve lost.” comments. I’m sure that those who lean left think it’s because of the soldiers who are complaining about the war.
Either way, it’s a bad idea. Without mil blogs telling the stories that the press won’t, the entire story is going to be told from either the media’s side or the enemy’s side.
Basically, we’re losing the information war. The Government doesn’t even seem to be fighting it. The press is mostly anti-war. The Jihadists are winning hearts and minds across the world.
I think this is much more significant than anyone has grasped yet. I believe when we look back on it 20 years from now, this event will stick out as a definitive turning point.
Comment by Timmer — 20070503 @ 1843
I had a look at the problem as one of media in a time of transition at http://yankeewombat.com/?p=482
I too have thought that the Army had to aware of the good milblogging was doing and decided on a hands off approach. Perhaps this clamp down is a specific reaction to leaks effecting the current offensive? Here is hoping they realize they have to balance the rewards against the risks.
Comment by yankeewombat — 20070504 @ 0814
*ahem*
I was a semi-regular in Oceanside, Colima’s all the way, but after seeing some of the boots hanging around that town, the only reliable source of information they could give you, would be which instructor they have is a total a**hole.
However, training mandates that you never give the location, number of forces, and condition, that is Commsec. If you want to argue with me about it…I still have my MOS manual.
Comment by Sgt/Cpl Blondie — 20070504 @ 0844
I was a semi-regular in Oceanside, Colima’s all the way,
It was merely an example. But yes, if you’re hanging out in Oceanside on liberty clearly you lack the money or experience to go elsewhere.
training mandates that you never give the location, number of forces, and condition, that is Commsec. If you want to argue with me about it…I still have my MOS manual.
I’m not arguing but .. you know the 10% rule. It only takes one guy mouthing off about X or Y to the right (wrong) ears.
Comment by Brian Dunbar — 20070504 @ 0927