AllMilitary.com

CBNNews.com - WASHINGTON — Due to the demands of war on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan, there is a risk that the United States won’t be able to react quickly, if another crisis should occur. A new report to Congress highlights this significant fact.

The assessment was prepared by Gen. Peter Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The new report reveals America’s military readiness reaction has gone down from a year ago, when that risk was rated as moderate.

Read more at CBN.com

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Terri talks about MilBlogging on A Soldier’s Mind.

Question: What are three things your readers probably do not know about you?

Oh gosh. I’m pretty open about myself and so most of the readers know a lot about me and my background. I don’t think there’s a whole lot that most of them don’t know and I don’t have a problem answering their questions if they want to know something about me.

Question: How long have you been blogging and why did you get into blogging?

I began blogging at A Soldier’s Mind at the end of January 2007. I had been a reader there for some time. I occasionally have made posts at A Soldier’s Perspective, but nothing on a regular basis there.

Question: What is your military experience?

I am not in the military myself and have never served in the military. I am the mother of a Texas National Guard Soldier, my brother was in the Army for 12 years, my Uncle retired from the Army as a Major and his wife as a Lt. Col. My ex husband just retired from the Army and my boyfriend is currently Active Duty Army and deployed to Iraq. I’ve participated in AdoptaPlatoon Soldier Support Program from 2000 to 2006 and have continued to actively support deployed troops through various means. I am also employed at Fort Hood, Texas as a Victim Advocate.

Question: What are some of your other favorite Milblogs?

A Soldier’s Perspective, Blackfive, Sgt. Hook, Tanker Brothers, Mudville Gazette. There’s just so many out there, but those are probably the one’s I read the most often.

Question: What has been the biggest factor in helping you create and publish a successful blog?

I can’t take the credit for that. My co-author Anthony Cavella, who is currently an Active Duty Army Soldier started the blog. When he invited other people to join as authors at A Soldier’s Mind, I offered my services and the rest is history.

Question: Do you have anything else you would like us to mention about you, your blog, or your readers?

The one thing that I’d like to mention about A Soldier’s Mind is that we’re constantly evolving and coming up with new ideas. Our main goal at A Soldier’s Mind is to provide our readers with accurate information about what is currently going on in Iraq and Afghanistan, because the main stream media fails to report these things, but instead focuses on the negative aspects of the Global War On Terror. We’ve taken it upon ourselves to get these positive things OUT to the public. Other things we feature, is a section called Warrior Spotlight, which features military members who’ve distinguished themselves from their peers and have been recognized for this. Another feature we’ve just started is Hear Our Heroes, where we interview current military members on their view of current situations around the world. Our last topic that we feel distinguishes us from some of the other blogs is a section called Tunes For The Troops, where we feature different singers and songwriters who have written and performed songs in support of the troops. Many of these artists are relatively unknown artists, so not only are we allowing the troops to hear this awesome music, but we’re also getting these artists some recognition, as well.

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GunnNutt talks about MilBlogging on Semper Gratus.

Question: What are three things your readers probably do not know about you?

1. I hate to write.

2. I have a hard time responding to requests like this.

3. Why’d you pick me?

Question: How long have you been blogging and why did you get into blogging?

I started with the Blogger.com site (gunnnutt.blogspot.com) in June 05 after reading FrankJ (imao.com) for quite a while. I just KNEW I was waaay funnier than him, then I started to blog and found out how oh-so-wrong I was. Damn you, FrankJ!!!!

Question: What is your military experience?

You mean, besides having a brother that got out of the Marine reserves about 30 years ago, and having a gerberhead for a step-nephew? Absolutely nothing! I just think we have the best, the brightest, and the most badass military the world will ever see and I owe more to all the men and women in uniform than could ever be repaid.

I genuinely covet the time I can spend with our awesome wounded warriors at Walter Reed, and more infrequently at Bethesda Naval. I don’t blog about that, though, so I guess it doesn’t count. Ah well…

Question: What are some of your other favorite Milblogs?

One Marine’s View, the SandGram, Soldier’s Angels Germany (MaryAnn), A Soldier’s Perspective, Tanker Brothers both of whom are deployed at this time, and Truth, Life, and Political Honesty (though Mark’s now moved on to The Conservative Manifesto). Oh, and Trevor of the Will to Exist.

Question: What has been the biggest factor in helping you create and publish a successful blog?

When it becomes a success, I’ll let you know (hahahahahaha!) *sniff*
OK, I don’t really know… some people email their posts to everyone in the known world, others, like me, just kinda sit there. For some reason, a few people keep coming around and I’m very, very grateful to have them. I’ve made some really good friends from blogging.

Question: Do you have anything else you would like us to mention about you, your blog, or your readers?

Keep reading milblogs everybody! Like Major Pain says “There’s no such thing as a fair fight and its OK to go big and ugly early!”

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WASHINGTON — Rushed by President Bush’s decision to reinforce Baghdad with thousands more U.S. troops, two Army combat brigades are skipping their usual session at the Army’s premier training range in California and instead are making final preparations at their home bases.

Some in Congress and others outside the Army are beginning to question the switch, which is not widely known. They wonder whether it means the Army is cutting corners in preparing soldiers for combat, since they are forgoing training in a desert setting that was designed specially to prepare them for the challenges of Iraq.

Army officials say the two brigades will be as ready as any others that deploy to Iraq, even though they will not have the benefit of training in counterinsurgency tactics at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif., which has been outfitted to simulate conditions in Iraq for units that are heading there on yearlong tours.

Read more at Newsvine.com

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Jack Army talks about his MilBlog JACK ARMY.

Question: What are three things your readers probably do not know about you?

That’s a tough one since I’ve blogged about so much, from education, to military experiences and training, to opinions on things such as religion, childrearing, politics, etc… I’m not sure that I’ve mentioned that I would love to be a writer. I’d love to make a living from it. Not sure that I have the skill or discipline, though. People don’t know that my middle name is a family name: Truett. It’s my father’s middle name as well as my great-grandfather’s. Pa-paw (my great-granddad) got his middle name from his mother’s maiden name if I remember correctly. That name dies out with me as I don’t have a male heir to pass it on to. People also don’t know that I have many little collections that are pretty pitiful. As a kid, I marveled at the various collections I saw and wanted one for myself: my grandmother’s spoon collection was the main inspiration. I tried collecting patches, marbles, coins, stamps, and many other things. All were miserable failures as collections and mostly served to frustrate me. It wasn’t until years later that I realized that the key to building a nice collection of anything was patience, something I had almost none of as a child.

Question: How long have you been blogging and why did you get into blogging?

I started my blog in February 2005. The first blog I ever saw was Wizbang! (http://wizbangblog.com//) and their post with the video of the Tsunami in December 05. I started reading other posts, clicking the links in their blogroll and discovered the wondrous world of the blogosphere. It was a magical time. So, after a few weeks of reading blogs, I felt like it was something I could do: it was writing, which I enjoy, but it was short blurbs instead of pages and pages of work. I had a lot of free time on my hands at that time so I decided to join the club and started JACK ARMY. I love blogging and reading blogs.

Question: What is your military experience?

I’ve been in the Army 18.5 years. I entered as a mechanized infantryman and my first assignment was in Germany. Good times. But I wanted more of a challenge so I tried out for Special Forces and was accepted. I spent a few years there before being assigned to recruiting duty. Now, I’m back in the infantry world and in Iraq. I’ve been to Airborne and Jumpmaster schools, SERE school, ANCOC as well as couple of the recruiting courses. I was taught to speak Polish while in SF and earned the parachutist’s badge from Poland and Germany. I’ve been to about 9 different countries and 20 or so states in the US either assigned there or for temporary duty.

Question: What are some of your other favorite Milblogs?

I enjoy several other Milblogs and check many regularly when I’m able. The one’s I always look at even if I only have a few minutes are Andi’s World (http://andisworld.typepad.com/welcome_to_andis_world/), Badger 6 (http://badgersforward.blogspot.com/), Countercolumn (http://iraqnow.blogspot.com/), Adventures of a Detailed Recruiter (http://detailedrecruiter.blogspot.com/), and Recruiting Tirade (http://recruitingtirade.blogspot.com/). Like I said, I check out many more, but those are a few of my regular reads.

Question:

What has been the biggest factor in helping you create and publish a successful blog? I’m not sure I would characterize my blog as “successful”. I don’t have a huge readership but I know there are a loyal few that check JACK ARMY often. Some are family (hi Katy!) and some are friends (hi Ernie!) but some are just folks that stumbled upon my blog and enjoy what I have to say. While I do blog about the military, and the Army in particular, a lot on my blog, I talk about a lot of other topics as well. I think one of the things that people like about my writing is that it is easy to read. I almost write like I talk and I’m able to make it flow easily. Of course, a generous portion of sarcasm gives it a bit of a sour twang, but the humbleness and truthfulness help take the edge off that bitterness.

Question: Do you have anything else you would like us to mention about you, your blog, or your readers?

Sure. I love blogging. If I could do it for a living I would. I love the Army, and luckily I’ve gotten to do that for a living for my entire adult life. I know the Army isn’t perfect, but it’s full of people that believe in the greatness of America and are willing to fight and die for the principles and ideals that make it a great place to live, work, play and raise a family. I have done so many things, gone many places and met many, many people that I would never have had the opportunity to do if it hadn’t been for the Army. Finally, thanks for this opportunity to share a little bit about myself and my blog. I don’t believe that I’m a great blogger, but I enjoy it and I’m thrilled that there are folks that find at least a little of what I have to say interesting enough to read and sometimes discuss.

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Captain Lee Kelley talks about his MilBlog Wordsmith at War.

Question: What are things your readers probably do not know about you?

I’ve been playing the drums for 10 years. I have two dogs and two cats. And I have always wanted to learn paragliding.

Question: How long have you been blogging and why did you get into blogging?

I’ve been blogging since around January 2005, when my deployment began. Like most, I began the blog as a way to communicate with folks back home who I knew would read it. But it quickly became much more than that, and with all the reader response, media coverage, and support, I was inspired to write that much better, and that much more.

Question: What is your military experience?

Started off as a 20 year old kid on active duty in 1992. 82nd Airborne Division. Did my three years and got out. Four years later I re-enlisted and went back on Active duty at Fort Campbell, KY, 101st Airborne Division. Within a year, I got out on an ROTC scholarship and moved to Montana to study military science, but majored in creative writing. I’ve been a Signal Officer in the Utah Army National Guard since 2002. In late 2004, I was asked to join a sister Battalion and deploy with them as their Signal Officer. I agreed.

Question: What are some of your other favorite Milblogs?

I must admit that I don’t have much time for reading other milblogs lately. But I always enjoy Blackfive, The Mudville Gazette, and The Will to Exist.

Question: Do you have anything else you would like us to mention about you, your blog, or your readers?

I would just like to thank everyone for reading, and for their incredible support. And I also want to thank my fellow milbloggers, and their families, for both their service and sacrifice.

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The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has awarded a construction contract for more than $10 million to expand National Cemetery on Arsenal Island.

VA awarded the $10.1 million contract to Veteran/Pacific Joint Venture, a minority-owned small business based in Chicago.

“With this expansion, VA is continuing to keep our commitment to the men and women who have served our nation by providing a shrine-like final resting place for them and their families for many years,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson.

Read more at QConline.com

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WASHINGTON — Allen Curry served a year in Iraq before being medically discharged for a bulging disc, nerve damage and mental problems that left him unable to work. But nearly two years after he applied for disability benefits, he’s still waiting for an answer from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

A former Chicago postal worker, Curry was a driver and staff sergeant who saw plenty of action in 2003-04: His convoy was ambushed more than once, and he was involved in a number of firefights.

But Curry, 47, hasn’t seen a paycheck in 14 months, and he’s beginning to wonder about his country’s commitment to veterans.

Read more at www.stltoday.com.

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Doug talks about Afghanistan Without a Clue.

Question: What are three things your readers probably do not know about you?

1. I played on an 8th Division German soccer team, SV Spesbach. It sounds really impressive, but it was just my village’s team. I did have a blast though.
2. I hate vegetables.
3. Once I retire, I will never work in a cubicle again.

Question: How long have you been blogging and why did you get into blogging?

A friend actually suggested it. He sent me a copy of the book “Killing Time.” I was inspired to try blogging myself. I started in August of 2007, and have pretty much written a post every day since.

Question: What is your military experience?

I have served 18 years in the Air Force as first a Logistics Plans and then as a Logistics Readiness Officer.

Question: What are some of your other favorite Milblogs?

Mudville Gazette and Milblogging.com. I like to use them to check out other blogs.

Question: What has been the biggest factor in helping you create and publish a successful blog?

Whether or not it’s successful or not, I can’t say. For $49 a year, anyone can have a blog, at least through my provider.

However, I have enjoyed writing and sharing my experiences. Being in Afghanistan has been like going to another planet. The stories write themselves; I just have to live my life. I think that is the appeal of my blog to those who read it. I’m just an average guy in an extraordinary situation with fascinating characters. It could be the next M*A*S*H.

Question: Do you have anything else you would like us to mention about you, your blog, or your readers?

I am incredibly thankful for every reader I have. They are the reason I write. Hopefully I can do a small part to increase understanding, validate our reasons for being here, and maintain progress towards building a stable and peaceful Afghanistan.

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Pam talks about her milblog Iraq War Today

Question: What are three things your readers probably do not know about you?

Hmmmm ….

1. I was a music major in college initially (voice)
2. Tomb Raider is the only video (computer) game I’ve ever beaten. I’m a serious Tomb Raider junkie
3. I was actually painfully shy and self-conscious as a kid.

Question: How long have you been blogging and why did you get into blogging?

Two years this past January. I got into blogging after Patti Patton-Bader, the founder of Soldiers’ Angels, asked me to take over the blog. I’d been sending things I thought would be good for the blog, and she asked me to start helping, and then to take over. So everyone can blame her. : )

Question: What is your military experience?

None whatsoever, unless you count Civil War re-enacting.

My family has plenty - my relatives were in lots of American wars, starting with the Revolutionary. The most recent was my father-in-law, who served three tours in Vietnam with the US Army Special Forces. But I remember feeling strongly about Vietnam from when I was little, and feeling that we’d horribly wronged our vets. It’s a feeling that has always remained with me, and I always swore that if another war came, I would never let what happened to our troops then happen again, at least in my little corner of the world.

Question: What are some of your other favorite Milblogs?

BlackFive, Mudville Gazette, ROFASix, Thunder Run, Echo9er, JackArmy, Michael Yon, many of the Soldiers’ Angels blogs.

Question: What has been the biggest factor in helping you create and publish a successful blog?

An Irish temper, and the fact that I’m a smarta**. Just kidding. Honestly, I think it’s been hanging on to the reason I keep doing it - the blog is an extension of my support for our Heroes. In addition to writing letters and sending packages, I look at the blog as another way to support them. Having great role models - watching what some of the other bloggers do helped too. And I have a very supportive husband, who is extremely tolerant of several hours of blogging a day.

Question: Do you have anything else you would like us to mention about you, your blog, or your readers?

My readers are great. Too quiet, though - they need to comment more! Seeing what they have to say helps me to know what they like, and don’t like. One other thing to mention is I’m tickled pink to be nominated for a Milbloggie this year in the U.S. Civilian category! Very exciting. Voting closes Feb 26th, and there are a lot of great blogs nominated …

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