To show your military support in an organized way on Twitter, make sure to use the #MilitaryMon hashtag. If you’re asking yourself what the heck a hashtag is, it’s a way to group and organize information in Twitter. By adding a # sign to the front of a word, you’re tagging that conversation with a search keyword. Then others can search on that specific hashtag to read all the related conversations. For example, if you search on #MilitaryMon in Twitter right now, you can all the conversations going on about that particular subject as long as the person used the hashtag #MilitaryMon in their entry.
#MilMonday which has now evolved into #MilitaryMon was the brainchild of my good friend Greta, who writes Kiss My Gumbo and Hooah Wife. She came up with the idea as a way to show organized support for the military on Twitter. She started the trend weeks ago and it has grown in popularity. She’s even teamed up with celebrities like Carson Daly. To help organize the Military Monday trend, the two of them agreed to start using #MilitaryMon as the official hashtag for Military Monday.
The purpose of using a universal hashtag like #MilitaryMon is so that everyone can remember it and when someone searches for conversations on Military Monday they can bring up all the results. So instead of having to type in milmonday or militarymonday or milmon separately, they can just type in #MilitaryMon to see what everyone is discussing.
It’s important the hashtag is easy to remember, relevant, and short.
Which reminds me of the milblog conference...No one could seem to remember what the official hashtag was: #mlbgcnf? #milblogconf? #mlbcnf09?". Heck trying to remember the hashtag, was the most my brain had to work since college.
It was real funny listening to people ask each other what the hashtag was. They would makeup stuff or just roll together words like, “pound-m-i-l-bllllooooooog--con-feerrreennncee-zeerrrrooooooniner-i-have-no-idea-what-I’m-talking-about”.
At one point, I swear I heard people finishing it off with pirate noises like, "Yaaarrr!" and "Blimey!"
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The number of folks in the military using Twitter, both home and abroad, is skyrocketing. In fact, many people are tweeting and blogging, and some are just tweeting because that’s the only access they have to share their story from the frontlines. Now, if you’re deployed to the frontlines or if you regularly share a story about the military – submit your Twitter microblog to Milblogging.com. This includes veterans, spouses, supporters, and more. We’re continuing to grow our military index of blogs, including military microblogs like Twitter.
While I’m on the subject, as part of Greta’s #milmonday campaign on Twitter, I’ll be helping to spread the word of Tweeters who submit their profile to milblogging.com, by writing about them from my Twitter account. You should do the same if you’re on Twitter. #milmonday goes on all day long, but just be careful if you’re tweeting about it from work or a government computer. Because I wouldn’t want you to get into trouble.
I mean, it’s all about supporting the military folks, but I wouldn’t want #milmonday turning into #firedmonday.
Just saying.
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In the case of military bloggers, several began blogs because they were unhappy with mainstream media coverage of the wars in Afghanistan, and particularly, Iraq.
Consequently military blogs often criticised mainstream media coverage (and they still do). But rather than merely sniping from the sidelines they have become media players in their own right. To cast their relationship with the rest of the media merely as oppositional does not do justice to the complex picture that is emerging.
Read the entire story here.
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Mr. Vyachorka is doing military service in a radar unit of the 8th Radar Brigade in Baranavichy, Brest region.
“Allegedly, I am disclosing service secrets and state secrets,” Mr. Vyachorka told BelaPAN. “I was barred from leaving the unit and ordered to do two days of fatigue duty because I wrote in my diary that people in our unit read independent newspapers. The chief of staff waved the newspaper Nasha Niva in front of me and said that he would never read it and would not advise anybody to do that.”
The 20-year-old youth said that he was set to defy the warning.
Read the entire story here. Then you can check out Franak Vyachorka’s Army blog here. Of course, I couldn’t understand a single word because the blog is written in Belarusian or Russian. But there is a really sweet picture of a Pegasus flying over the newpaper’s logo. I must’ve been on the website for 30 minutes just staring, before my wife snapped me out of it. Which got me to thinking...
Clearly, I need to update my logo. Maybe something more bold? Like a unicorn. You know? Sorta like a Pegasus, but way more awesome.
Readers will never leave Milblogging.com. Mwaaaahhhh!!!!!
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It is apparent from the flat-packed accommodation and the constant construction work and expansion of the place that it will be years, before the forces pull out of Afghanistan – and with 10,000 American troops arriving here this summer, it could be even longer. My media handler admitted things were becoming more "permanent".
Read the entire story here. According to the website, “Evening Leader reporter Laura Jones continues her diary from Afghanistan where she is spending time with the Welsh Guards and Royal Welsh.”
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(Orange County Register) “I am nervous and excited at the same time,” Gautier wrote in a blog post on his MySpace page. “This is a big step in my life. But I am ready to finally grow up.”
He titled the post: “Becoming an adult.”
Gautier, 22, was killed in Iraq last week when a suicide bomber detonated a truck loaded with explosives near a police station where he was. His body was returned to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Sunday, along with the bodies of four other U.S. soldiers killed in the blast.
Pvt. 2nd Class Gautier had detailed his Army experience in his blog posts. He wrote that he was a combat medic and had graduated from Airborne school in October. He wanted to become a nurse when he got out of the Army.
My prayers and condolences go out the family and friends of PV2 Bryce E. Gautier and all of American’s fallen and wounded.
The other fallen in last Friday’s suicide attack include:
Cpl. Jason G. Pautsch
Staff Sgt. Gary L. Woods Jr.
Staff Sgt. Bryan E. Hall
Sgt. Edward W. Forrest Jr.
Read the entire story here.
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"We know that our ability to share the Army story is shaped by how we tell it and where we tell it," Lt. Col. Kevin Arata, head of the Army's Online and Social Media Division told the News. "Using social media platforms allows us to tell our story where we know people are at and are listening."
Read the entire story here.
And speaking of Twitter, while watching American Idol earlier tonight (from the East Coast), I tweeted the live results (Danny Gokey voted off *sniffle*) and got a lot of angry people tweeting me back (and unfollowing me) from the West Coast. Listen, I hate to spoil it for you folks, but in case you didn’t know – wait for it, wait for it - Twitter is used for real-time communication. Am I right?
I think I’ve found my new calling on Twitter: TV show Spoiler.
Be warned: For those of you who like to keep Bravo TV’s Housewives a mystery until it airs in your timezone, you should unfollow me now.
Best. Show. Ever.
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Hat tip to my pal Noah.
Read the entire story here.
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Yesterday I wrote a story about Carson Daly taking credit for starting #MilitaryMonday. Since then, I’ve received several colorful emails and I realized many of those same people don’t regularly read my blog. Now, come on folks, if you’ve been one of my 5 loyal readers since 2004 (Hi Mom), you’d know this is the stuff that I always get a kick out of. I’ve never blogged about military policy, military strategy, and not even about current events. I cover military bloggers and occasionally I throw in a personal story. Even when I was deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq, I wrote about the mundane things in life, and how we [as Infantrymen] approached those “mundane” things...
Which leads me to my next comment about Carson Daly - Tweeple Magazine ran a story today as a follow up:
(Tweeple Magazine) Carson Daly lent his support and celebrity to help make #militarymonday a huge success!
I do however, want to start out by saying that #MilMonday was started a while back by Greta Perry (@KissMyGumbo). Thank you Greta!
The result from both were the same. We have put our military and their families in the forefront of our minds. By yesterday afternoon, #militarymonday was a trending topic and we would like to thank all who participated. Keep in mind, that every Monday is #MilMonday, #militarymonday.
On a side note, @carsonjdaly didn’t respond to any of my tweets, but he did respond to Greta, Soldiers Angels and other military supporters - which is all that matters.
In response to all the comments he received, Carson Daly tweeted:
@kissmygumbo and i will email you later (private) so we can strategize TOGETHER!! have a great one. best to all @soldiersangels too
@kissmygumbo great! talk soon. all the best!
Well done, Carson. As you can see, Carson's a gentleman and all about supporting the troops. Me? After a long day of being attacked by email, twitter and more for no good reason, I probably would’ve responded with some harsh words.
Or a picture of my butt...
Maybe even a “Your Momma” joke.
I'm hardcore like that.
Read the entire Tweeple Magazine story here.
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Tweeple Magazine ran a story today about former MTV VJ Carson Daly starting a viral campaign on Twitter called #militarymonday. Okay, those not in-the-know about the Military Twitter community, this campaign was actually started weeks ago by my good pal Greta over at HooahWife.com who goes by @kissmygumbo on Twitter. Now, I’m actually impressed that Carson supports this idea (and more importantly he supports the military), and I strongly believe more of Hollywood should follow his example, but he's not breaking new ground here, folks.
(Tweeple Magazine) Happy Monday everyone! @carsonjdaly is leveriging the power of social media to grow a viral campaign getting the word out, that starting today we he is going to thank the military and their families for all they do for us. He wants everyone else to join in the campaign as well.
Every Monday, please start your tweet with #militarymonday- and then tweet your thanks to our military. Be sure to add Pls.RT at the end.
Read the entire Tweeple Magazine story here.
As proof Carson didn’t come up with this super awesome idea, here’s an excerpt from an email I received from Greta (aka @kissmygumbo) dated April 17th:
JP,
Want to start a Military Monday on Twitter with #milmonday or #militarymon as a hashtag? At the very least we should encourage #military Your thoughts???
And here’s my response to her email (with a comment about the Milblog Conference that was taking place later that week):
i love that idea, sounds great.
..see you Friday. Will I be sober, not sure :)
Well folks, gotta run. It's late and I have to go over my 8-year old’s homework...Who invented the airplane? “The Wright Brothers?! Pfffttt! BS! Carson Daly did!".
UPDATE: And just because, one of my favorite Fedex Commercials that reminded me of this situation:
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The Army has embraced whole-heartedly the military blogging community. We are invited to official functions, able to participate in blogger round tables, and given tours of the Pentagon. We’ve met with the Secretary of the Army and general officers within the leadership chain. We’ve been embraced by people like General Caldwell and others, who have asked us to help share their messages to the troops and American citizens.
Read the rest here and keep updated on CJ’s story.
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He daily gets descriptions of war from a soldier's perspective, and videos of combat action, civilian hardships and, yes, the deaths of America's finest. The milblog for May 6 starts with "Anatomy of a Firefight." Trudeau has visited countless VA hospitals, spoken extensively with the wounded, and incorporated what he's learned into his characters and story lines.
Read the entire story here.
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"Milblogging.com - This website is not exactly a website where you can go and ask questions, but you can connect with other members of the military. Milblogging.com is a portal where thousands of military and military family members submit their blogs in an effort to come together and connect. You can find blogs about any subject on Milblogging.com. One thing that sets Milblogging.com a part from other blog directories is it's index of Twitter micro blogs. This allows you to follow other members of the military family and ask pertinent questions if you have one you can't find on a website. It also can help you build relationships outside of your immediate military community..."
Read about all the top 5 picks here.
On a sidenote, you know, considering I haven’t got my Mom a Mother’s Day gift yet, this should make her day. Let me preface that by saying I’m the baby of the family and I’ve always gotten away with a lot. I can pretty much call and hang up on her on Sunday, and as soon as she sees the Caller ID she’d think to herself, “Ahhh, how thoughtful. He called. He’s my favorite.”
Sorry, no offense to my siblings. I'm just saying...
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Charles Barton Mann, who lived in Derby, kept a diary chronicling 10 years of his life, during which he went from being a staunch pacifist to serving in the RAF.
In one entry, Mr Mann described how his troop ship came under heavy enemy fire and was damaged by a bomb en-route to India.
Read the entire story here.
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I received an email update from Liisa, who helps maintain her husband’s military blog. Her husband SMSgt Rex Temple spoke with WUSF Radio reporter Bobbie O’Brien. You can listen here.
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Read the entire story here. You can also check out the book online here.
Hat tip to my good friend Kathi for the heads up.
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(Stripes.com) U.S. troops are invading the blogosphere in increasing numbers to speak their minds about everything from the most mundane topics to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Web site www.milblogging.com links to blogs originating in 43 countries. The majority are created by Americans and 1,550 links come from the U.S. Iraq is a distant second with more than 400 military blogs, most of which were started by U.S. military members serving in Iraq.
Some military blogs feature photos and YouTube videos, including www.bouhammer.com, which has video of soldiers firing mortars and rockets in Afghanistan. Others have catchy titles like "Who’s Your Baghdaddy?
Read the entire story here.
I have to give a Hat tip to my good pal Troy of Bouhammer.com who sent along this story. As you can see after you read the article, they spell Troy’s last name wrong. It’s Steward, not Seward. I realize journalists have a lot of things to keep straight, but God knows writers shouldn’t be misspelling sources’ names? That’s why we have a staff of people who can fact check.
Quickly, Joseph, I need a quote for my upcoming story on Op Sec. You said what? “Dora the Explorer is the greatest?” Whaaa? What are you talkin’ about? Now go have your Mom change your diaper.
Pffft, three year olds...
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(WUSF) The president announced plans in early 2009 to expand US military presence in Afghanistan. In conjunction with that buildup, WUSF begins a year-long series following Senior Master Sgt. Rex Temple who just left on his fourth and final deployment to the Middle East.
I first learned about the deployment of U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Rex Temple through his blog: Afghanistan My Last Tour.
"My intention was to just keep in contact with my family and give them day by day play or every couple of days of the training I'm going through," Temple said...
Read the entire news story here.
And check out his blog online here.
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(A Soldier’s Perspective) If you missed the Milblog Conference this year (or every year) because funds were tight and a trip to D.C. just doesn't pass the "gotta have" test, I have an offer for you.
You Served is holding a sort of contest called "On Loan to You Served". The purpose of the program is to get new or well-known bloggers to write on You Served for a mere two weeks. That's just TWO WEEKS! You are free to write about what you normally write about during that time and even link back to your normal blog. They only ask that you post original material.
No further requirement is made of you. At the end of two weeks you can simply walk away and enjoy the limelight. In addition to enjoying the added exposure given to you by the normal readers of You Served, Troy and I will also bring you on our radio show to talk about and publicize your blog.
The program serves two main purposes: to drive traffic to You Served and to drive traffic to YOUR blog! At the end of the program, one lucky milblogger will be chosen at random to have their way paid to next year's milblog conference by You Served! That's it! You now have no excuses for missing another conference.
On a sidenote, This is a great idea for a contest and I highly recommend that if you’re a military blogger to join in. But for the record, I live in northern Virginia so it’d be a short trip for me, since future Milblog conferences will likely be held in the D.C. area.
I was looking forward to competing, so this was kind of a letdown considering my paid trip would involve 75 cents in gas.
It’s like winning the Mega Millions only to find out you got Punk’d by that no-talent Ashton Kutcher (sorry, Mom). I’m seriously guessing after each episode of Punk'd, they never showed us the footage we all really wanted to see: Ashton getting repeatedly punched in the face by the contestants.
Anyway, read the entire story here for rules and information on the You Served Military Blogger contest. I'm still trying to find out if they'll cover speeding tickets...
I'll get back to you.
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You can view the archive of live coverage posted by @subbob on Twitter by searching for #milblog at Twitter search page.
I recommend those interested in following more information about this visit the Military Blogging Conference site which contains a linked list of the 2009 Speakers on page right...
If you weren’t able to attend the Milblog Conference, you can read a lot more coverage by going to blogsearch.google.com and typing in “milblog”.
Read the entire story here.
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