Milblogs Go Silent

This post will remain on top until Saturday, Dec. 19. Scroll for newer posts.

The Army has been doing a lot stupid crap and this is just the latest. This Ain’t Hell has had to deal with some stupid shit from the Army lately that we’re not ready to talk about yet. So as a show of solidarity with CJ and a few other blogger friends who have been persecuted by the Army lately, we’re going silent today.

If you’ve got a few loose bucks throw it in CJ’s direction for his legal defense.

The following was written by Mr. Wolf of Blackfive and expresses the sentiments of this blog.

On Wednesday 16 December 2009, many milblogs — including This Ain’t Hell, From My Position, Blackfive, Miss Ladybug, Boston Maggie, Grim’s Hall, and those participating in the Wednesday Hero program — are going silent for the day. Some are choosing to go silent for a longer period of time.

The reason for this is two-fold. First, milblogs are facing an increasingly hostile environment from within the military. While senior leadership has embraced blogging and social media, many field grade officers and senior NCOs do not embrace the concept. From general apathy in not wanting to deal with the issue to outright hositility to it, many commands are not only failing to support such activities, but are aggressively acting against active duty milbloggers, milspouses, and others. The number of such incidents appears to be growing, with milbloggers receiving reprimands, verbal and written, not only for their activities but those of spouses and supporters.

The catalyst has been the treatment of milblogger C.J. Grisham of A Soldier’s Perspective . C.J. has earned accolades and respect, from the White House on down for his honest, and sometimes blunt, discussion of issues — particularly PTSD. In the last few months, C.J. has seen an issue with a local school taken to his command who failed to back him, and has even seen his effort to deal with PTSD, and lead his men in same by example, used against him as a part of this. Ultimately, C.J. has had to sell his blog to help raise funds for his defense in this matter.

An excellent story on the situation with C.J. can be found at Military Times. While there have been new developments, the core problem remains, and C.J. is having to raise funds to cover legal expenses to protect both his good name and his career.

One need only look at the number of blogs by active duty military in combat zones and compare it to just a few years ago to see the chilling effect that is taking place.

Milblogs have been a vital link in getting accurate news and information about the military, and military operations, to the public. They have provided vital context and analysis on issues critical to operations and to the informed electorate critical to the Republic.

On Wednesday 16 December, readers will have the chance to imagine a world without milblogs, and to do something about it. Those participating are urging their readers to contact their elected representatives in Congress, and to let their opinions be known to them and to other leaders in Washington.

Some milblogs will remain silent for several days; some just for the day. All have agreed to keep the post about the silence and C.J. at the top of their blogs until Friday 18 December.
The issues go beyond C.J., and deserve careful consideration and discussion. We hope that you will cover this event, and explore the issues that lie at the heart of the matter. Contact the milbloggers in your area or that you know, and hear the story that lies within.

A Partial List of Participating Blogs:
Argghhh!
Boston Maggie
Blackfive
Miss Ladybug
Drunken Wisdom
Grim’s Hall
Frommyposition
CDR Salamander
Bouhammer
You Served
Delta Bravo Sierra
PVT Murphy
Another Voice Laughing Wolf
The Burnpit
Homefront Six
Yankee Mom
Another Voice
Concrete Bob at United Conservatives for Virginia
Knee Deep in the Hooah!
Assoluta Tranquillita
Wake up America
Miss Beth’s Victory Dance
Soldier’s Angels NY
Pepple Drops
Tankerbabe
Support your Local Gunfighter
Knottie’s Niche
Hugh Hewitt
War On Terror News
The Sniper
Great Reader JihadGene
America’s North Shore Journal
The Mudville Gazette
The Dawn Patrol
Gazing at the Flag
Righty in a Lefty State
The Foxhole
From my position
Chromed Curses
America’s North Shore Journal
Righty in a Lefty State
Thunder Run
Bring the heat, bring the stupid
Little Drops….. Into the pool of life.
The Gun Line
Thirdwavedave
In Iraq Now (at 56)
Milblogging.com
Susan Katz Keating
Kitchen Dispatch
Army Times
Air Force Times
Marine Times
Navy Times
Military Times
In the Crosshairs
OPFOR
No Runny Eggs
Texas Fred
The Army of Dude
The Canadians join us at What the F*&#!?!?

Email me your blog’s address and I’ll add you to the list.

Special thanks to DrewM at Ace of Spades, Confederate Yankee, Free Republic, The Pirates’ Cove, JammieWearingFool, Flopping Aces, Around the Sphere, The Jawa Report and Michelle Malkin for the links and/or publicity.

Category: Bloggers