Military Blogging in Iraq

The Currents section of today’s San Diego Union Tribune included two articles about bloggers in the military. The feature article, The Front Line Online describes how more and more US soldiers in Iraq are beginning to use blogs to tell their stories and reflect their thoughts.

“It’s probably not the most average of blogging experiences to be uploading a page update with the sound of rockets or mortars in the background and cargo planes flying into the airport,” says Masry, who was part of a Civil Affairs unit doing reconstruction in Iraq.

The following section I found most interesting:

The extent to which they can reveal what’s happening in Iraq is something that’s always on military bloggers’ minds. They have to adhere to “opsec” – operational security – although there are not yet any regulations that apply specifically to blogs.

“I’ve been running all of the pictures that go on my photo page through the base public-affairs officer for clearance,” says Dustman.

Still, the military doesn’t always see eye to eye with bloggers. In February, a site called Just Another Soldier was shut down at the request (says the blogger) of the company commander.

“This blog is now offline,” wrote the blogger, a National Guardsman. “I have been informed that I have violated operational security and additionally that I am smearing my unit and the Army. I, of course, strenuously disagree.”

A list of soldier blogs and other blogs relating to Iraq can be found at Iraq Blog Count.

This article got me thinking: with so many Marines based here in San Diego, there must be some local military bloggers. Any leads?

Popularity: 2% [?]