I was in the Staff Office early that morning, as I was Duty Officer. I hadn’t been in the door but a few minutes when the phone rang. The voice was all too familiar, barking orders as soon as I said my name into the phone. Capt Wes Jordan, Chief of Staff at COMNAVSURFLANT began ordering me to pull all the MEFEX (Middle East Force Exercise) training records from the previous summer.
He told me the news of the STARK being attacked, in his to the point manner, and told me to get the files down to his office right away. This order, while not from my current Commodore, was easily interpreted as one of priority.

Capt Jordan, no longer the DESRON 32 Commodore, retained a tremendous amount of info on just about everything, including the record keeping he had required when we had sailed on our work up exercises for a Med deployment. The USS STARK (FFG-31) had tagged along with the battle group to get her training in, as there wasn’t a dedicated fleet exercise for those few ships then deploying to the Middle East force AOR. That being the case, we had her daily exercise completion reports filed along with those of the rest of the ships on the FLTEX.

I opened one of the classified safes and began retrieving the thick folders of exercise messages. As I Was involved in this process, the Commodore, Capt Joe Lopez, and the Chief Staff Officer, CDR Dewey Collier arrived. I recall turning around from the tall stand up safe and telling them about the phone call. Capt Lopez’s expression was one that indicated he wasn’t too happy with the chain of command being jumped over (about three steps to be exact) and then he told me to get the files and get them down to SURFLANT.

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In the “junior blog” a few days ago, I posted a proposal for pulling together lessons learned to be passed on to those who are getting ready to enter “the real world,” particularly those headed for entry into the service. I think it’s time to get to work.

If you’re not following this well, check the post on the archives to see if that helps fill in the understanding gaps.

I have set up a rough cut blog for the purpose of posting articles or links to widom gathers from the “Old (fill in your name or nickname for your branch of service here)” and to collect them in a sinlge places for others to come along and peruse them.

http://operationforwardpass.com is the place I decided to launch from, and then it may grow to it’s own domain from there. It will take a few hours for the domain name to go through, and then I’ll connect the dots and make it viable for use. The first cut will be cave-man basic, but functional.

If you have stories, emails, letters, etc, etc, etc, that helped you survive your “re-education process, please submit it to me, either by a link, or as the text you’d like shared.

I’m going to work off the premise the general topic areas will fall into a few main areas:

• Boot Camp
• Officer Indoctrination
• Officer Commissioning (Academies, ROTC, OCS)

I’m looking forward to reading the collected wisdom and enthused that the ‘net gives us a vehicle to keep it from being lost for all time. If you can recall the purveyor of the wisdom, please pass that along and I’ll make sure it’s highlighted to honor that person’s contribution to the military members who followed them.

Questions? Email, or post comments here….

From the great poster and former blogger, Fjordman, a regular commenter on Litte Green Footballs in the comments for this article “Muslim Groups will march with Illegals”:

I am always working on several posts at the same time, now including one called “Another American Century or Another American Civil War?” You Americans need to understand just how much is at stake here. We are in the early stages of a world war with Islam, Muslims are working to get nuclear weapons and are openly calling for the physical destruction of the West. Your enemies are watching the way you are handling the illegal situation, and they are not impressed. Do you think the North Koreans or the Iranians are scared of a country that allows itself to be intimidated and held hostage by a bunch of Mexicans who shouldn’t even be in the country in the first place? When you’re a supwerpower, the line of separation between domestic and foreign policy hardly exists. During the Cold War, the Soviet Union was impressed by the way Ronald Reagan handled the blackmail by the air trafic controllers. He simply fired them. This signalled to your enemies abroad that you were not going to give into black mail anywhere.

What is at stake here is your credibility as a superpower. In the longer run, it could be your physical security from nuclear attacks, perhaps even your very survival as a coherent nation state.

DO NOT give in to Mexican intimidation. Build the fence, and deport the illegals. Yes, ALL of them. No amnesty.

We are facing decades of what could potentially become the deadliest war in human history, where the very survival of Western civilization and perhaps human civilization in general hangs in the balance. We cannot win this without you. You are the indispensible nation, and if you break down, the rest of the planet is basically screwed.

Fjordman also has some thought provoking info at the Gates of Vienna blog. He has been reporting on the spreading problems Eurabia is seeing from the massive immigration without assimilation. Here is one of his recent posts: “New Oslo Peace Process”.

He may be our Paul Revere for this time in history. Are we willing to consider his analysis?

Update 4/29/2006: Daily there is more international news, not reported by the MSM with any detail, on what lies ahead. I submit our “tolerance” of the “religion of peace” is doing nothing more than bringing on a world conflict, which, but all written history, begun as the followers of Mohammed spread their religion/politics across the middle east, into the Indian subcontinent, and then to Europe within about the time frame of one century. The fighting that has taken the lines of battle back and forth since then is what we are still engaged in. With the addition of nuclear weaponry, modern telecommunications and international travel by air, the battle lines are no longer measurabel on a map. Fjordman has it half right in his coming article, but I am rapidly coming to tne belief that the coming American Civil War (stay tuned for the Battle of the Illegal Immigrants on May 1, 2006) is merely a cover stroy for the coming global war on all things not Islamic. See this story on “Judgement Day”, not brought to you by President Bush and his cabal of right wing Biblical friends, but another president that is quickly having his name become a household word…it’s not going to be pretty and the size of our amred forces will not be large enough to take it on as we are now. The draft will be for more than just the sons of Republicans, but for all those who do not desire to live in slavery to the thoughts of a 7th century epileptic.

Part I

Editorial note: I thought I was in it Saturday during the conference, but I found it Monday driving home….

The comments from the conference are mulitplying (go figure!) and posted at Andi’s World. Great reads all, but the best one is this one from Steve Schippert from Threats Watch just goes to show you how a simple effort can help someone else.

I added Black Five’s discussion at the top of the entries, for I think it’s worth keeping in our thoughts as we blog: What is the “max range” of your blog?

I’ve had a little time to think over the MilBlogging Conference adventure. Here is some detail to go with a “take away” point:

From Part I:

Top levels “take away” points:

1) “Stay in your lane” is good guidance. Blog on what you know. With a rule like that, you should be bulletproof if a question is posed about how factual your commentary is.

In regards to that direction, have you noticed how hard it is to tell the person who just told you their story that they are wrong? If they told you another person’s story, it can be picked apart. When it’s yours to tell, just what will they say? Nada…or they’ll just whip out the ad hominum stuff and tell you how stupid you are. So…stick with what you know for sure.

The focus of 2/3rds of the Conference day was essentially discussions centered on blogging issues dealing with current world ops in the GWoT. Certainly, that provides an essential foundation for future MilBlogging, for the comments on “think carefully about who is reading this blog” is a fitting framework for all other blogging for the community (not a bad idea for everyone else, too…what if kids on MySpace posted based on what their parent’s reaction would be…but I digress).

I see several subdivisions of MilBlogs and by wrtiing this, I think it will help frame what people are doing, as well as maybe someone reading this will realize they may have a part to play as well.

1) MilBlogs that are fundimentally daily diaries. Smash and CJ got their starts there, and so much of the active duty blogs today are in this “model.” At the conference, CJ admitted this was his venting method during his time in theater, and Smash initially did it to get the word back home to his family (he has since matured, or “evolved” to being our BlogDaddy, so I’m looking for a present at Christmas this year). Begun as coping mechanisms, they are, in fact, history being recorded from a first person’s view, with out the Monday Morning Quarterbacking. One other blog like this of note is no longer active, the 365 and a Wakeup blog of Capt Danjel Bout, CA National Guard, but is one of the finest pieces of writing I have found.

2) MilBlogs that are designed as support networks, out in the open bulletin boards. The panel discussion on this topic was amazing. The power of the Internet, combined with some family members wanting information, turned these early seekers into mentors for spouses and parents all over the country. Carla, of Some Soldier’s Mom and Deb of Marine Corps Moms are two like this. Included in this area would be blogs such as Soldier’s Angels.

3) MilBlogs written by non-active duty people with significant “discrete knowledge” and usually are analysis/commentary on geo-political/military matters. Not constrained by DoD rules, and also “out of the loop” of current tactical/startegic info, these blogs stand to be a powerful part of the “Army of Davids” that Col Austin Bay referenced several times during his conference remarks. The insight provided by these blogs can help either the MSM or just plain old citizens understand the issues in military operations more consisely. Threats Watch is one of these, and the work of Bill Roggio at The Fourth Rail is another of note. I would also put Eagle Speak here, for he runs a great blog on stuff that tends to the leagl side of maritime affairs, with piracy being a major topic these days.

4) Personal historical MilBlogs. Cheaper and easier than publishing a book, and you don’t need an editor to tell you to do parts over…lots of veterans fit here, such as much of my current work. I have also found it quite rewarding to document storeis of many of the older vets I find.

5) Organizational blogs designed particularly to support the troops. There are many, but at the moment I’m thinking it’s pretty late and I can continue this discussion later.

As far as the blogs mentioned above, I linked them for some quick examples, but I know there are many more that fall into the same groupings. My blogroll has plenty of them to pick from.

That’s about enough for the moment. Again, as I got taught: to tell them what you’re going to tell them, tell them, then tell them what you told them. Here’s the wrap up: By categorizing the main discussions of MilBlogs, I think it will help each blogger frame where “their lane” may be, and therefore keep the work applicable and effective in the greater discussions of our society. I also think the rest of the world will better know where to go to read, and some of them will realize they are an intergral part of the MilBlog community, they just haven’t taken the time to get going yet. Later, it will help subdivide our networking for any efforts we undertake.

Comments welcome.

Part II

I can’t help but feel something pretty powerful happened yesterday, and, with luck, years from now, about 150 of us can say “back at the first conference, we wore jeans and T-Shirts…none of this fancy black tie stuff was allowed!”

While the air of informality reigned, it was the meeting and greeting and putting faces to text, followed by exciting conversation and thought provoking panel discussions.

Top levels “take away” points:

1) “Stay in your lane” is good guidance. Blog on what you know. With a rule like that, you should be bulletproof if a question is posed about how factual your commentary is.

2) Don’t underestimate the “max effective range” of your comments. The well placed furor over Fran’s Steakhouse lease began when FbL’s not very big readership blog made those fateful remarks, that, within days, became national level news in the MSM! Other stories were told that indicated similar results, in the most unexpected manner.

3) Your stories relating to military life and issues can be a powerful factor in closing the gap between the military/ex-military and the non-serving public. Share them wisely.

4) A lady who does marketing for a living indicated the rise of the blogosphere pretty much coincides with the declining readership of the dead tree media. One more powerful point: They don’t augment their understanding of events with blogs, they turn to the blogs for info. Take a moment to soak that one in.

5) She also said psychology studies show when a message of fear is delivered via TV, the viewer connects “better” with the message, which also makes the viewer more attentive to the commercials. That means the fear produces better results for the advertisers, which means the show/network can make more dollars this way. It pays to make us fearful….

6) Chuck Z says he’s upset that the MSM doesn’t tell the bad. Interesting point that makes you go “HUH?” until you hear the rest. He told of an insurgent who gunned down his own nephew so he could get a shot at two of Chuck’s sergeants. That was never in the news. Other examples followed that one.

7) Also from Chuck Z, he says it’s a great feeling to walk into a wounded service person’s room and bring them a laptop that makes a significant change in their life. Valour-IT – it’s making a difference in a big way.

8) Given the changing sources of sought out information coming from blogs, we bloggers have become “accidental journalists.” I’d say not only is that interesting, it also should give us some reason to not repeat those mistakes we complain about the MSM making, lest we fall victim to them ourselves as time passes and this form of info sharing becomes part of the MSM of the future.

9) Our efforts provide “individuals with discrete knowledge.” Back to take away lesson 1: Use it wisely, particularly by staying in your area of expertise. Resist the urge to pretend you know more than you do.

More to come. I’m still enroute home and visiting.

Some earlier info…

The first session is over and the discussion was centered on the purpose and (implied) the responsibility of MilBloggers. I’m sure the main site is going to cover this well.

The side discussions have been interesting. After thinking Neptunus Lex was this completely amazing writer of the “Rythyms” blogvel, I now know he has had assistance from a ghost….well, it’s still good anyhow, and I understand how the ghost writing made the detail of another area fit the overall “look and feel” of reality the Lex so masterfully weaves into the online story.

More later, but this is “from my perspective,” something that was highlighted as to what we can do best in the MilBlogging universe.

Part I

Lesson learned: When you are having the first conference and the population is largely those who don’t post their pictures, tell everyone to bring one of those spring steel crickets, like they used with the airborne troops on D-Day.

Got there at 8PM, the bar was packed and no one was discernably standing at the entrance, with a box of “Hello, My Name Is” stickers. I got a drink and stood back doing the visual sweep. I did notice a couple in one of the side halls, the women looking ever so slightly familiar. Another guy wandered in and leaned against the door frame, looking around. I told him he’d have to push up to the bar to get help. He said “I’m supposed to be meeting a group of people here at 8:30, but we don’t know what each other look like.” DING, DING, DING! It was DadManly. Hand shake, a chuckle, and then I approached the couple. It was Smash and spouse. Buzz Patterson zipped thru, and then we began to form up quickly. Andi had a stack of blank white name tags and the obligatory fat black pen, and those of us who had filled one table made ours. I then slef-appointed and figured the best way to meet everyone was to be the name tag person. Lots and lots of people showed up. Lots of good conversations, and nice to put faces and real names to the reading….

The discussions were from ackward, like “ummm…I haven’t read your blog…” to discussions on the status of books, self funded trips to the ‘Stan, and “I’m glad to see you here.”

It’s late. Chap: Too bad you’re on TAD, because there are a few people here you’d really enjoy.

More later (no promise as to when)!

I’m checked in after a long drive and three family visits enroute, and will be heading to Fran’s Restaurant tonight for the pre-MilBlogging Conference join up, but more importantly, to shake a few hands and say a few words of thanks to our service personnel, while trying not to interupt their free steak dinner.

LCDR and Mrs Smash will be here, and I think one other tagged with being a navy type in the list of attendees. I’m looking forward to getting to know some of the people I have read much of over the last two years.

I was hoping Capt Lex would make an excuse to make a cross country, but….he’s busy, I guess, becoming an systems engineer….

If you’re not already briefed in on the furor over Fran’s lease not being renewed, go here, read and chase the links. Hilton boned this one up (even the MSM is writing negative things!). Fran is also looking to set up a fund to keep the dinners for the wounded personnel from Walter Reed going. If you have a few spare $$$, that may be a good place to drop them.

More later!

Dear sirs:

A caller to a radio talk show today reminded me of a man from history that should be your role model. The problem is, you all have now gotten out, and can’t pull this off. Sucks to miss the opportunity to rush through a salinet and tear up the rear of the enemy, does it?

Sorry, I digress, so to my point, three words: GENERAL Billy Mitchell.

I received a comment on my A Journey into History – Part IX that discussed my participation in Operation El Dorado Canyon 20 years ago.

The author of an upcoming book about the mining of the USS SAMUEL B ROBERTS (FFG-58), Bradley Peniston, left me a note indicating that 18 years ago today, the retaliation for the attack on the ROBERTS was conducted. That was Operation Praying Mantis.

Brad’s book, No Higher Honor, tells the story of the crew of the ROBERTS, led by the Captain, CDR Paul X. Rinn, in their efforts that saved the ship from sinking, despite having a broken keel. The book is due out in June of this year.

Excerpt:

At twenty-five knots, the sea came on quickly. Its surface, wrinkled and opaque, rushed toward the warship, split against the steel prow, and became a fleeting trail of foam pointing back toward Kuwait.

Four decks above the waterline, Seaman Bobby F. Gibson leaned over the forecastle rail and twisted the focus knob on his binoculars. His metal chair, bolted to the main deck just behind the bow, afforded a panoramic view of the central Persian Gulf. The 19-year-old from Walkertown, N.C., took in the scene one small circle at a time.

Looks like a pretty well written beginning…