A suggestion for those serving now...

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My husband, Ed and I were talking at dinner tonight. We were listening to the radio and (TKK) and a number of guys were calling in who've returned from Iraq. All of them were saying that we've won the war, now we're cleaning up. One said he just got home and was part of the units that were charged with security for the last elections they had. He said that this country has never seen a turnout to vote like they just had over there, yet people here bitch.

Ed came up with the idea that every soldier over there (when and if possible) should send a letter to their home town newspaper - "letter to the editor" type thing and tell them the good that you all are doing. Tell them that you believe you're winning, and that the majority of the Iraqi people are glad you're there. I wouldn't bother writing to the Boston Globe, or the NY Times, etc. as they won't print it, but the home town papers most likely will.

Tank, as far as I know, you're the only one on this forum who's there now. Maybe you could suggest to your brothers (and sisters if any), that they do that. I'm sure you could do an internet search to see if there's an email link for a letter, or you could email it to Mrs. T and she could mail it in for you.

More of you guys need to write to the folks to let them know the media is full of Bravo Siera. [wink]
 
I think it is a great idea and I will certainly look into it.

The problem I see is that the chain of comand in general has a gag order on us, we are not supposed to send out information to anyone but family members and even that is supposed to be bland. I am sure that the PAO will let us go ahead and do it the question is how many soldiers will decide it is not worth the hassle to rewrite something three times just to get the PAO to sign off on it.
 
Tank said:
I think it is a great idea and I will certainly look into it.

The problem I see is that the chain of comand in general has a gag order on us, we are not supposed to send out information to anyone but family members and even that is supposed to be bland. I am sure that the PAO will let us go ahead and do it the question is how many soldiers will decide it is not worth the hassle to rewrite something three times just to get the PAO to sign off on it.

I can fully understand the gag order, but you could keep it general, without getting in to any details of events or places, couldn't you? Just as "hey folks, it's not as bad as the media portrays it" kind of thing, yes? Then again, you could always write it to family and then THEY can forward it...gotta be a way around it. :D
 
Letters to the Editor

If the government has to sign off on it, and only a pro-government point of view is permitted, it's not a letter from a serviceperson but a carefully filtered bit of propoganda. If troops are allowed to express their actual opinion without having "unapproved" opinions filtered, it would indeed have meaning.
 
It is one of those catch 22's that the military is good for. More than likely it would have to be done after they are back. The concern would be giving out too much info from the military's stand point. They do censor. One of the reasons they are cracking down on Mil Blogs. It's a good idea,but anyone who has to keep rewriting and get approval is going to say screw it. It's also one of those thing you have to realise if too much is given out,you also have to know there are people reading it that we don't want to know what our guys are doing. It is why I guard very carefully where Alan is and what he tells me he is doing. It's for their safety too. Rule of thumb You don't know who is reading or taking notes.
 
One of our local TV stations beat you to it. Thej had 2 VTARNG VVets on just this last Sunday on the Sun AM talk show, "You can Quote Me". The guys served in Iraq (42d MP Co Mission), and just came back last week.
 
Here's a blog that is a pretty good site. I heard the last of the interview with the guy on Laura Ingraham. He's in independent reporter. He takes his own pics and gets the storyies out that he writes. The pic on the first page of the site should be BLOWN WAY UP and PLASTERED EVERYWHERE! It speaks more than any words I could use.

SEND THIS TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW.

And - believe it or not, this guy is from MA.

http://michaelyon.blogspot.com/
 
By the way - the story for that pic mentioned above is down the list of stories on the right hand side - it's called "Little Girl". Her name was Farah.
 
Yes, Lynne, it would be a great idea. The problem is, as outlined above, that the regular service personel is forbidden to give any type statement to the press, or otherwise. Candid interviews of active types by the medalling media often cause big problems for the guys. Remember the Marines in Wendy's that Kerry cornered? I would hate to have been those guys standing tall in the SgtMaj's. office the next morning. The debreifing and utter bullshit those guys, I'd assume had to go through, would be enough to make me say, "Just send me back to the sandbox where I don't have to deal with this political BS".

Sad, but it's true. However, it also has its good points.
 
Michael Yon is one of the best mil blogs. He is ex mil,and also ex SF. He still has alot of red tape he goes through for his blog. He also has alot of respect from our guys etc. It is also one of the blogs I read regularly. If you want I can list some blogs,I did it awhile back. 365 and a wakeup is another good one.
 
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