Saturday, April 22, 2006

2006 Milblog Conference - Panel 2

This one is about Milblogging Family Style.

Andi, Carla, Carren, Chuck, and Deb. Andi is moderating. Will ask people why they are blogging.

Carla - When her son was notified of his deployment, she started looking for info on the net. Decided that there wasn't a lot of stuff out there and that she would start a blog just to let people know about what a family does with a son in harm's way. She was completely anonymous until he was hurt.

Carren - pass HAHAHAHAHA!

Chuck - started the blog to let Carren and Mom know what was going on. Was surprised at the first 20 hits (10 of them were his HAHA). "Screaming into the void" ... Wanted to leave a legacy for his children in case he didn't come back. Now they know he's an asshole. more laughs

The simplest reason for starting and continuing - the good news and bad news (joe shitbag the ragman railing against the military and GB and Algore invented the internet) needs to get out. He made his guys read Armor Geddon to see what other tankers were doing.

Deb - Blogging has been a real adventure. She's met amazing and wonderful people. Nothing was available to prepare her for her son's departure in '03. Her 'baby' shipped straight from FOI to Iraq and there was a lot of negative emotion and worry. There's wasn't enough news on CNN, FOX, etc. so she started looking at milblogs. Found that there were lots of other parents out there who needed the same type of info about what their kids were doing. Marine Corps Moms has started Operation Santa, which sent 6,000 stockings in 2004 and 12,000 in 2005!

She gets 4-5 emails a day from Marine parents who want someone with whom to connect and share their thoughts. Lots of people who don't have family in the military still want to help and are huge troop supporters, so blogging gives her a way to help people get involved.

Andi - Carren is an accidental blogger. On June 21, 2005 she became Chuck's voice.

Carren - She started blogging because she didn't want to let Chuck's (he says '5') readers worry about what had happened. A door opened into a whole other world. She got a lot of support and strength from Chuck's fans and readers. It is a great outlet. Thanks everyone for supporting she and Chuck. (what a sweetie!)

Soldier's Angels has been a blessing for us. Have helped in soooo many ways and facets. Red Cross was also instrumental in getting everything she/Chuck needed.

Carla - the Greyhawks (Mudville) were the first people who contacted us when we went to Germany to be with Noah (injured son). Were the most helpful people!

Andi - anti-war movement has been involved in each of the panelists lives.

Deb - Has had her share of run-ins with asshats. Has published her real identity and phone numbers so that other Marine families could contact her. But it gave a lot of anti-war 'tards the info to contact and harass her. Hippies don't have any ideas - just propaganda.

Chuck - Fred Phelps may end up roadkill because he may have an episode where he can't control his rebuilding arms and run him down. Code Pinkos are asshats. All the people inside WR are doing a job. Protesting outside a military hospital is just sticking a finger in the eye of military. They should go somewhere more appropriate. Vast Left Wing Conspiracy.

CBob was just recognized by Andi - HOORAY and OORAH!

Carla - luckily lives in a community of lots of retired military. MSM sucks! Military family members are the most anti-war folks out there, but don't tell her that her son is doing anything wrong. He is supported completely. But in her little town the local paper, all 15 pages, contains not one word about the war. That's why we need milblogs for news that no one else will carry.

Jesse (iraqikurd) - his mic is fading in and out Thanks the milbloggers and especially the military folks for all they're doing for Iraq and Iraqis.

Carla - MSM reports opinion, not news (they suck!).

(Note to self: read LaShawn Barber's site later. She's been typing away!)

Chuck - insurgent killed his own nephew on purpose 'cause he was in the line of fire of two of Chuck's Sgts. No one reported that. Iraqis would go on patrol with him with completely insuffucient armor and weaponry but went anyway. Brave souls who couldn't wear their uniforms to-and-from work for fear of someone firebombing the family's home. MSM sucks!

Sheik needed to take a member off the city counsel. Counsel had the right to remove this 'dirty' member. this was a great post! But the Sheik needed a lesson in civics 'cause he didn't understand that he had the power and authority to make decisions and didn't need to get permission from the Governor. MSM related the story as if Chuck was manipulating the counsel rather than helping them. A week later he raided the 'dirty' guy's house anyway and found a hugh cache of bad stuff.

He thinks a fully autonimous, democratic Iraq will scare the crap out of Iran. Now he's telling the story of a fat, French reporter who he scared to death. Now he's chastizing the MSM for sucking ever since Vietnam. There are three kinds of people in this world: people who are going to hell, going to heaven, and those who are on the fence. God hates the middle of the road crowd. Pick a side, dammit!

Deb - not all wars are fought on the battlefield. Her son's life was saved by an Iraqi (I'm having trouble hearing her). Her son spent several hours talking with an Iraqi father of nine who had been out of work for a year, but had to that point resisted the insurgents offers to help him out if he'd become a terrorist. Deb's son coordinated with Civil Affairs and found the man a job. This is called Nation Building.

Carla - (find out about this company) said a gunlube company sent lube for free to the troops. Chuck says the stuff is great.

Chuck answers a question from Mrs. Greyhawk about Valour-IT and how it's helped other wounded warriors at Walter Reed and beyond. 2 Marines at Bethesda asked their caregivers to cut back on their pain meds so that they could stay awake longer to email and IM their buds back in theatre and family members. That made a huge difference in the progress and healing process.

Break for lunch - be back in a while.