After a recent DOD social media team visit to the White House to discuss New Media with online guru Macon Phillips and his staff, we left more motivated for a few reasons.
1. It appears we understand the concepts of communicating online just as well as they do. In fact, we’re probably moving in parallel on certain issues, ahead on others, but in the areas we’re lacking, we’ll pull up the slack.
2. They offered a look at solving online communication issues in a different manner — often from a focused advocacy effort trying to create and build advocacy. They’re not intentionally moving in this manner because they’re issues are only politically focused, but most likely because they come from political backgrounds or have major issues in the political sphere. This leads me to my belief that DC has one of the largest pools of online communicators than any other city — NYC has always been the PR centerof the world, but DC’s political scene leads me to believe the city is ripe to be THE future social media hub. This belief was recently echoed by New Media Strategies founder and CEO Pete Snyder at a PRSA conference on social media where we discussed Twitter’s effectiveness, tools, techniques and procedures.
3. Whitehouse.Gov is the main source of information, while the blog is their portal/hub for online content. This was an initial thought for Air Force, however effort still resides within the main Air Force site.
4. Their small staff is making huge impacts with subject matter that is often “dry”….something we often feel we have issues with as well. Check out recent PBS special on the effort.
We shared some of the same frustrations: coordination nightmares, legalities and records management, but all in all it was refreshing to see a very small team of communicators moving though the sea of change and overcoming obstacles to create dramatic online movement.
You can see some of the latest from online content and delivery at FLOTUS’ Let’s Move. One thing I learned from this effort was that E-mail and web-based campaigns still have a major seat at the online communication table and that Facebook is still one of the best options to communicate out there. This was all good news in that it’s the same direction we’ve been moving for some time. It’s about web-based advocacy movements, not news delivery…. it’s in line and in the same direction of the campaign. Very refreshing new communication tactic out of the government.
In the heat of America’s longest wars ever, more and more opportunities present themselves for military families to take advantage of some of their “down” time when the active service member isn’t deployed.
While serving in the Pentagon, we often get firsthand information on great offers.
One is a great example of society stepping up and offering free admission to the military to museums around the country. Often admissions to some of DC’s museums may top $20 per person. Not much for some, but for a military family, $20 is a lot. Many thanks to Operation Appreciation: Blue Star Museums and their recent effort to open up area attractions around the world for families. Check out the great deal on Colonial Williamsburg.
However, one military family appreciation event that made me chuckle is from the NFL’s Washington Redskins, and completely at the other end of the spectrum. The Washington Redskins offered a “Military Appreciation Campaign” and are providing a discount for season tickets, including “2 pre-season and 8 regular season home games for the 2010 Season,” a news release said.
“Seats are available at three different price levels: $869, $704 and $484. The $869 tickets are for seats in Section 426, Row 15 and Section 451, Row 15. The $704 tickets are in Section 403, Row 23, Section 420, Row 20, Section 441, Row 15 and Section 414 Row 13. The $484 tickets are in Section 442, Row 21 and Section 414, Row 23.”
Not a bad deal if you consider the “cheap” seats are more than $3,000. If you’re military, and you can afford this, please drop us a line and let us know how.
Wait, did I forget to mention parking at the field is “$350″? Yes, sorry that’s right. It’s $350!
Reapers, Predators and Global Hawks are great names branded in the defense industry, as well as the enemies’ psyche, however some argue that an ‘unmanned’ aircraft operating over friendly territory is dangerous…. this was a myth dispelled recently in an interview with Elisabeth Braw over at International Metro in Europe. IM is “The world’s largest daily, Metro has a circulation of 20 million in 19 countries, according to their website. Below are a few of the articles that ran about the story.
Fact: it takes more than 175 people to keep an “unmanned” aircraft in the sky to do one Combat Air Patrol. The Air Force has more than 40 Combat Air Patrols over Afghanistan and Iraq today; aircraft being operated out of the United States.
The Air Force's X-37 rockets off into space atop an Atlas.... Cape Canaveral AFS, Fla. (April 22, 2010) - A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with the Air Force’s Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV) launches from its Space Launch Complex-41 launch pad at 7:52 p.m. EDT today. The launch marked ULA’s 40th successful mission in 40 months of operation since its inception Dec. 1, 2006. The OTV, also known as the X-37B, supports space experimentation, risk reduction, and concept of operations development for long duration and reusable space vehicle technologies. Photo by Pat Corkery, United Launch Alliance.
Probably saw and heard of the United Launch Alliance Atlas launch from Cape Canaveral AFS, Fla., (April 22, 2010), but you may have missed the fact that we also launched a second rocket as well.
A Minotaur rocket carrying the HTV, or Hypersonic Test Vehicle, lifted off last night from Vandenberg AFB in Cali. The HTV is a test vehicle that flew more than 13,000 miles per hour…. pretty sweet.
You can watch live at 7:30PM 22 April, the Air Force’s latest “I can’t believe I work with these folks” rocket-science mystery-machine moment as we launch the X-37B.
Also known as the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV), this space jet will launch from Cape Canaveral AFS, Fla., between 7:42-9:01 p.m. (launch window) today.
The unmanned marvel’s primary mission is to be used as a “testing reusable space vehicle” and was built with the far-out folks from Boeing. It’s small; like a mini-me to the space shuttle weighing in at about 11K pounds and is less than 30 feet long. It’s kinda like a Hybrid too….it’s powered by Gallium Arsenide Solar Cells with lithium-Ion batteries.
Expect some news today about DOD’s policy for social media access. Look for info on the Defense Gov. Should be interesting and hopefully not too restrictive. Common sense and training are keys to social media access and usage in DOD.
Airmen throughout the AOR supported efforts to bring a wounded Peace Corps American home. Thanks from her sister-in-law here on her blog. Thanks Manas.
I’ve come across an amazing function in WordPress, the ‘Drafts’ section. Really though, I’ll write about some of the items from Afghanistan that I couldn’t write about while there, or just never got around to for one reason or another.Some people mail the weirdest things to and from combat via the Post office, FedEx and DHL (yes, for a price I guess even the major carriers will get items to Afghanistan. You’d expect the obvious, sunscreen, warm clothes, eye drops, candy, snacks, etc…. But, as we’re waiting in line for mail, you see the craziest things. All these items are being shipped from the States or to the States on personal money, not government money (disclaimer for all the hate mail that will flood my comments box).
I’ve seen some odd things. In no random order they are:
- A large bouncy castle; not the large one an adult can get in, but a child-size one. Didn’t have my camera, but thought it was slightly odd, just slightly. Was this some new form of special operations warfare?
- The following photos are packages.
Not really mailed, here's a thank you from a Texan on the side of a JDAM.
US Air Force Airmen download Humanitarian Assistance to ship it out to the people of Afghanistan.
For 235 years, the United States Army has truly been the strength of our nation. And today, I believe it is the best it has ever been. One of the great privileges of this job is visiting our men and women in uniform, including our Soldiers, who serve around the world. From Fort Hood to Kandahar [...]
This is the third blog entry for Master Sgt. David Wolfe, a security forces Airman from Scott Air Force Base, Ill., who is training at the Marine Corps Staff NCO Academy at Camp Pendleton in southern California. He volunteered for it after learning slots were available for Air Force senior NCOs. “I knew this would [...]
Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy and Airmen from around the DC area celebrated Memorial Day with a ceremony at the Air Force Memorial in Arlington. Below are photos taken by Senior Master Sgt. Raymond Sarracino. U.S. Air Force bugler Master Sgt. Ken Oedemann, left, plays taps while Air Force Honor Guard [...]
*Occasionally, Air Force Live puts the spotlight on individual blogs written by Airmen or their family members. These blogs provide an unofficial glimpse into the various aspects of Air Force life. Opinions expressed are those of the bloggers and are not endorsed by the US Air Force. For Cheryl, home is wherever the Air Force sends [...]
Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, delivered the remarks to the graduating class of the United States Air Force Academy on May 26, 2010. DoD Live has video and the links to the full ceremony here. Below is the text of his speech. I had the honor today of addressing the graduating [...]