Soldiers Lose The War For Their Freedom of Speech
30 October 2006
by Anai Rhoads
AnaiRhoads.org -- Soldiers serving in Iraq have been banned from sending out clips and images of the war. The very freedoms they are fighting for - are denied to them.
In August of this year, the Department of Defense (DoD)'s web site
announced the following "Effective immediately, no information may be
placed on websites that are readily accessible to the public unless
it has been reviewed for security concerns and approved in accordance
with Deputy Secretary of Defense Memorandum web site policies and
procedures."
The Manassas based Virginia National Guard unit have chosen a
mere 10 people to report information, blogs, videos, and photos on
all sites created or utilised by soldiers. Any information or images they do not approve of, or appear to be a
"potential operational security" (OPSEC) violation, are reported to the Army's Web
Risk Assessment Cell (AWRAC).
The majority of OPSEC violations found so far on Army milblogs have
been "For Official Use Only" (FOUO) documents, and distribution of
personal information such as name, address, and age.
Currently there are an estimated 1,200 military blogs (milblogs),
where soldiers are (were) free to share information back and forth
between family and friends.
"The military's stepped up surveillance of online activity also means
an increasing risk to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender service
members who use online communities," said Kathi S. Westcott, deputy
director of law for Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN).
"Service members must be especially cautious about posting any
information online which reveals their sexual orientation. While
online communities can be an important communication tool for
military personnel, they can also lead to investigations and
dismissals under 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.'"
These milblogs served several purposes which included - reaching out
to a loved one back home; used as a journal to express views,
concerns, and fears; and the medium exposed abuses and realities of
war itself. It has been reported that the majority of the postings
made by the soldiers on these milblogs have been written by those who
are pro-war, not against. Only a small number of troops have milblogs
opposing the war, since that view is in itself a violation.
The Pentagon is concerned that milblogs may have a negative impact on
how Americans see the military and how the operations in Iraq and
Afghanistan are being serviced. Others in the military believe the blogs may serve as
notification for insurgents to view and subsequently act on.
Current Milblogs:
Wordsmith at War
No End But Victory
MilBlogging.com
Copyright ©1996-2006 Anai Rhoads
All Rights Reserved. If you are interested in reprinting this article and
obtaining proper licence, please contact the author at Anai Rhoads Ford
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