John Hockenberry The Blogs Of War Essay

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The Blogs of War With so much media and public attention centered and focused on the war in Iraq, most people that have not experienced firsthand accounts of this war often wonder what soldiers encounter and their thoughts and viewpoints on the matter. Others that have “played in the sandbox” find consolation in hearing what their fellow brothers and sisters in arms also have to deal with. Military blogs, or milblogs, give a channel for which anyone, anywhere, can stay updated on the current situations which happen thousands of miles away, at any given time. John Hockenberry explains that milblogs are a way for soldiers to report their experiences, both on and off the battlefield, almost immediately. Although the overall tone of the essay illustrates Hockenberry’s implied thesis that Hockenberry accepts, and even admires, the work of milbloggers, he also identifies a few downfalls of the ability to post in real-time without the direct ability of the Pentagon and Commanding Officers of units to control it. In a few circumstances, casualty information was given out, which violates privacy rules set in place for families of the injured or deceased, as it could upset next of kin. However, steps are being implemented to better control jeopardizing operational security rules. The…show more content…
He gives several excerpts from different blogs, giving substance to the benefits of milblogging by presenting eye witness accounts of situations which soldiers may face. Although the media can speculate on what transpires in Iraq, milbloggers give a refreshing viewpoint which “[compete] with and occasionally [undermine] the DOD’s elaborate message machine” (Hockenberry 92). His accreditation for milbloggers is revealed in such a way that readers of these few excerpts might grasp a small understanding of the importance of milblogging, for both those writing the blog and those reading

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