The Gun Line MkIII

On Wednesday 16 December 2009, many milblogs — including This Ain’t Hell, From My Position, Blackfive, Miss Ladybug, BostonMaggie, Grim’s Hall, and those participating in the Wednesday Hero program — are going silent for the day. Some are choosing to go silent for a longer period of time.

The reason for this is two-fold. First, milblogs are facing an increasingly hostile environment from within the military. While senior leadership has embraced blogging and social media, many field grade officers and senior NCOs do not embrace the concept. From general apathy in not wanting to deal with the issue to outright hostility to it, many commands are not only failing to support such activities, but are aggressively acting against active duty milbloggers, milspouses, and others. The number of such incidents appears to be growing, with milbloggers receiving reprimands, verbal and written, not only for their activities but those of spouses and supporters.
The catalyst has been the treatment of milblogger C.J. Grisham of A Soldier’s Perspective. C.J. has earned accolades and respect, from the White House on down for his honest, and sometimes blunt, discussion of issues — particularly PTSD. In the last few months, C.J. has seen an issue with a local school taken to his command who failed to back him, and has even seen his effort to deal with PTSD, and lead his men in same by example, used against him as a part of this. Ultimately, C.J. has had to sell his blog to help raise funds for his defense in this matter.

An excellent story on the situation with C.J. can be found at Military Times: “Off Duty, the Rise and Fall of a Military Blogger “ While there have been new developments, the core problem remains, and C.J. is having to raise funds to cover legal expenses to protect both his good name and his career.

One need only look at the number of blogs by active duty military in combat zones and compare it to just a few years ago to see the chilling effect that is taking place.

Milblogs have been a vital link in getting accurate news and information about the military, and military operations, to the public. They have provided vital context and analysis on issues critical to operations and to the informed electorate critical to the Republic.

On Wednesday 16 December, readers will have the chance to imagine a world without milblogs, and to do something about it. Those participating are urging their readers to contact their elected representatives in Congress, and to let their opinions be known to them and to other leaders in Washington.

Some milblogs will remain silent for several days; some just for the day. All have agreed to keep the post about the silence and C.J. at the top of their blogs until Friday 18 December.

The issues go beyond C.J., and deserve careful consideration and discussion. We hope that you will cover this event, and explore the issues that lie at the heart of the matter. Contact the milbloggers in your area or that you know, and hear the story that lies within.

A Partial List of Participating Blogs:
Bouhammer – http://www.bouhammer.com/
This Ain’t Hell http://thisainthell.us/blog/
Boston Maggie http://bostonmaggie.blogspot.com/
Blackfive http://www.blackfive.net/main/
Miss Ladybug http://miss-ladybug.blogspot.com/
Drunken Wisdom http://beerbrains.com/
Grim’s Hall http://grimbeorn.blogspot.com/
Frommyposition http://frommyposition.com/
CDR Salamander – http://cdrsalamander.blogspot.com/
You Served – http://www.vamortgagecenter.com/blog/
HomeFront Six – http://homefrontsix.blogspot.com/
Laughing Wolf – http://laughingwolf.net/

The Gun Line – http://www.thegunline.com

You can donate to CJ’s Legal Fund by logging into PayPal, go to the send money page, and put in his email: dj_chcknhawk AT yahoo DOT com; or, you can send donations directly to:

Grisham Legal Fund
c/o Redstone Federal Credit Union
220 Wynn Drive
Huntsville, AL 35893

Please write “Grisham Legal Fund” in the memo line if you use this option. Milblogs have been a vital link in getting accurate news and information about the military, and military operations, to you. Today, many milblogs are gone and others are under attack from within and without. Today, you have the chance to imagine a world without milblogs, and to do something about it. Make your voice heard by writing your congressional representatives and others, and by making donations as you see fit.

The battle for freedom of speech and the marketplace of ideas is fought on many fronts and in many ways. Without your help, the battle may well be lost.

From SGT B:

Milblogs have been a voice for the issues most folks don’t see int eh mainstream media.  Some Milblogs call out political issues, others call out Veteran’s issues, some provide catalysts for the experiences Veterans have faced, either to allow them to “get it off of their chests” or inform the public of what a Veteran’s life is like.  I have been the beneficiary of a great deal of graciousness from both fellow Veterans and supporters of the military who simply care about my well-being, whether because they consider me a friend, or because I served, and they feel the need to simply care.

I’m no Black Five, or Laughing Wolf, or Boston Maggie, or Castle Argghhh!, I do not enjoy a wide audience, nor is this blog a forum visited by higher level military leaders, but I am a Milblogger, and I feel that the right of a soldier, sailor, Airman, Marine, Guardsman, or Coast Guardsman to express his or her personal feelings, as long as they follow OPSEC guidelines, and proper military etiquette (“With all due respect, I’m about to give you a wire-brushing, sir…”), their voices and stories must be given a public forum:  They have not given up their right to express themselves…

I condemn the small-minded individuals, both military and non-military, who fail to utilize the proper chain of command protocols.  Civilians should not “report” a MilBlogger because they simply disagree with his/her point of view, and those in the military chain of command have the responsibility to filter out those occasions when the system is being used improperly.

The Gun Line joins the rest of the MilBlogs who have “gone silent” in support of MilBloggers whose voice is being suppressed by such underhandedness.