About the milbloggies

I've kept it to myself, but this year I've managed to get myself in a bit of trouble over my unvarnished, venomous opinions of malfeasance and idiocy in the gummint and media.

It had to happen sooner or later.

No, I'm not quitting.  You may have noticed the more toned-down posts, and that's why.  My very opinionated writing eventually resulted in a Letter of Reprimand from a General Officer.  However, through grovelling, apologizing, and sanitizing my blog (notice how you can't comb through the archives?) and with the help of many milbloggers, readers, and professional letters of reference, not to mention an astounding amount of help and confidence from my chain of command, I (narrowly) avoided having that letter of reprimand filed in my permanent record.

If I screw up again, the reprimand goes in my record--and kills my career.

This year, more than ever, it is important for me to get public recognition for excellence for my blog.  It lends itself to a LOT of credibility, not just as a blogger, but as a soldier who is frequently asking his chain of command for permission to attend conventions, meetings, etc. as well as giving me the credibility to continue blogging when I get to my next assignment, and eventually continue blogging from Afghanistan.  The Army is warming up to blogging, social media, etc., which they roll up into the term STRATCOM, or Strategic Communication.  Recognition as the Top Blogger in the Army can go a LONG way to official recognition of my abilities for good.

However, it is up to my immediate commander whether or not I can write a blog.  If he says no, then the blog dies.  I think it will be much harder for him to say "no" if the #1 Army blog author is asking if he can continue to publish.  (And no, I won't go underground, or stealth mode, or publish elsewhere through another blog if the boss says no.  It's dishonest, and I have always been completely, unashamedly, honest with you all.)

Which reminds me, since I think I forgot to tell you, Chuck's big adventure continues  in about a year when I go to Afghanistan.  With any luck, it will not be as harrowing as my last deployment, and will instead allow me to return home in an airplane with seats instead of stretchers.

Anyway, all that being said, I would greatly appreciate your nomination, and then your vote, for the Tip Army Milblogger for 2010 at Milblogging.com.  The nomination phase ends tomorrow, and voting then commences from April 4th to April 7th.  You'll need to register and login to nominate and vote.  Registration takes about a minute.

For more information, please click here, and to nominate/vote click here.

Thanks for your help (and please, get some friends to help too.)
--Chuck