Live from U.S. Army Europe
Good morning! I’m joining you LIVE this morning from the U.S. Army Europe Public Affairs Conference in Berlin, Germany. Today is the final day of the conference and guess what the focus is on - emerging media and social networking. All day we’re hearing from speakers discussing the latest social media initiatives in Europe and the challenges we’re seeing across the military. Access to social networking sites is actually more restricted in areas outside of the United States, and the security concerns are more significant. People remain “all-ears” awaiting the results of the DoD policy review and decision on social networking. This morning’s agenda included a social media 101 presentation followed by a presentation by a representative from the U.S. Army Europe G-6, technology and security. The central debate surrounding social networking is the issue of whether or not access to social networking should broadly include every Soldier and every computer, or whether it should be restricted to public affairs officers or those with a clear workplace justification.
At the heart of the debate is the notion of the “strategic sergeant.” Is every Soldier’s capability to tell his or her Army story a strategic necessity, or a personal hobby? And if our Soldiers are our best spokesperson, can we afford to restrict access to social networking sites from our government computers? Those are the questions being asked here at U.S. Army Europe, andat military installations across the country and in meetings in the Pentagon right now. What the policy decision is will be made at a place far above my pay grade, but I can certainly say that the questions being asked and the debates happening between security experts and public affairs officers are to our benefit. I think what we’re seeing now in the debate over social media access is something that points to the larger advancement brought about by social networking. Rather than having the Department of Defense simply issue a policy decision based on a briefing or two or five, they’re actually asking for feedback prior to making the decision. And they’re not just asking for feedback from the highest levels - they want to hear from YOU. The average Soldier, civilian or Army supporter, the technology geek or the person who doesn’t see the point of social networks at all. We’re using the heart of social networking to help come to a decision: interaction and feedback.
The Army understands, in a way that rivals what we see in major companies and corporations, that we cannot prevent our Soldiers from using social media to communicate, even if we block access on our networks. And we also see that if we can harnass he power of our Soldiers and get their feedback when we make major decisions, that’s a positive thing.
Does opening the “Pandora’s box” of allowing our Soldiers to speak honestly and openly about the Army create potential issues and concerns for commanders? Absolutely. One of my favorite lines spoken today at the U.S. Army Europe conference was ‘it’s not slander if it’s true.’ The issue of the Fort Bragg barracks was referenced several times. There was a problem there, and a father brought it to the attention of the world with a You Tube video. It’s hard to argue with the visual power of video technology, and we have to realize that if people present a problem - and it’s true - than we have to live with the reality of that, and where possible, fix it. In the “olden days” of the military when we may have been able to count on a bureaucratic military system to prevent people from providing personal opinion on problems or airing their complaints in an open forum. Not so any longer. Our Soldiers are still governed by Operations Security and the Uniform Code of Military Justice, but outside of those left and right boundaries, our Soldiers are free to exhibit freedom of speech. We’re losing control of the message and the reigns of our control of the Army story more than ever before. But consensus here at the conference, and across the Army, as I’ve gathered, is that that’s a positive thing. Our Soldiers are able to tell their story, and reach out beyond their professional network to talk about the day-to-day life of the Soldier.
Another analogy in support of social networking I heard here at the conference was the concern that the U.S. military could go the way of the Roman military. We’re increasingly at risk of creating a “warrior class” of people who protect and serve the general population while those in the population live clueless to the sacrifices being made to preserve their freedom. Social media provides a natural gateway and connection between these two groups - those in the military and those without a family member or direct connection to the military. When our Soldiers connect with their best friend from kindergarten and are able to talk about the Army, or an Army civilian tells their unemployed friend what it’s like to have a career in the Army, those relationships make an impact. Social networking is an incredible force multiplier in telling our story and connecting the American public with their Army.
Another great line from today’s conference was a commander saying “I want to be in command and out of control.” A scary thought for most commanders, it’s an astute one as it pertains to social networking, where when we open up the door to social media, feedback and dialogue. So, my question for leaders, supervisors and commanders reading this blog is, are you willing to be in command and out of control? For others, I’d love your thoughts on the issue of whether or not you think the trend of asking our Soldiers for feedback will continue?
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