By Alan Morales, WTC Stratcom
Editor’s Note: This blog post is the second installment of a two part series about Twitter and how it is used by the Warrior Transition Command to inform the wounded warrior community. Please refer to the first installment of the series explaining Twitter in plain English.
Now more than ever, information travels quickly. As a result, changes and updates to programs and initiatives that affect your life as a member of the wounded warrior community occur just as fast. How do you stay up-to-date without spending hours with your eyes glued to Google? WTC’s answer is Twitter.
The WTC Twitter page helps you stay informed about news, changes, and updates to programs, benefits, or resources that can assist you. Instead of waiting to realize there has been a change to something that affects you or your loved ones, WTC brings the information to you so you can more easily stay informed.
Twitter also enables you to figure out what information is accurate and what information is not. By following organizations that you trust, you get streamlined accurate content from those you know are reliable. This way, you spend less time searching online and less time trying to decide which information is accurate. To help you paint a picture of how this works, here is an example:
You spend time surfing the Web to find more information about the recent stop loss pay extension. During your search, you come across information or maybe even contradictory information, creating confusion and frustration. Instead, you could have followed organizations on Twitter that would have updated you once the information was available. An update on your Twitter feed about the stop loss extension would have saved you time and may have even updated you before you heard murmurings about it elsewhere.
This example demonstrates why Twitter is an important capability for wounded warriors and their Families. It provides you easier access to sources of accurate information that impacts your life. Whether it’s information from WTC or other related organizations, you have access to this information at your fingertips.
Organizations like the Department of Defense, U.S. Army, Department of Veterans Affairs, and Real Warriors post information on their Twitter pages as soon as it becomes available. In return, WTC can easily share it with you on the WTC Twitter page. We act as the filter. We review information, check it out, make sure it is accurate, and then release it on the WTC Twitter page to make it available to you. In the case of the stop loss extension, WTC actually read about it on Twitter and tweeted the update on the WTC Twitter page. Check it out if you don’t believe me.
Some of you may be asking, “Why don’t I just follow the U.S. Army Twitter page?” The answer is that the WTC Twitter page only shares tweets that pertain to wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers, Veterans, and their Families. Whether you are a wounded warrior, Family member, Commander, nurse, case manager, or AW2 Advocate, we make an effort to only post information that matters to you as a member of the wounded warrior community. Therefore, although the U.S. Army Twitter page provides great information, the WTC Twitter provides more specific information that you may not find on other online sources.
So there you have it. Twitter is a dynamic capability that is revolutionizing the way WTC communicates with you. However, it is just one of the many ways we offer information. You can still get detailed information on our Website, blogs, and AW2 Facebook page whenever you are online. If you have questions, post a comment below or email me. I promise I’ll use more than 140 characters, if necessary.
Now, as I did in my last blog I leave you with my main point in true tweet form. This time, I even banked 18 characters.
Twitter helps WTC inform you on warrior care information as it becomes available so you stay informed with minimal effort.