Archive | Bloggers Roundtable

West Point Cadets Take Leadership Role in Cadet Field Training

Filed under Bloggers Roundtable by glenn.selby on July 14, 2009 at 1:29 pm {no comments}

U.S. Army Lt. Col. Stephen L. A. Michael, regimental tactical officer for the 4th Regiment, United States Corps of Cadets at West Point

U.S. Army Lt. Col. Stephen L. A. Michael, regimental tactical officer for the 4th Regiment, United States Corps of Cadets at West Point, participated in a roundtable discussion with bloggers and online journalists. Accompanying Michael were three West Point Cadets – Tom Olmstead, Joseph Van Dusen and Kristen Griest who according to Michael, all represent what the Army stands for. They discussed their experiences in leading Cadet Field Training, the benefit of gaining leadership experience, and assisting the younger cadets throughout the training program. This summer was the first time when cadets themselves lead others through the training. In previous summers, experienced soldiers from other units were brought in. “It was a great leadership experience for me, we put an emphasis on small groups so squads can gain more of a hands on experience,” said Olmstead.

Audio(MP3)

Colonel Discusses Service Members Relief Act

Filed under Bloggers Roundtable by Administrator on July 9, 2009 at 11:32 am {no comments}

U.S. Army Col. Shawn Shumake, an Army lawyer and director of the Office of Legal Policy for the Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, discussed with bloggers during a DoDLive Bloggers Roundtable, the new law that protects service members who are renters, called “Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act of 2009, Section 702 of Public Law 111-22.”

“We probably have a higher rate of renters than the population in general because of the transient nature of our business,” Shumake said.

Before the act was signed, service members could be asked to move once their landlords’ house was foreclosed on, and finance their move, he said.

“What that law does is it says that if a property is foreclosed on and it has renters occupying the property that the person who takes over that property after it’s sold at foreclosure takes it subject to that lease — which means they have to honor that lease,” he said.

Joining us on the roundtable were: Andrew Lubin, themilitaryobserver.com; Chuck Simmons, Northshorejournal.org; Zach Bennett, the Weekly Standard; and Greyhawk, mudvillegazette.org.

To learn more on this subject, visit: http://dodvclips.mil/index.jsp?auto_band=x&rf=sv&fr_story=FRdamp356943&rf on DoDVClips.

Or: http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=54747 on DefenseLink.

Bloggers Roundtable: Combat Journalists See War Through Viewfinder

Filed under Bloggers Roundtable by Administrator on July 8, 2009 at 12:34 pm {no comments}

Air Force Capt. Phil Ventura, combat camera officer in charge; Staff Sgt. Shawn Weismiller, a photojournalist; Staff Sgt. Stacia Zachary, the team’s print journalist; and Senior Airman Brian Economides, the team’s videographer, spoke about their work and training.

“Our job is to document, but our job is also to tell a story and to tell a compelling story,” Weismiller said. “And throughout my career in the military, we’ve — or I’ve been taught, as well as rest of the photographers in the military, that our job is to tell a story and to tell it with emotion and to tell it in the best light as possible; not to just strictly look through the viewfinder and click the shutter. Every time we take a picture, there’s a purpose and there’s a direction.”

Air Force Combat Camera Team Discusses Role of Media in Military

Filed under Bloggers Roundtable by glenn.selby on July 7, 2009 at 2:07 pm {no comments}

Members of the Air Force’s combat camera team spoke with bloggers Tuesday morning about their role in documenting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. By shooting photographs, recording video and writing news articles, the Airmen of the combat camera team provide a unique view inside the world of the military during wartime. “It’s humbling to see how many outlets use our products; not just for news media,” said Air Force Staff Sgt. Stacia Zachary, the print journalist for combat camera team two. “Operational commanders and leaders throughout the Department of Defense rely on it to make informed decisions. Our pictures, videos and stories can often be used for intelligence, reconnaissance, engineering, legal and other operations involving the military services.” Story | Audio

U.S. Marine Colonel Discusses Building Iraq’s IG Capability

Filed under Bloggers Roundtable by Administrator on June 30, 2009 at 3:10 pm {no comments}

U.S. Marine Col. Robert Schroeder, Inspector General; assistant deputy Director Strategy & Plans Division for Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq spoke with bloggers and online journalists during a DoDLive Bloggers Roundtable, June 30, about the support they provide.

“MNSTC-I has dedicated IG advisers to the Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Interior, Joint Headquarters staff and the Counterterrorism Bureau,” said Schroeder. “Each of the advisers and our Iraqi counterparts have experienced different successes and faced different, but similar challenges.”

Schroeder continued his discussion explaining the development of a modern, professional IG capability in Iraq; with noted successes and challenges.

Joining us on the call were Nathan Hodge, wired.com; J.R. Michael, mudvillegazette.com; Patricia Puttmann, understandingwar.org; and Jarred Fishman, airforcepundit.com.