This is a short note that's a little off my usual territory, given that I've chosen to focus Red Bull Rising on a U.S. Army National Guard unit deploying to Afghanistan.I want to relay some good news, however, regarding the blogging work of Matt Gallagher. Gallagher was deployed as a platoon leader to Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) in 2007-08, and was a popular and pithy mil-blogger up until the point that his "Kaboom" blog was shut down, and shut down hard. The subsequent brass-ackward hand-wringing over one soldier's use of the Internet is a cautionary tale, and one reason that I've gone into partial stealth mode as a mil-blogger myself, even while here at home, before the bullets fly.
It's a different Army now, of course, and a different Internet. Things are somewhat less hazy for mil-bloggers today, depending on the particular fiefdom in which you find yourself working. That's because of leaders like Matt Gallagher, who drew fire and cleared the way.
The good news: Last week, Gallagher told his readers that a book based upon his experiences in Iraq is forthcoming in April 2010, and is even available for pre-order from Amazon and other vendors.
Here's how he describes "Kaboom: Embracing the Suck in a Savage Little War":
It's a different Army now, of course, and a different Internet. Things are somewhat less hazy for mil-bloggers today, depending on the particular fiefdom in which you find yourself working. That's because of leaders like Matt Gallagher, who drew fire and cleared the way.
The good news: Last week, Gallagher told his readers that a book based upon his experiences in Iraq is forthcoming in April 2010, and is even available for pre-order from Amazon and other vendors.
Here's how he describes "Kaboom: Embracing the Suck in a Savage Little War":
It bears a passing resemblance to the material on [the Kaboom] blog, but the majority of its content is new and has been vetted by an honest to Allah editing process. Amazing what another set of eyes can do, isn't it? Further, it spans my unit's entire fifteen months in Iraq, as opposed to the six or so that are chronicled [on Kaboom].He's a great and insightful writer. I regret that he no longer wears the uniform, but I wish him every success. He deserves it.
You read Lt.G? Oh, be still my heart... :)
ReplyDeleteI'll have to save up my pennies so that I can order his book. I knew he had a agent and a book deal, but didn't know it had published. Kewl!
In mid May, there's a book signing locally for "SEAL of Honor". In honor of Mike Murphy who was killed in Afghanistan. I also have "Lone Survivor", Marcus Luttrell's book detailing the action that killed his team members(Murphy included) Unbelievable at what they went through. I haven't had a book touch my heart so hard, I cried through most of it. If you haven't read it, I highly suggest you do...