Blogging New Territory
As the Internet continues to serve as a vital platform to instantly and publicly disseminate information and opinions, blogging has increasingly become more mainstream, and even, a pertinent resource for the Navy and other government agencies. Since emerging in the late 1990s, Web Logs, or blogs, have come a long way. In fact, the Navy, well known for its effective public outreach, has encouraged use of the web as an informational tool within guidelines. "The WWW is an extremely powerful public information tool, and its use, within these guidelines, is encouraged." As the popularity of blogs within the ranks grew, in 2005, the Navy issued a regulation (SECNAVINST 5720.47B) and said, "There is also no prohibition on blogs operated by individual members as private citizens.
USS Russell Navigates Uncharted Waters with Ship's Blog
USS Russell's (DDG 59) Web log is having an impact on the World Wide Web since its debut two weeks ago, reaching 5,000 hits April 7. The Web log which started and coincided with the ship's deployment as part of the Abraham Lincoln Strike Group. Lt. Cmdr. Chris van Avery, Russell's executive officer, reported aboard the guided-missile destroyer looking to tell a story. The story is about the life of Sailors at sea and their contributions to the war on terrorism and the execution of the Navy's Maritime Strategy. The result is "The Destroyermen," a Web log, or "blog," dedicated to the life of Russell and her crew. With a new post nearly every day, this method of storytelling has proven to be a hit for Russell and the Navy.
