U.S. Air Force releases flow chart of ‘counter-blog’ reponse plan.
By on Jan 8th, 2009 at 7:16 pm
U.S. Air Force releases flow chart of ‘counter-blog’ reponse plan.
As part of its halting efforts to reach out to bloggers in constructive ways, the U.S. Air Force has assembled a “counter-blog” action plan aimed at responding to bloggers who have “negative opinions about the U.S. government and the Air Force.” The plan includes a detailed flow-chart that, as Danger Room explains, “lays out a range of possible responses to a blog post“:
Danger Room notes that the Air Force is trying to catch up with the rest of the Defense Department in terms of blogger relations. Despite blocking a significant number of blogs on its networks, the Air Force now has a Twitter feed and a blog of its own, thanks to a new public affairs “social media guru.”
Update Matt Yglesias writes, "Of course what this doesn't do is allay one's doubts that a branch of the military whose institutional identity and mission were a pure creation of the Cold War era may not be well-suited to the present-day geopolitical context."
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To: USAF
From: Uncle Ho, Vietnam vet USN
Bite me.
January 8th, 2009 at 7:18 pmWhy doesn’t the Air Force just do what every other entity, governmental or corporate, does? That is, direct comments to the public affairs or public information person, who will be either not available or will have no comment.
January 8th, 2009 at 7:27 pmU.S. Air Force releases flow chart of ‘counter-blog’ reponse plan.»
– - Ok, when did The Onion purchase ThinkProgress?
January 8th, 2009 at 7:27 pmSo what they’re saying is that no one in the Air Force is capable of responding to any blogs without talking points? And that anyone entering the Air Force has no mind of his/her own– we’ll supply you with your responses? What an insult to work for someone that regards you as a mindless robot, but I guess it isn’t surprising. Fox News will be delighted, since they are the robots’ obligatory “news”. (I almost wrote “news” of choice– but of course, there’s no choice– Fox is forced on them.)
January 8th, 2009 at 7:29 pmFourteen Defining Characteristics of Fascism
# 4. The supremacy of the military/avid militarism. Ruling elites always identified closely with the military and the industrial infrastructure that supported it. A disproportionate share of national resources was allocated to the military, even when domestic needs were acute. The military was seen as an expression of nationalism, and was used whenever possible to assert national goals, intimidate other nations, and increase the power and prestige of the ruling elite.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVVa1IvHdKc
January 8th, 2009 at 7:33 pmBadmoodman Says:
Ok, when did The Onion purchase ThinkProgress?
Seconded. Fortunately, I always wear a helmet when I blog.
BTW, I highly recommend clicking on the flowchart picture and checking it out. It is awesomely hy-larious!
January 8th, 2009 at 7:37 pmIt’s sad that the Air Force thinks so little of it’s service members.
January 8th, 2009 at 7:38 pmPart of the reason we are in this mess is because of Iraq and the military budget. It needs to be slashed and the money put to constructive use. We sure don’t need military propaganda directed against the American people. We had 8 years of that bullshit and see where it got us.
January 8th, 2009 at 7:38 pmre: #6…BTW, I highly recommend clicking on the flowchart picture and checking it out. It is awesomely hy-larious!
– - Hence my The Onion comment. My taxes were never put to better use.
January 8th, 2009 at 7:43 pmUncle Ho Says:
To: USAF
From: Uncle Ho, Vietnam vet USN
Bite me.
That bears repeating:
January 8th, 2009 at 7:43 pmBite me.
“RAGER”
Is the posting a rant, rage, joke or satirical in nature?
– - Gosh, can’t we go for the whole shebang?
January 8th, 2009 at 7:47 pmHmmm, those tactics sound familiar.
January 8th, 2009 at 7:48 pmThat makes me curious what troll JK’s ip address is. LOL
Now THIS is really cool! I think the flow chart would be a good model for all bloggers to follow in principle.
The Air Force is to be commended. I’ve also seen the results of their outreach in other areas and they seem to be doing a very good job in telling their story.
January 8th, 2009 at 7:48 pmWhat’s the military got to do with politics? With government?
January 8th, 2009 at 7:49 pmI don’t get the joke. This actually seems reasonable to me. Well, as reasonable as flow charts dictating behavior can get…
January 8th, 2009 at 7:49 pmMy favorite part – in case of “Trolls,” “Notify HQ.”
HQ: USAF Central Command Headquarters.
AF BLOGGER: Yeah, I’ve spotted a troll.
HQ: Roger that, can you give me a heading?
AF Blogger: Current location is ThinkProgress, tracking from dailykos across vector alpha one niner.
HQ: What is the troll’s activity at present?
AF BLOGGER: They’re making fun of our stupid-ass flowchart.
BWAAA HAA HAA HAAH!
January 8th, 2009 at 7:50 pm“RAGER”
Is the posting a rant, rage, joke or satirical in nature?
They obviously don’t have a sense of humor. In any way shape or form.
January 8th, 2009 at 7:51 pmNow looking at all of the posts up to when I just posted, it is apparent that once again (as usual) a lot of you folks just don’t have a clue about how the military functions.
What’s worse, you folks seem to see a conspiracy or some sort of violation of some right or other behind EVERY news story!
Get a life!
January 8th, 2009 at 7:52 pmI think I’ll put Tim in the Unhappy Customer category.
January 8th, 2009 at 7:55 pmTim Vaculik Says:
Get a life!
Yeah HQ, we got a Misguided concern-trolling the Ragers. Do I have authorization to reply?
HQ: There are still Trolls in the operating theatre. Do not reply. Repeat: DO NOT REPLY!
January 8th, 2009 at 8:03 pmDamn, How can I reply to this blog…I don’t have a flow chart.
January 8th, 2009 at 8:05 pmI wonder how many millions of dollars the wonderful flow chart cost, and how many committees and generals were needed for approval.
January 8th, 2009 at 8:05 pmTim Vaculik Says:
The military spying or pushing propaganda on the US populous is illegal. Period.
Try reading up on the LAW sometime.
January 8th, 2009 at 8:09 pmDefending the Air Force?
January 8th, 2009 at 8:10 pmYour tax dollars at work!
January 8th, 2009 at 8:12 pmTim Vaculik Says:
Now THIS is really cool! I think the flow chart would be a good model for all bloggers to follow in principle.
I don’t get it. Is your posting a rant, rage, joke or satirical in nature?
January 8th, 2009 at 8:33 pmShouldn’t this people be cuting expenses (tax payers money!) of an overstreched military since the US is facing backrupcy???!!!
January 8th, 2009 at 9:16 pmThat flowchart gives me a negative opinion of the Air Force. I await their response.
January 8th, 2009 at 9:21 pmWow, that’s creepy. It’s like they just realized “Top Gun” propaganda doesn’t cut it anymore with The Kids Today.
January 8th, 2009 at 9:27 pmEWWWWW!
Tim vacuous was OUTREACHED by the Air Force.
And then the Vacuousness spewed forth:
“…it is apparent that once again (as usual) a lot of you folks just don’t have a clue about how the military functions.
What’s worse, you folks seem to see a conspiracy or some sort of violation of some right or other behind EVERY news story!”
STUPID MOTHEFU CKER you. The conspiracy IS the AIR FORCE.
And, psst, hey vacuous, the military is a LIBERAL organization. In the military, you are only as good as your weakest link, hence EVERYONE has to improve. Pass it on to the other stupid traitors over in GOP central, STUPID you F U C K.
Hey, this makes me a “RAGER”
You got it shit for brains, I am a rager. Go figure out what my name means.
And I guffawed over this one you stupid piece of shit Vacuous.
“The military spying or pushing propaganda on the US populous is illegal. Period.”
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
If Deadeye DICK heard you say that he would have you drawn and quartered. YOu stupid Squat shit for brains.
January 8th, 2009 at 9:31 pmThe Air Force, like the other military services, has fallen increasingly under the sway of conservative, fundamentalist Christians who are willing to use any means at their disposal, fair or foul, constitutional or unconstitutional (as this patently is) to advance their agenda of warmongering, evangelism, repudiation of humanitarian standards and anti-science activism.
Unfortunately, Obama has chosen to retain the Secretary of Defense under whom this policy was developed. Nonetheless, he should immediately issue a presidential directive prohibiting government agencies from violating the First Amendment.
January 8th, 2009 at 9:49 pmAlecto,
Sorry, it is YOU that is the dumb F U C K here, moron. I didn’t post “The military spying or pushing propaganda on the US populous is illegal. Period” at #23 – Wayne did.
Fire, aim, ready…
January 8th, 2009 at 10:55 pmFunny, I’ve run into a couple of “Military Contractor” and “Retired US Air Farce” bloggers over on Politico.
The “Military Contractor” is a rightwing wacko called “Dudcord” errr, “Detcord” that blogs all day from his “Military Contractor” desk.
Now this all makes sense to me. Retired Air Farce appliance warriors get paid by our tax dollar to try to affect public option on blogs. Hummm, sounds like Joseph Goebbels’ relatives are working for the Air Farce now.
January 8th, 2009 at 10:56 pmWhere’s the collect your John McCain Frequent Lyer Points box?
January 8th, 2009 at 11:46 pmWhy counter blog, when they have many blocked completely? The distribution of thought is artificially shrunk to begin with. Now they have to counter blog the righty-centrists that remain?
Call the thought police!
January 8th, 2009 at 11:48 pmA very lovely yet amateurish flow chart. No matter how much time and money they spent on this, it was wasted. Please note the bubble that says ‘Fix the Facts’. So much for the officer and a gentleman meme.
January 9th, 2009 at 12:11 amIt is appropriate for the military services to have a public communications department solely for the purpose of answering questions directed at them, and to publish information releases to the public.
It is inappropriate for the military to attempt to affect public opinion in any way.
If this flowchart is solely for use in official blogs hosted by the Air Force (publishing releases and answering questions there) then that’s fine. Although I still think that having to “notify HQ” every time you see a troll is just plain ridiculous.
If this flowchart signifies that military PR officers will be participating in public discussion at other venues, then they have an extremely serious legal problem on their hands.
January 9th, 2009 at 12:19 amHmm, “notify HQ” sounds eerily like the old days when we in the military or in government work were required to report any contact with a suspected communist.
And this flow chart from the same folks that brought us a B-52 ‘accidentally’ flying crosscountry with nukes on the wings. Looks like not a lot has changed in the 30 years since I got my DD-214.
January 9th, 2009 at 12:57 amMy point about “notifying HQ” whenever you see a troll is not that I’m concerned about privacy. That’s easy to avoid; just use a few proxies before flaming all over a USAF blog site, if you’re concerned.
No, my point is that it’s too easy to abuse. If somebody has to pick up a phone and call his supervisor everytime someone trolls his site? Or even send one email per troll? Knowing the military, somebody probably has to fill out an actual form, whether in a system or via hardcopy.
So here’s the problem:
One well-placed post at a handful of “Anonymous” websites (4chan, etc) and thousands of anarchic teenagers with too much time on their hands can swamp it just to keep that guy reporting trolls 24 hours a day. And they will, because they think that sort of thing is funny.
If the military knew anything about the Internet, they should have known that.
January 9th, 2009 at 2:33 amTim Vaculik Says:
Hey Timmeh, get a BRAIN. Yours is worthless at BEST.
January 9th, 2009 at 5:31 amTim Vaculik Says:
Alecto,
Sorry, it is YOU that is the dumb F U C K here, moron. I didn’t post “The military spying or pushing propaganda on the US populous is illegal. Period” at #23 – Wayne did.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
My GOD Timmeh. I mean I KNOW you are ignorant. I keep telling you how stupid you are but this is just unbelievable. Someone with the reading comprehesion of a gerbil ought to get THIS ONE. Yeah Wayne posted it and he is RIGHT and THAT is a complete and total refutation of your ignorant statement that the posters here see a rights violation or conspiricy behind everything. STOP EMBARASSING YOURSELF by parading your stunning ignorance so proudly. It is tedious for us to have to take you by the hand like a five year old and walk you through a point that any reasonbly bright five year old would understand.
January 9th, 2009 at 5:38 amFlow chart. Spare me please. Try the truth for a change.
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