Blog Expo Milblog Panel #3

Live DOD Bloggers Roundtable

Host: Jack Holt Office of the Secretary of Defense

Special Guest Pete Geren, Secretary of The U.S. Army

Secretary Geren addresses the importance of technology, new media and generational difficulties. He understands the importance of information exchange. Admits to learning to find his way through the internet, but is amazed at the fluency of the younger sect.

John Donovan asks who the Army manages to handle new media, now that the DOD, is embracing blogging a year after having the nix put on blogging, how do you manage this fast moving ball?

Secretary Geren understands the fast pace of the technology, and finds it will be self correcting. He comments on traditional media the pace of it.

Bouhammer, asking Secretary Geren about "the rules".

Secretary Geren thinks this will be challenging, trying to get all services to agree on the amount of discretion that will be let to individual Commanders.

Secretary Geren discussing Roundtable discussion with SpouseBuzz, he found the information discussed to helpful, in fact he took one of the points of discussion from a Military Spouse and Parent. She feels as though parents are left out of the information. He took the suggestion as important, and they took the information and are addressing it soon, they are working on parental outreach program.

Chuck Z is addressing Secretary, he has questions about "the rules". Yes, we are talking about the rules again. Chuck Z, thinks it might be important to give folks guidelines. Particularly in cases of OPSEC.

Secretary Geren, thinks the suggestion although a good one, understands that it is a issue of allowing folks to speak freely, it is difficult to make the same rules for all involved.

Secretary Geren exits discussion.