[Editor's note: I will do my best to talk about all the great people I met at the conference. If I hurt your feelings, please fill out this report.] Comic strip courtesy of the most excellent Delta Bravo Sierra. Become a FB fan here. First of all, I would like to personally thank Andi of SpouseBuzz and the great folks at Military.com and Milblogging.com for yet again exceeding expectations and hosting/managing the Fifth Annual Military Blog Conference. I would also like to mention that USAA went above and beyond, as a sponsor and they donated to Soldiers Angels and Homes for Our Troops - two fantastic organizations (more on that later). I have been a member/customer of USAA for more than 20 years. They rock! The conference kicked off on Friday night. Jimbo, McQ and I represented Blackfive. We started off with a Q&A with documentary film maker Jake Rademacher ("Brothers At War"). Then moved to the actual conference where Taco Bell, myself, Sgt Mom, and Baldilocks were led through the history of milblogs by Greyhawk of the Mudville Gazette. Sergeant Mom and Baldilocks had both officially retired before blogging. We were missing a Navy guy from the old days (7+ years ago) so a shout goes out to LT Smash and to Doc in the Box. During the panel, Gary Cagle of Team Rubicon (Gary led the second team into Haiti) formerly thanked all of the military blogs and said that without their help they wouldn't have been able to save the 4,000 people that Team Rubicon saved in Haiti and in Chile. If you get a chance, check out TR's AAR of the Haiti operation. Also, in attendance, were the US Army Golden Knights - the official parachute team. Jimbo was mad because now there might be someone there with more jumps than him. After the kick off panel, the group Saving Abel played an awesome acoustic set. 18 Days is one of my favorites that you might be familiar with (Addicted is there biggest hit). Someone suggested that we end the first night of the conference at O'Sullivan's Pub and much fun was had. It was so good to see Jonn Lilyea and TSO (and AW1-Tim and Pons), The USO Girls, the SpouseBuzz ladies, Chuck Z, Toby-Wan-Kenobi, Soldiers Angels Germany, the guys from You Served, Bouhammer, A Soldiers Perspective, Hooah Wife, Boston Maggie, Homefront Six, the Sniper, US Naval Institute, and Kaboom! and many more. Part II will be posted later today - to include General Petraeus' key note.
Read the complete post at http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Blackfive/~3/0zBOE3kwU2E/the-2010-fifth-annual-military-blog-convention.html
Posted
Apr 12 2010, 02:00 AM
by
BLACKFIVE