Need any more proof that milblogging is now mainstream?

The 2009 Milblogger's Conference takes place next week, and includes an appearance--well, via satellite phone--by Major General Michael Oates, the 10th Mountain Division Commander. Maj. Gen. Oates runs a blog for Task Force Mountain, and it's actually pretty good. I particularly like the section where he puts forth questions to be answered by the general public--questions like "How can we reduce DUIs", "What's the stupidest rule you ever encountered in the Army", and "What types of activities can we have for single Soldiers". Bottom-up suggestions are actually welcome in a lot of institutions, and it's great to see advice solicited in such a manner.

I think that the blog format is immensely superior to the Virtual Family Readiness Group that the Army is trumpeting. The VFRG requires a log-in, confirmation, and it's not really that technologically advanced. TF Mountain's blog, on the other hand, incorporates RSS feeds, regular pictures, posting boards, moderators, and a section where families can type in greetings for their Soldiers. I think the Army should probably nix the VFRGs and simply encourage meetings on Facebook or Myspace.

Milblog news---I'm also now finding out that the schedule for next week's activities has been extended to allow for more panels and panelists. I'm trying to find a way to participate or listen in on the conference, as it should be really interesting.