Guardsmans talks about his milblog One Guardsman’s Spiel.

Question: What are 3 things your readers probably do not know about you?

1. I’m a nerd - I love computers and doing websites and LOVE video games. Battlefield 2 ROCKS!
2. I never tried tobacco until I joined the Army National Guard. I had just returned to my unit after AIT and my platoon said that it was time for my initiation…. I can’t go through many details but part of it involved tobacco in all it’s forms. In a short hour I went from never touching tobacco to smoking a cigar, smoking several cigarettes, snorting sniffing-snuff, and finally a big dip of Kodiak Wintergreen! By the time they’d finished with me I had a cigar in one hand, which they convinced me to inhale, a cigarette in the other, a fat dip in, and was snorting lines of sniffing-snuff! Oddly enough I never puked (I wish I would have), but needless-to-say my legs didn’t want to work for a while!
3. I know I have the most embarrassing experience in the military than most anybody. This might be a long story but you’ll enjoy it.I had just turned 21 and my unit was having a party to raise funds for our Christmas party. I figured I’d go there and have a couple of drinks then head back to the Armory. The party was a the bar of one of our unit members, a friend of mine. I had my first drink and Raffy had made it exceptionally strong - not that I was complaining. I planned on 2 more drinks and ordered my next one, which was also strong. When I ordered my third drink I was feeling pretty good. By the time I finished my third drink I had forgotten that I only wanted to have 3 drinks then leave. I remember having a good time but then everything becomes a blur. I remember thinking I needed to pass out and thought “I should just pass out in this booth - somebody will take me back to the Armory…” So pass out I did. Suddenly I woke up realizing that I needed to puke right NOW! I got up and started pushing through the packed bar to get to the bathroom. I remember having my hand over my mouth as I started to puke up on my way to the bathroom. In the bathroom I was puking everywhere except the toilet. On the wall, on the floor, everywhere! Suddenly the door flew open and somebody said “HEY! DO YOU KNOW WHO THE F#CK I AM?!” I said no between puking. “I’M THE GUY YOU JUST PUKED ON!” “Sorry.” I replied between heaves. “DO YOU KNOW WHO I ALSO AM?!” “No” I replied while continuing to puke. “I’M YOUR F#CKING SERGEANT MAJOR!!!!” Needless-to-say I sobered up pretty quickly. The CSM and I had a lovely little chat and somebody took me home. I was expecting to be demoted the next day at opening formation, but that never happened. Oddly, I ended up getting promoted the next month!

Question: How long have you been blogging and why did you get into blogging?

I’ve been blogging for quite a while. I’ve had different blogs not related to the military but I’ve shut them down. I started my brother’s blog when he deployed to Iraq in 2005 and eventually decided to start my own.

I started my blog because I thought I might have an interesting story to tell. Whether I have an interesting story to tell still remains to be seen - but I keep blogging anyway. I thought I had an interesting story to tell because at the time I was a recruiter for the Army National Guard. I looked at the media and all the things I hear every day about recruiters and thought maybe I could change some opinions. I figured maybe I could provide an insight into the recruiting world that people have never heard before.

I am no longer a recruiter having ETSed and am going back to being a traditional soldier. I will continue to blog but don’t exactly know which direction I will take my blog.

Question: What is your military experience?

I tried to enlist just after my 17th birthday during my junior year of high school. I went to MEPS and was told I have “droopy eyelids”. Many doctor visits and several months later I enlisted as a 31C Single Channel Radio Operator. I was assigned to the scout platoon of an ADA unit and had a lot of good experiences and fun. Being in the scout platoon was an amazing experience.

Eventually it was decided that I would be the XOs radio operator in the ALOC. That was an interesting experience and I learned more about the military than I thought I would. After a while I decided that I would like to try out some combat arms stuff. I re-classed to a 14M Stinger Missile Operator, or MANPADS Crew member officially. I did that for a while before becoming a recruiter. I recruited for almost 4 years in a small town in Northeastern Minnesota. Being a recruiter was the best experience and the worst experience of my life. I was able to take a forever failing office and proceeded to win the Chief’s Freedom Challenge in 2005 and helped my team to be the #1 recruiting team in the country in 2006. They’re on track to being #1 this year too.

Question: What are some of your other favorite Milblogs?

My favorite Milblog is JusticeSoldier.com - the fact that he is my brother and I administrate and sometimes contribute to his blog has nothing to do with it being my favorite I assure you! I used to really like “Confessions of a Military Recruiter” until he had to shut down his blog. I now read “Jack Army”, “Adventures of a Detailed Recruiter”, “SGT Lori”, and “Blackfive” quite often.

Question: What has been the biggest factor in helping you create and publish a successful blog?

I think the biggest factor is having something to say that is relevant and understandable. I know we’ve all been to a blog and not understood what the author was saying…. or just didn’t care. When I write in my blog I think of my readers (whoever they may be) and wonder if they will care what I am writing about. I also make sure that I care what I’m writing about. If I don’t care about what I’m writing about or I don’t think my readers will care - I don’t write.

Another major factor to a successful blog is making it personal. When my readers visit my blog, I like to think it is like sitting down and having a cup of coffee with me. I’ve been to blogs where the writer was more like an impersonal reporter - I didn’t feel like I was connecting with the writer.

Question: Do you have anything else you would like us to mention about you, your blog, or your readers?

I really like to dabble in video editing. Some people may have seen my first video “American Soldier Featuring LTC Randolph C. White Jr.” I recently finished a new video titled “A Tribute to Military Children”. I think everyone will enjoy this moving new video of mine and encourage everyone to go to my blog to check it out!

Bookmark to: