Friday, January 25, 2008

I've Joined the Club..?
Posted by Mike

Well, I remember a while back Peter and I having a discussion about who reads these blogs and that sometimes it causes some folks a bit of discomfort. Along with that insight, I remember Peter and I discussing a particular situation where he received a suggestion (yeah right) from those in his then chain of command to "back off" - or something to that effect, correct me Peter; I'm running on a well used memory... ;)

I had this experience this week, by some in my direct chain of command. I was sort of encouraged (with some very strong negative overtones) to be careful about posting my personal information and my opinions on these blogs. I guess I'm in the club now Peter. Thank you for having me...

While it made me feel good that folks are reading these blog entries, its still a bit disconcerting that rather than join the fray, that we still have folks inside the CG that would rather follow antiquated methods in an effort to control the situation. I respectfully submit that those of us that participate in these generally have the best interests of the Coast Guard in our thinking. I would further submit that if we weren't passionate for this organization and making it a better organization, we would simply go away and not care to participate.

I just wanted to report that I now understand what it feels like to have that experience; and to state emphatically that I won't be backing down. Sorry, not in me to do that... My father was a career Coastie, I've got a lot of years invested myself and for some bizarre reason, I just really like this organization. I want to help make it a better one and hope that it may continue to be the organization of choice for the best and brightest our country has to offer - this is why I do what I do, and I suspect, why we do what we do...

OK, enough nonsense. I just needed to vent... Have a great Coast Guard day! Mike

Posted on Friday, January 25, 2008
   

Labels: by Michael McGrath

7 comments:

At Saturday, January 26, 2008 12:34:00 AM EST Peter A. Stinson said...

Mike, here's something interesting for you: it used to be that I only had one blog, Tidewater Musings. At Tidewater Musings I posted about everything that interested me from political rants to the Coast Guard to the education to... well, you get the picture. Then there was the heat which came down both the Reserve chain of command and my chain of command for my civilian job. On the civilian job, the O-6 provided some very quiet counsel, and I suspect told people who were griping to find something else to get worked up about. The other chain of command reacted entirely differently; I'll not go into the details here, but let's just say my career as a reservist is all but over.

Anyway, at first I was going to stop blogging about the CG; then I blogged about the nation's "fifth military service." When the heat got so hot, what did I do? Oh, I stopped blogging about the CG on Musings. And, frankly, for spite started this blog. The name, An Unofficial Coast Guard Blog, is pure emotional reaction to the heat that those who think they are in power weld.

So, what was the result. They drove me to create a blog focussed solely on the Coast Guard, to get others involved, and to force changes.

In short, they made the situation "worse," and I am thankful for it. It's the unintended consequences. Okay, I'll stop blogging on Musings about the Coast Guard. Okay, you can end my career as a reservist. But, I'm still here. Still blogging. We have a broader readership than Musings ever had. And, I would submit, we are helping make the CG more transparent, and we are driving positive change within the organization.

The official public affairs machine of the Coast Guard is now using New Media; they weren't even thinking about it before. I wager that the CG will follow the DOD and, at some point, have a person dedicated to cultivating relationships with bloggers and other new media types.

What's all this tell me? It tells me that those who "don't get it." those who don't see the value and the power, those who hold on to the old and (hopefully) fading notion of opaqueness and being able to operate in the shadows with no regard to oversight and transparency... they are the true dinosaurs.

This isn't your father's Coast Guard in a lot of ways, and those who live the old way (such as those fine senior leaders who have put pressure on you) are going to have to realize that this is bigger than any one person or any one site. This is not going to end; it's only going to get bigger and more complex.

We're doing things -- such as John's Coast Guard News and our CGMS site -- that the Coast Guard ought to be doing... and, I suspect, will be doing in the near future...

I wonder if those who rally against this site have caught some of the stuff on YouTube & other places? New media is big and requires a new paradigm, a new way of looking at the world.

Admiral Allen gets it. A few other flags get it. Some captains get it. But many don't. And they will not persevere. The culture is changing; they can run me out of the CGR, but this train is bigger than me and you.

Wow. That was a rant, wasn't it?

Oh, one more thing. I think most Coasties involved in new media love the Coast Guard, want to see the Coast Guard continue to be an excellent organization and improve, and contribute to the Web with the Core Values in mind.

Those who stand in the way... well, I'm not so sure...

 

At Saturday, January 26, 2008 10:20:00 AM EST Ryan R. Erickson said...

Welcome to the club! So I don't take up too much space, here is the link to my story- very close to Peters.

 

At Saturday, January 26, 2008 12:17:00 PM EST RJ said...

I had that problem when I was in. I found out that my CWO and quite a few people on base were reading my blogs. Turns out my CWO was looking for evidence to discharge me and tried to use my personal writings on my blog against me. I was even told to not write about the CG and it's people or I could be punished? How, I'm not sure since it's freedom of speech to write. The only thing I can say, is to be aware that when you write something, someone in your chain of command might be reading it and forming opinions about you.

 

At Saturday, January 26, 2008 3:23:00 PM EST Peter A. Stinson said...

RJ,

I know that my boss and my boss's boss in my chain as a civilian employee periodically read this blog and probably a couple of others. But, they trust me.

I know that the Commandant stops by every once in a while along with others from the 2nd Deck.

They all get it.

Too bad about others.

I once came across a blog on MySpace from a nonrate who alleged in the blog that she'd experienced a sexual assault as a Coastie. Her chain of command used the blog not as an opportunity to help her, but, like you, to try and drum her out.

This is a new era, and I think we are all struggling to find the boundaries. Personally, I believe that here at CGBlog, we are working well within the lines which will ultimately be drawn. Well, that's my prediction anyway. We will continue to blog opinion, commentary, and news, and we hope you and others will continue to read and find at least some of our posts useful.

 

At Sunday, January 27, 2008 1:12:00 AM EST Mike said...

Hey, thanks folks. I appreciate the support. Semper Paratus.

Notice that I'm writing this at 0110 on Sunday am. How many folks do you know give thought to making the Coast Guard a better organization at that time of the morning during their "off time"? Point made I think... ;)

 

At Sunday, January 27, 2008 9:45:00 PM EST Thomas Jackson said...

Here is where this gets scary. One of the many, (did I say many) reasons we’re holding fast to our investigative piece on Ms. Dickerson (CG Dir of CR) is that sometimes we, or even one of us must take a stand for what is right. We pushed hard for the Coast Guard to update its NO FEAR data on-line as is required by Federal Law to be updated and posted within 30 days of each Quarter closing out. Why is that important? Simply put, because no one should live in FEAR of their employer retaliating against them (best known as “reprisal”).

Reprisal is an absolute form of discrimination, and reportable. It’s actually one of the easiest for you to prove … Here’s how: Give your employer the benefit of the doubt and following any one-on-one counseling, follow the encounter up with an e-mail clarifying the exchange with your supervisor. Always turn on return-receipt. Here’s the beauty of this, even if your supervisor has a “moment” and realizes he or she just made a huge error, if they don’t respond and correct their statement then they clearly accept your version of events. If they show back up in your office and want to discuss it, kindly as them if they would be so kind as to respond to your e-mail instead, and or suggest you have the conversation with someone from HR present.

Your right to free speech and free expression outside the office on your time should not be the concern of your employer. In fact, if they are getting all spun up … could it be they need to be looking inward not outward at you? Could they need to evaluate if what you have said on-line is something they should take onboard and use as a tool for “self correcting behavior?” Just a thought.

 

At Monday, January 28, 2008 8:56:00 PM EST Mike said...

Wow, thanks Thomas, I was unaware of that method. See, I'm getting smarter every day.

I have actually been walking a bit more lightly around the office, howbeit, not more lightly online. I am officially an embedded contractor by day now, and a reservist by (hmmm, not by night, hmmm) by status..? I suppose my status might become the issue since I'm not officially an active duty or civilian guy.

I'm just curious, does that change the equation..?

 

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