Pass The Brass

Here are the Q’s and A’s to a short interview that Bob Walsh sent me.

1. “Sure Fire”, Can you tell me how PasstheBrass.com got started?

Passthebrass.com (PTB) was originally the brainchild of my brother Chad, the owner of Passtheammo.com (PTA). The original intent was to simply catalogue my experiences in the military. The reason the name is so similar is because it was also originally designed to be a sister site of PTA. What I didn’t know was how regulated the whole thing would turn out to be.

2. What do you feel you get out of blogging? What do you think the people who read your blog get?

I never really thought that I would get anything out of blogging except the satisfaction of my family and friends knowing what I was going through. The good times, the bad times, all that nonsense. As it turns out, blogging is one of the best ways to vent any emotions one wants. I use blogging to try to help people see what I see in the military. To sort of go through the motions without actually having to join. And I hope that that is exactly what my readers are getting from my postings.

3. What’s been the reaction of your fellow troopers to you blogging?

There’s two parts to this answer, cuz there’s two parts to my “fellow troopers”. There’s those enlisted and alongside me in the lower enlisted ranks, and then there’s those in authority. The former, thinking that what I’m doing is genuinely funny and unique, while the latter sees the security risk as well as the other risks associated with free information. It’s all understandable, but kind of a sick irony when you think about it. Goes back to the whole “join to protect free speech, and give it up when you swear in” bit. Just technicalities I’m afraid…everyone’s got their rules they have to follow.

4. Do your commanders know, and if they do/did what would be their reaction?

Oh my command knows for sure. I’ve been noticed at both of my duty stations I’ve been assigned to. My previous station saw my site as only a potential risk of Operations Security(OPSEC) whereas my current station actually saw my darker humor as a negative picture of the Army. I’ve caught some flak for the site. The command group is only trying to maintain the standards that have been so long in standing with the United States military and I am not one to try to break them down. I just want to be able to show people “how we do” with my personal taste added. It just points back to the quote, “People sleep peacefully at night because rough men stand ready to do great violence on their behalf.” - George Orwell

I’ve actually been blogging since October 2004, which you will see by my first post. I removed a years worth of blogging, after some hardcore crackdown by the higher ups. Well, I’m storing it offline at least. I decided to start fresh, and to stick to the rules a bit closer.

5. I see more than a few of your commenters are talking to each other as well – did they know each other before you started blogging?

My blog has become a small hub where a handful of people from around the states enjoy my material and have come to enjoy each others conversation. The only people on the site who know each other are my friends and family from back home. Other than that, everyone else has come to meet each other through my site as well as other milblogs. A warm feeling indeed, to be able to help others meet new and interesting people through my writings.

6. I see your brother Chad handles the mechanics of keeping your blog going. Good way to go for deployed bloggers?

My brother has a side business building websites, and he does them for a hobby as well. So he enjoys moderating the place, as well as giving it any upgrades or maintenance it might require. But it’s nice knowing that if theres a problem with the site, he can get it back in working order. He has a bit of a head start over what most other brothers might bring to the table. Hahaha!

7. Any suggestions for other soldiers who want to blog?

First: Follow the rules of the road. Anyone and their mother can access the Internet, including our enemies. Try to stay within reason and not give out any secrets, huh? Anonyminity has been known to help with very successful blogs (AS). I myself tried it out…to no avail in that I started off with my full name on display. Also, don’t bother listing company names and such, as it will usually lead to you getting found out. HAHA!

I have also found that brutal honesty and core feelings are a big hit with the public. People like to see how we soldiers really feel sometimes. All they see are our products. The mainstream media never shows them our personalities.

8. Can I/Should I use your real name and rank? (I just added this to the list since you emailed..)

I’d rather you stuck with my handle, “Surefire”. I’m still tryin’ to maintain a little anonyminity.

This entry was posted on Friday, April 7th, 2006 at 8:17 am and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.