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The 10 Best Military News Websites
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One of the things that many military readers agree on is that news organizations have discredited themselves by ignoring positive news about the military while blasting negative news from the roof tops. Yes, we know bad things happen in war and no reasonable person expects the media to cover-up the bad. We need to keep our military in check and we need the media to serve as a watchdog for the government. But far to often it has become an attack dog.
For many of us, we have taken to skipping the latest trashing of the military from the likes of The New York Times and have turned to alternative news outlets. Here now are what I consider the ten best. Granted, these are my favorites and there are so many good ones I will undoubtedly leave out some which deserve to be on this list. Feel free to email me with your input in the future. (rayrobisonblog -at- hotmail -dot- com) Some of these are military news outlets and some are civilian news. In the future, I will look at the “best of” counter-terrorism websites, military charities websites (to and from) and other specialty categories. This list is for generalized reporting.
10: www.centcom.mil
Central Command is the US Army's designation for the area between Europe and Eastern Asia, which includes Africa, the Middle East and South West Asia. Our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are commanded by CENTCOM. The website provides original news reporting from military journalists. Often, it's stuff you never hear from the major media. For instance, a team from Texas A&M is now in Iraq consulting the Iraqis on farming techniques. This stuff might not have the pizazz of another bombing story, but in the long run it might matter more to the stabilization of Iraq.
Military Blogging is of course a new phenomenon we have only seen in the last few years. Out if front is www.military.com (more on them later) which allows thousands of soldiers to have a say on current events or just discuss what is important in their lives. Finally, we don't need the media which often skews their views to know what our bravest are thinking. Here's an excerpt from a blog called “365 and a wakeup”:
Because on October 27, 2005 Mike’s vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb and he was killed. In the face of such a stunning loss it is natural for your soul to grow weary, and for your mind to scream for what has been so violently ripped away. It would have been the easiest of things to let my heart turn as cold as death and pump my veins with venom. But Mike left me with parting gift, the realization that leadership is about being able to see beyond yourself and your own needs. So Mike’s legacy did not end there on that dusty ribbon of asphalt. Instead I took command of Alpha Company and spent the ensuing weeks and months leading my soldiers through those fire bright days. We started to adapt, leaving our armored HMMWVs behind and trudging through floodplains that were ancient when Abraham walked the earth. We paid visits to locals far removed from the road network and built on the foundation of trust Mike had crafted with the local tribes. By time we left the land of the two rivers we had slashed insurgent activity and laid the groundwork for local self government. Within a year of our departure the tribes we partnered with had formed the Hor Joeb Awakening Council, created their own police force, and forced Ansar Al Suna out of the region. What Mike started the council had finished.
Ever heard anything like that from the NY Times?
Recognized by Forbes magazine as a “best of the web”. If there is something you need to know about the military, weapons systems, or even foreign military this is a great launch point. The website began as a repository for primary documents gained by Freedom of Information Act requests. That alone is an accomplishment, my request for Saddam regime documents just clicked into the three year mark, still waiting....waiting....waiting. It also does studies and provides news on military and political issues with a staff of subject matter experts, it has become a think tank.
The official US military website. It runs press releases and news stories. Lot's of links to other military websites. A good starting place for military research. Not fancy, but useful.
Homepage of the Multi-National Force- Iraq. News from and for operations in Iraq. Lot's of video reporting and presentations from commanders. As I write this one of the lead articles is about the Iraqi Army providing supplies to school children. It can be dry, but it can be heartwarming stuff as well. And they aren't afraid to run news stories about failure. But mostly, this is where you can read about new schools, hospitals, utilities, you know, the stuff the rest of the media thinks is not newsworthy.
Jane's has long been the standard for inside the military information. It was started by its' founder in the late 19th century as a catalog of military equipment. It now conducts professional studies in areas like military intelligence. It also provides world class military reporting and open source analysis.
The website of the Association of the United States Army. A civilian organization tightly linked to the army. The website links to the Institute of Land Warfare which is involved in military book publishing and publishes professional military research articles. It's the civilian side of the army's institutional memory as well as a place for sharing new military incite.
Politically incorrect news reporting. Strategy Page is not afraid to identify the enemy in this war, Islamic extremists, whereas others seem to consider it impolite to say so in civil conversation. They have great inside sources, tackle anything from military logistics problems to what the latest al Qaeda sympathizing website is up to. Just good reporting.
Military.com is a web based private reporting organization targeted to a military audience. It is very generalized and has information, like a job board, for transitioning soldiers as well as active duty. Very useful for practical military concerns to the soldier, sailor, airman or marine. It carries a lot of combat footage if you have a few minutes and want to watch some terrorists get their 72 virgins.
Best all around news source for the military community. The Military Times is a website of the Army Times Publishing Company, a division of the Gannett Company. Like other Gannett newspapers (USA Today and several city papers) it is professional reporting but done for and about the military community. The Military Times is the collective name for Air Force, Army, Marines, and Navy Times editions. It also publishes more specialized defense newspapers. Just about every soldier, contractor, and defense civilian employee reads one of these journals.
Bonus special mentions: www.longwarjournal.org features independent war correspondent Bill Roggio who shames most of the media. Whenever a rumor about a major development in Afghanistan comes out, bloggers wait for Bill to confirm or deny. He gets the inside scoops. And I can't leave out www.michaelyon-online.com another independent war reporter. His “Gates of Fire” correspondence is gripping.
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