Yes, Sir: The U.S. Military Tweets From Afghanistan

The military is embracing social networking in an attempt to keep up with the Web savviness of the Taliban. In addition to Twitter, the U.S. military has ramped up its presence on other social networking sites, including Facebook and YouTube.

The announcement was tweeted out directly from the military's Twitter feed.

"USFOR-A officially launches a Facebook page, Twitter feed and YouTube page to communicate Afghan mission to the world via cyberspace," read the tweet.

The USFOR-A Twitter feed bio says its mission is "to defeat terrorist networks and insurgents by developing effective governance and building the Afghan National Security Force."

The U.S. Forces in Afghanistan also has a Facebook page encouraging fans and friends to comment as well as post videos and photos. Meanwhile, the USFORA YouTube page posts news and other informational content to its page.

According to the AP, the U.S. military has recruited professional journalists to run the initiative, including a former reporter for Stars And Stripes and CNN producer.

The maneuver by the armed forces is aimed putting a more human face on the conflict. For some, Twitter updates and Facebook messages allow parents to interact in a more direct fashion with the military where their sons and daughters have been deployed.

Another advantage of embracing social networks is that the U.S. military can communicate directly with individuals, rather than relying on traditional media outlets to tell its story.

For example, a Tweet sent yesterday provides bare-bones details about an operation carried out in Afghanistan.

"Afghan, coalition forces kill four militants, detain two in Wardak; one detainee believed resp. for a 2008 attack that killed 3 US troops," tweeted the USFOR-A.

While an event like that may or may not make the evening news, at least now the U.S. military has the option of communicating directly with people who are interested in the progress that is happening abroad.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE