What a difference a generation makes with gadgets

We acquired our first networked computer in the house when my daughter started Kindergarten. Now her daughter, at 20 months, in this multigenerational household is exposed to a wireless network, gadgets and terminology such as smartphones, tablets, mobile devices, and laptops.


GGMa Flo who used a beeper during her career days and experienced Atari as the family game console, who didn't grow up with the Internet is now an Internet addict. My daughter who grew up with the technology as we shared many lessons learned from online school to teens tinkering with social media, implements security and privacy measures while sharing select information with her designated Internet connections. And the G-daughter who is growing up with everything Google and is the next generation gadget girl is exposing us all to the wonders of tech through a toddler's eyes.


And me...well I get to be the Network Manager, technogeek, still attempting to educate the end users to be mindful of the information they release and how to hit the F1 key to help themselves, and to tinker.


We use ebooks, multimedia books, Sesame Street and Disney Junior channels on YouTube, a shared Picasa album, Android and iPad apps for children, shared Google calendar for appointments, medicine, milestones, and special events.


The Department of Defense attempts to educate family members on OPSEC as they realized education was better than banning, so the Social Media hub was developed for all services to share Internet based capabilities policies, training and education sources. How are you influencing the family social media policy? How do you educate family users on security topics such as computer security, information security, operation security, personal security?

Some sites that may be of interest:
Free OPSEC training material from the OPSEC Professional's Association
US Army Social Media 
US Army Online and Social Media Division Slideshare 

Where else do you tinker?

I have been using milSuite, which is touted as social media behind the Department of Defense firewall. Great place to connect with other professionals while feeling the parallelisms in public and the military education systems.

*To access milSuite, one needs a CAC or AKO/DKO credentials. The milSuite team has a presence on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Flickr.

As I transitioned back to Georgia I have not been lounging around like stagnated swamp water. I have a fantastic opportunity to work with some terrific officers in the U.S. Army as a Course Manager in one level of an officer's professional military education (PME), in addition to my own educational pursuits, and giving scholarship and Google product workshops at the local library.

One of the pilots I am working on is to implement electives. I facilitate the Social Media elective. Many people assume that the military only does training, when in fact we have some well known colleges such as U.S. Military Academy aka West Point, Naval War College, Army War College, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Air War College...which make up one part of Professional Military Education (PME). I do not participate in the education versus training argument as I leave that to the great debaters because I move forward with people who are focused on the learning.

When you Google PME or Professional Miltary Education the results are varied. The U.S. Code: Title 10 contains the links to the chapters on Armed Forces, the U.S. Naval War College has a page with a description and resources about Joint Professional Military Education, Cornell University Law School has links with descriptions for the U.S. Code, which includes Title 10 Subtitle A > Part III > Chapter 107 Professional Military Education, and Wikipedia has an article on Joint Professional Military Education.

There are a few of us who are active on milBook who still blog publicly, just not necessarily about information that may violate the Department of Defense and service specific social media policies. Working with the military has its own set of unique challenges just as the local public school system (RCSS) does, but the parallelisms exist. You are reminded that we are all human beings and the power of sharing knowledge, skills, and abilities goes beyond any walled learning environment, or whether your career field involves a two way rifle range or crossing busy streets.

We are also in the process of implementing a milWiki portal to encourage and empower learners to share information whether they are attending the residential course, future students, or alumni. Little by little we are making a difference, whether through milBook, milTube, milWiki, or milBlog. As we embark on round two of the electives option, I look forward to sharing concrete experiences, lessons learned, and connecting with people who are knowledge sharers, lurk and learners, virtual mentors, and/or the next best thing since sliced bread. 

So where have you been tinkering?

Comments, recommendations, and/or check the block of the Reaction boxes are always welcome.

What is milSuite?

Update: milSuite Enterprise Edition launched February 19, 2011: https://www.milsuite.mil
Links are updated in the blog post.

The 30 second YouTube commercial about milSuite

milSuite is a collection of online tools designed to promote collaboration and information sharing, in a secure, online environment and was launched in October 2009. The milSuite portfolio currently includes milBook, milBlog, and milWiki.


milSuite provides these capabilities by focusing on three main objectives:  locating information, sharing knowledge and connecting people. CAC (Common Access Card) must be registered with valid AKO/DKO account to access the milSuite components.

milSuite has a presence on Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, and YouTube.

milBook is an initiative to connect people across the AKO/DKO community.  milBook acts as a central hub for networking workforce professionals with others of similar interests, much like the popular social media sites Facebook™ and LinkedIn™.  Users have the ability to share information through group blogs, discussions, and private wiki documents allowing secure communities of interest to grow and connect with others across the greater Military community.


milWiki is a collaboration tool used by the AKO/DKO community.  It is a powerful tool and a living knowledge bank where experts are encouraged to contribute their experience and knowledge and update the information as it happens.  It allows users to integrate and interlink knowledge into topical-based articles and collaborate on issues up to and including UNCLASSIFIED/FOUO documentation.  milWiki's goal is to capture the intellectual property of the AKO/DKO community and allow users to easily locate and expand upon that knowledge through community updates.


milBlog is a place to find and share the latest news, insider articles, comments, and posts from the community.  It is designed to invite collaboration through discussion and comments on news, events, and announcements that impact the greater AKO/DKO community.  Readers can comment and ask questions that really get the discussion started.  milBlog provides quick easy access and a secure awareness to mission related knowledge and information.


milTube is a platform to capture the numerous internal videos being created across the Department of Defense.

*Clicking on the links for milBook, milBlog, and milWiki will direct you to the milSuite page unless you are logged in with AKO/DKO credentials. The milSuite components, milBook, milBlog, milWiki, and milTube can be accessed from the My Training page through AKO/DKO.


Supplemental articles:
PEO C3T Catapults Army into Social Media Arena December 2009
milBook harnesses social media behind DOD firewalls January 2010
milSuite is the new water cooler Feb 2010 
Collaboration Tools for the Federal Government March 2010
A Case of Social Military April 2010


milSuite has a presence on Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, and YouTube.