The Department of Defense continues to embrace social media with BlogTalkRadio.

BlogTalkRadio is pleased to announce we are working with the Department of Defense to develop live, Internet talk shows aimed to inform internal audiences, the public and the blogger community about Pentagon activities and initiatives starting with these two shows:

• The Department of Defense Bloggers’ Roundtable connects bloggers and online citizen journalists with DoD civilian and military leaders and subject matter experts. The Roundtable provides source material where available, including audio, photo, video, transcripts, biographies and related fact sheets.
• ASY Live or “America Supports You,” is a nationwide program designed to recognize citizens’ support for our military men and women and communicate that support to members of our Armed Forces at home and abroad. Interviews range from Department of Defense personnel, to patriotic citizens and non-profit homefront organizations.

Allison Barber, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs:

“We’re using new media in the Department of Defense because it’s allowing us to create a more customized experience for our diverse worldwide audiences. They can access our news and information where they want it, when they want it. BlogTalkRadio is one of the new media formats enabling us to provide that more personalized experience.”

BlogTalkRadio CEO Alan Levy:

“The Pentagon has recognized BlogTalkRadio’s ability to reach various targeted audiences utilizing our easy-to-use talk radio broadcasting format. It enables them to deliver prompt information to listeners regarding the War on Terror and other Pentagon activities and programs, while also conveying the feelings and emotion of those who are affected.”

Late 2006, Scott Kesterson started doing live broadcasts from Afghanistan. Since then, we have remained in constant touch with the DoD. Key officers have been guests on Military blogger radio shows and, of course, we already have a number of military spouse shows, like Army Wife Talk Radio and Navy Wife Radio.

BlogTalkRadio welcomes the Department of Defense to the Internet “airwaves.”

Yesterday I had the distinct pleasure of joining Scott Kesterson on his Words of War show. BTR honcho Alan Levy and I had a wide-ranging talk with Scott about what he’s seeing on the ground in Afghanistan, the role of Pakistan in funding the resurgent Taliban, what the U.S. could have done differently, etc.

But the thing I kept coming back to as I thought about that show was the fact that Scott’s out there doing the kind of serious news reporting that was once the domain of the biggest entities in the business — like CBS News (remember Walter Cronkite, anybody? anybody?). Now that role has been abdicated by the big dogs who are busy covering Anna Nicole and Britney.

Thanks Scott for putting your life on the line to let us know what’s going on in our name across the globe.
Here’s some background on Scott and his current assignment from a blog post he wrote last year:

My name is Scott Kesterson. I am a freelance photojournalist. Over the course of the next 16 months I will be embedded with the US Army’s 41st Brigade as they mobilize and deploy to Afghanistan as part of the on-going activities of Operation: Enduring Freedom. The 41st Brigade is composed entirely of National Guard volunteers, with this specific deployment calling-up over 6000 of its soldiers nation wide. I will be living the entire tour along side of the men and women of this Brigade, photographing and recording my experiences here through this blog.

My project is one of passion. It is the realization of a life long dream to work as a combat photographer. Having served with the Oregon Army National Guard, 41st Brigade during the mid 80’s, in both the enlisted ranks, and eventually as a 2nd Lt., I also have a personal interest in documenting this narrative. My focus is and will be the human part of the story; that element that too often gets passed over in the face of headlines and dramatic events. I am a strong believer that the real drama is what happens in the lives of people through the events of the day to day.

Throughout my embed I will be reporting the events as I see them. Through my words, still imagery and video feeds you will be able to follow the operations of the soldiers of 41st Brigade. The mobilization and deployment will be in two parts. The initial 90 days will be at Camp Shelby, Mississippi, where the soldiers will be in-processed into the active Army, and, trained and conditioned for their work in Afghanistan. In June, the initial wave of deployment will begin, with deployments throughout the country of Afghanistan.

He’s produced some very powerful work — I particularly recommend “The Thin Veil of Hate” and “Guilt and the Daily Contribution to Terror” and this interview with Taylor Marsh.

Those that know me, know that I generally don’t toot my own horn, so in today’s post I decided to grab a few recent posts that have been buzzing around the blogosphere.

The headline above came from the blog, The DragonFlyEye.Net Blog

The post written by, Thomas Kelnap goes on to say:
“But man, oh, man! Did I ever have a good time tonight! I’ve probably been keeping the wife awake and I’m sure I’ll hear about it in the morning, but it was worth it to do some discovering”

Or how about this recent post from Zaadz.com Oldude59’s blog. The blogger goes on to say:

“Predictably, the BlogTalkRadio business model is ad-supported. Display space on the site will be sold, but more innovatively, radio advertising targeted to the audience of each show will be inserted into broadcasts, which of course is where Chris Anderson rears his ugly long tail. Levy said: “On one level I don’t care how many people are listening to a show; it can be 10 or it can be 10,000, there’s still money.” So for someone like me that is trying to build a market with little cash to invest – “thank god”. It puts me in the mode to create content and build an audience for the clinic, both its online patients as well as those near the clinic site”

I couldn’t be happier about the grass roots buzz around Blogtalkradio.

Finally, I would like to share a portion of an email sent to BTR Program Director Amy Domestico by Scott Kesterson on Friday after our weekly broadcast called The Words of War. As many of you know, Scott is the only US embedded reporter in Afghanistan and is doing some incredible work. Scott calls into BTR “live” from the front lines.

Earlier today, I had the pleasure of speaking with Scott Kesterson “live” on Blogtalkradio. Scott, who is the only US embed in Afghanistan called into his The Words of War.

By reading the abundance of press in recent days, it seemed like the Taliban were gearing up for a “bloody” spring offensive. Rather than get our information through traditional media outlets, why not speak directly with the a photo journalist on the ground. Scott called the reported figure of 10,000 Taliban troops wildly overstated. He seemed disturbed that the major media outlets were falling for the Taliban’s propaganda campaign “hook, line and sinker”.

While we were chatting away about NATO’s poor handling of the campaign, Mick Fealty, called in from Northern Ireland. Mick’s blog, Slugger O’toole is the number one blog in Northern Ireland. Mick also happens to be a featured host on Blogtalkradio. So here we are, all on the line, streaming live for the world to hear. I am in NJ, Scott is in Afghanistan and Mick is in Northern Ireland.

The archived show can be heard here.

If you ask me, I think this is pretty cool.

The Thin Veil of Hate

He lay on the ground with bullet wounds near his heart. There was nothing that could be done as his life became defined by minutes. He was Taliban, and moments before he had ambushed an Afghan soldier killing him with a shot to the head that removed part of that soldier’s skull. Now a victim himself, this Taliban fighter lay at my feet, choking out a dull moan of pain as his breath slowed. A shaved head, a trimmed beard, dressed in brown Afghan pants and top, he turned to his side to die.

Hate is shown in the eyes. A life focus that drives their every move. It consumes them, and becomes a part of a belief system that they erect. In itself, hate becomes a religion, tied to promises of redemption and reward through killing and dying for a professed righteousness in cause. It is not Muslim, though they claim it to be. It matters not, for hate is rooted in a belief structure that seethes from the bowels of frustration, emptiness, jealously, and want. It is a vile emotion that provides no middle ground, only life as they see it, or release through death.

As he lay there on the ground I watched his eyes dart back and forth; the visual groping that seeks answers to all of the promises that were made. In these last few moments, his eyes spoke the prayers of the Koran, asked Allah for his blessing, and reached for the sight of the promised seventy-seven virgins. All he saw was blue sky, green grass, and the hand of an American medic pulling back after trying to stay his death. I watched as he exhaled, then turned his head to the side as if to vomit, only to find a dry mouth and coagulated phlegm.

As the seconds ticked on, and his life drew to a close, the veil of promise and hate began to recede. His desire for life returned, as he now searched desperately to live; his eyes hopelessly seeking help from the very people he lived to destroy. He was beyond the reach of the medic now. He was slipping away to the greater mystery of our existence: death. He was in the final moments of discovery, in which the truth of all that he had lived for and now died for would be revealed. He would soon know the variety of the promise’s made, as his eyes revealed the most most powerful emotion stored within his soul- he revealed fear.

As the body of the dead Afghan soldier was carried down from the mountain, this Taliban who lived for the destruction of all things western, all things infidel, died. Abandoned in the fight by his comrades, his final darting glances of desperation revealed the ultimate truth: he was now alone.

Today at 11 am est Alan Levy will be on the air live with Scott Kesterson as Scott calls in live from the front lines of Afghanistan. In a new location since Alan and Scott last called in Oshay, Afghanistan, in the Uruzgon Province which is home base for the time being, spring offensive is just about to get underway as the Taliban are massing and in Scott’s words just this morning to me, they are coming in from Pakistan, building defenses, setting in for a bloody fight… they claim to have 10,000 soldiers.

Click here to listen

Also at 11 am on Heading Left, former Alaskan Senator Mike Gravel, Democratic Presidential Candidate for 2008. James Boyce and Nate Wilcox from Heading Left will discuss with Senator Gravel his campaign and all he has to offer this great country.

Click here to listen

I was thrilled when Senator John Kerry joined Nate Wilcox and I on “Heading Left” on Monday. But that was just the start of what is turning out to be a remarkable week on BlogTalkRadio.

Tonight, we welcome The New Media Journal to BlogTalkRadio with their first show, “The Threat Of Radical Islamist Terrorism.” Featured guests include Dr. Harvey Kushner, Laura Mansfield and Jeffrey Epstein. This show airs at 9:00 p.m. Eastern.

Right after that, we welcome back Captain Ed of Captain’s Quarters who has two remarkable guests on his show. First, Ed welcomes Governor Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota to his show. Governor Pawlenty is National Co-Chairman of Senator John McCain’s Presidential Exploratory Committee and will discuss Senator McCain’s 2008 quest with Ed.

Following that, Ed welcomes on former Congressman Newt Gingrich to his show to discuss his potential 2008 campaign. Listen to the Captain tonight. That’s going to be a terrific show.

Tomorrow, we have two more great shows for political junkies. Alan Levy, founder of BlogTalkRadio, chats with Scott Kesterson on Scott’s show, The Words Of War. Scott is embedded in Afghanistan and will bring us his perspective and opinions straight from the battle zone.

Nate Wilcox and I will host another edition of “Heading Left” tomorrow, this time welcoming former Senator Mike Gravel from Alaska to our show. Senator Gravel is running for President in 2008 as well, and he will be on to discuss the war in Iraq and how the Congress can take the lead in stopping it.

Every day, more and more political hosts join BlogTalkRadio and more and more great shows are hosted and available for you to listen. People love talking politics here at BlogTalkRadio - join the conversation.

Alan Levy talks to Scott Kesterson live from the front lines of Afghanistan at 11 am est. Tune in Scott has all the news we dont hear in the main stream media…………..

Click here

On December 11, 2006 BlogTalkRadio CEO Alan Levy got the news from Afghanistan with embedded reporter Scott Kesterson live from the front lines. Click here to listen

On October 19th at 7 PM est., Scott Kesterson an embedded reporter with the US Army’s 41st Brigade in Afghanistan will be calling in live to BlogTalkRadio.com for a one on one interview with David Perlmutter.

This is Scott’s first live interview since being embedded at the beginning of March 2006. Scott will be discussing what is going on in Afghanistan behind the scenes and on the front lines. From his first hand experiences alongside our solders during battle armed with only a camera, to filming our troops training of the Afghanistan National Guard.

Interviewing Scott will be David D. Perlmutter; David is a professor and associate dean for graduate studies and research in the William Allen White School of Journalism & Mass Communications at the University of Kansas. He writes regularly for the Chronicle of Higher Education and has published over 130 opinion essays for U.S. and international newspapers. In addition, he is frequently interviewed by wire services, newspapers, magazines, and television media such as the New York Times, National Public Radio, CNN, Reuters, UPI, the AP, and ABC News as well as featured in a number of documentaries.

How to tune into The Words of War.

Stream the show live from your computer by visiting Scott Kesterson’s host channel at www.blogtalkradio.com/kesterson , and dial in live at 646-915-8531 to have the unique ability to talk to Scott live from the frontlines.

About BlogTalkRadio.com

BlogTalkRadio.com helps bloggers and other individuals extend their reach through hosting their own live talk show. People can listen live and call in to comment, interact, and engage the host. All in real-time and all for free. Each host is provided a dedicated phone number for the show and listeners can use any phone, whether land line, cell phone, VOIP, etc. to listen in or to participate. Blogtalkradio enhances traditional podcasting, by allowing live interaction recorded in a downloadable format complete with RSS feeds.

To learn more about the website and upcoming news, visit www.blogtalkradio.com

Š