The March 20th Wall Street Journal article by Yochi J. Dreazen describes the same IED problem that I discussed in my previous blog post. See post "DODLive Bloggers Roundtable Hears from Lt. Gen. Michael L. Oates on IEDs"
In fact, Army Lt. General Michael Oates, new director of the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO), is quoted in the Journal article.
What especially upset me after reading the article (besides the problem of the IEDs) is the lack of response I got from Gen. Oates' staff. Here's what happened:
He said in the DODLive Bloggers Roundtable that his four-year-old organization charged with finding solutions to IEDs wanted to hear from people outside the usual military channels who might have new ideas about dealing with this horrendous problem.
Yet, when I went to his org's website -- the URL of which I had to ask for on the call as it wasn't automatically provided -- the home page is so filled with links to press releases and news stories that it's very hard to have any idea at all that this org actually wants help. (Check out www.jieddo.dod.mil to see if you agree with me.)
Because this problem of IEDs is so horrendous, I offered to advise JIEDDO on how to have a home page that makes it very clear that the org is looking for civilian help on this problem. (A website review is one of the services that my Internet marketing company does.)
My DODLive contact said she would forward this offer to Gen. Oates' PAO (Public Affairs Officer) -- and in over a week I have heard nothing.
Thus reading this story in the March 20th Journal really upset me because I am convinced that there are civilian engineers and other civilians who could help with this problem IF THEY KNEW THEIR HELP IS NEEDED.
But how are they going to know that their help is needed? Certainly not by going to www.jieddo.dod.mil
What do you think? Am I right to be really, really upset at this lack of follow-through on the part of the staff of JIEDDO?
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Phyllis Zimbler Miller is the author of the novel MRS. LIEUTENANT and the co-author of the Jewish holiday book SEASONS FOR CELEBRATION. Her newest project is www.FilmsThatSupportOurTroops.com.
Phyllis' company MillerMosaicLLC.com does power marketing that combines traditional marketing principles and Internet marketing strategies to put power in your hands.
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