View this email in your browser

Welcome to another issue of SEA STATE, where this week we’re discussing social media activity and junior officership!

We know. There are many examples of service members making poor choices when using social media. But chances are, there are just as many (if not more) good examples; they’re just not as newsworthy. Social media is not inherently bad, and it’s certainly not going anywhere. There are many reasons why junior officers and service members at-large should consider engaging online.

Social media allows its users to form online communities with people that share similar interests and points of view. These platforms have collapsed space, bringing together members of the military community serving across the globe. Interactions are no longer limited to those which take place in a physical space, and as such, service members can interact with a larger pool of individuals to befriend, advise, and seek mentorship from.

These relationships are critical to the junior officer experience. The ubiquitous nature of the internet and the on-demand information it can provide gives today’s junior officers access to unlimited perspectives on leadership, time management, and “gouge” in general. Social media sub-communities, like “MilTwitter,” are not without their own problems, but it would be regrettable to not mention that the platform has brought together officers across service branches, communities, and ranks.

Public affairs officers and specialists work to develop the relationship between the military and the greater public. Encouraging positive, thoughtful social media activity by service members would complement these efforts and help it reach new audiences. It is crucially important that the public can find accurate information about the military’s role in protecting American society. As such, don’t we want our best service members to be our unofficial spokespeople? We are encouraged to make a positive difference in our local communities; that contribution can be extended into internet communities.

From the other side, social media has provided the American public with an opportunity to engage with and learn from service members they may be otherwise isolated from. Reports show meaningful interactions between the two groups are increasingly uncommon. Social media interactions can help bridge this divide, as well as cast light on what the two groups have in common. This is critical for a healthy civ-mil relationship.

As a military, we must train and trust our people to make good decisions, including the interactions they have online. This training must be paired with realistic policies to support appropriate and authentic online engagement.

Social media mishaps could lead to tighter restrictions on usage, but it would be more beneficial and appropriate to provide service members with guidance on how to properly utilize their online presence. Individual junior officers have varying levels of comfort with their social media usage, and while some may not use it at all, it is important for every officer to understand how an online presence can positively or negatively impact their mission.

Sincerely,

Madison Sargeant
SEA STATE Team Member

LCDR Amelia Umayam
Public Affairs Officer

NEWS THIS WEEK

“Report: Climate Change Could See 200 million move by 2050” (AP News): A recent report released by the World Bank has forecasted mass migration events based on different climate outcomes between today and 2050. The most dire outcome estimates 200 million migrants while the most optimistic suggest 40 million. The areas that are expected to be most affected are Latin America, Africa, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, South Asia, and the East Asia and Pacific. While most migrants are expected to remain within their respective countries, fluxes in population density can lead to instability and conflict. Anticipating demographic shifts is of national importance should conflict arise or mass migration occur at our nation’s borders. It is important for the junior officer to be aware of the implications of climate change.

“North Korea Fires 2 Ballistic Missiles as Rivalry with the South Mounts” (NYT): An arms race on the Korean peninsula is intensifying as North Korea executed its first ballistic missile test in six months, a violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions that ban such exercises. Hours later, South Korea announced that it completed its first test of a submarine-launched ballistic missile and developed a ballistic missile powerful enough to penetrate North Korea’s underground bunkers. This intensification underscores growing concerns over regional instability. Meanwhile, Washington attempted to jumpstart stalled denuclearization talks with Pyongyang. President Trump met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un three times between 2018 and 2019, failing to reach an agreement on lifting sanctions and scaling back missile programs. The recent tests could be indications that North Korea is seeking to increase its leverage in a possible upcoming discussion.

IN DEFENSE NEWS

“U.S. Military Acknowledges Kabul Drone Strike Killed 10 Civilians, Including Seven Children” (WSJ): Reversing its original position of defending a drone strike on August 29th, the Pentagon has acknowledged that the strike mistakenly killed 10 civilians, including seven children, without killing any suspected Islamic State militants. According to CENTCOM, there was an active threat from militants in the area, but the strike did not hit the correct target. The strike shows the difficulty officers will face when conducting future counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan, as a lack of ground intelligence will make it more challenging to correctly identify threats.

“U.S. to Share Nuclear Submarine Technology With Australia in New Pact” (WSJ): Washington, London, and Canberra have formed a new security partnership called ‘AUKUS.’ The security deal includes many components such as intelligence sharing, cyberspace cooperation, and most notably sharing highly sensitive nuclear submarine technology with Australia. None of the three leaders mentioned China directly although they emphasized the need for deterrence in the region, but Beijing criticized the agreement for “seriously undermining” regional stability and accusing the alliance of inciting an “arms race.” On the heels of the Afghanistan evacuation debacle, the move demonstrates a shift in U.S. foreign policy towards the Pacific theater, a shift that junior officers can expect to be emphasized over the next several years.

Additionally, France has recalled its ambassadors from the U.S. and Australia after not being consulted about Australia’s intent to acquire American nuclear submarine technology. The move cancelled France’s largest defense contract and provided a shocking blow to America’s partnership with one of its oldest allies. It is not yet clear if there will be long-term repercussions in the relationship between Washington and Paris.

Send your response to seastate.news@gmail.com!

PODCAST EPISODE OF THE WEEK

“Day X” - New York Times

Released in May and June of this year, the five episodes of Day X are worth a listen. The series delves into the rise of far right extremism in the German military and raises poignant questions about the role of citizen-soldiers and what constitutes extremism. Echoes of the struggles with extremism in the U.S. permeate the series, but what might be even more compelling is the podcast’s exploration of German history and its system of “defensive democracy.” The fascism we associate with Hitler and the Nazi Party started as opposition in Germany’s Wiemar Repbulic, and following World War II, Germany rewrote its constituion to ensure that a similar threat could never rise from within again. Day X is a powerful exploration of how extremism can poison the trust a citizenry has in its military. It is well worth your time. Listen to it here.

If you are enjoying SEA STATE, please subscribe below and share with your friends on social media! If you have any questions, comments, tips, or feedback for the SEA STATE team, please email us at the link below.

We’ll see you next week.

This issue of SEA STATE was written and edited by Viraj Patel, Mary Bishop Wade, Madison Sargeant, Lauren Hickey, Scotty Davids, Christian Hoffman, Bryce McClelland, Yash Khatavkar, Polly Finch, and Julie Stabile.

SEA STATE is not affiliated with the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, or the Department of Defense. All views expressed or shared in this newsletter are the authors’ own and not necessarily endorsed by the U.S. government or any military entity.