CJ and I are attending the MilBlog Conference today and I plan on live blogging some elements. Keep checking for updates as the day goes on. I’ll start here with the opening.

1050: It took me a few minutes to get my computer set up. JP read an opening from LtGen Caldwell, who wasn’t able to be here today. We have so much support from him and his staff, and we really appreciate it.

1052: LtGen Caldwell encourages all of us to tell the story of the American soldier. We really should. His video just ended and JP has started speaking again.

1053: There are members of the MSM here! CJ says, “Someone cares.” JP told a horrible joke, I booed. I feel good booing bad jokes.

1054: JP giving a short bio of himself. He says he isn’t a good public speaker, but he is doing just fine. JP’s mom recommended he think of everyone sitting on the toilet with their pants down to calm the nerves. JP, you cannot imagine me OR CJ on the toilet. Period.

1056: The spirit cooler has arrived! JP told us all to cheer when the lid comes off, we complied because JP could kill us all.

1057: This is the first year JP has been able to attend due to deployment, children, and that kind of thing. In case anyone is wondering why I’m going on and on about JP, it is because he is giving the opening address.

1058: JP embarrasses CJ yet again, and CJ plays along like the great sport he is. We also get to take shots at Matt aka Blackfive about his rock star status. He denies, we all know the truth.

1059: JP moves on to some important things to mention. MilBlogging has gone through so much adversity over the years and it is awesome how we are still here. Yes, we are important. No, we are not going away.

1101: JP is going over some important stats about OpSec and milblogs. We aren’t the ones violating OpSec, it is the official sites that have the problem.

1102: JP is talking about one of our fallen milblogging brothers. Andrew Olmsted was an amazing soldier and brother in arms. JP is reading from the final post he prepared in case he did pass away. It is kinda rough to hear JP reading this, but it reminds us that the people behind the milblogs do go in harms way.

1105: JP closes his introduction and now we move on to CJ’s panel, Are MilBlogs Still Relevant?