Veterans Affairs shows off its Office of New Media
By Richard Hartman
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Oh My Gov!
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View story in the original context
PUBLISHED: February 19, 2010
The Department of Veterans Affairs has been showing off its Office of New Media to vet bloggers, including Richard Allen Smith of VetVoice. In a recent post, Smith described his tour and visit with the VA's director of new media, Brandon Friedman.
Although Smith makes light of the fact that the "office" is just a lone cubicle, the small first step is a move in the right direction when funding and positions are tight. The VA seems to realize the vast benefits of open communication between the VA and the public it serves and is not just paying lip service to the Obama administration's pledge of transparency.
The VA is pushing the use of Facebook and Twitter to its medical centers and already maintains a presence on all the major social media sites, including channels on YouTube and Flickr. It is also currently soliciting ideas for improvement through an idea sharing platform called Open VA, one of two dozen such projects across the federal government.
Paid for VoteVets Political Action Committee. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. VoteVets Action Fund is a 501(c)(4) organization which primarily focuses on nonpartisan education and advocacy on behalf veterans and their families. VoteVets Political Action Committee is a federal political committee which primarily helps elect Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran candidates and educates about veterans and military issues aimed at influencing the outcome of the next election.