June 28, 2012 – Photo by Staff Sgt. Brendan Mackie

Social media has grown so much that it inevitably bled over into the profession of arms. The majority of Soldiers have a social media account. There is no better opportunity to reach these young Soldiers on a more consistent level than using these platforms.

Social media provides everyone a platform and what we do with that platform is important. I have decided to use my platform to assist in the mentorship of the younger generation of Soldiers within the National Guard. As a Major in the Florida Army National Guard, I understand that I must transition from the role of mentee to mentor. I have always been fond of the benefits of social media and I believe it is a great way to facilitate digital leadership.

I have had a Facebook account since it was first introduced in the early 2000’s. I was a student at the University of Tampa and, like most, used Facebook to connect with friends, family, and acquaintances. As Facebook began to dominate the social media world, I enjoyed the ability to stay connected. I later joined Instagram and watched the application gain increased popularity. I quickly realized that I spent the majority of my free time on social media. I could see the addictive nature of social media and realized the advent of these digital leadership platforms.

I later realized that I had a lot of experience and tips to offer those who I have connected with on social media. I wanted to share my professional experience and hopefully provide insights which can help others. So, I began to post videos on various topics that I felt were important to the profession. I use these videos to share valuable insights from mentors and friends.

As I go through my day, if a topic comes to mind (i.e. the importance of counseling, AGR vs M-day relationships, etc.), I make note to discuss them later. This ensures I always have a list of topics to discuss. I also limit my videos to two to five minutes in length because I acknowledge that time is a valuable resource and our attention span is limited.

The topics I discuss range from physical fitness to professional development. I aim to capture the audience with interesting titles. For example, I titled one video “The Grass is Not Always Greener” to discuss the common belief that transferring units/states will remove problems from your professional career. An additional video topic I discussed was titled “It’s Ok to Not Know,” which discussed how we should not lie in an effort to look knowledgeable. If you do not have the answer, admit it, search for it, and grow as a leader.

While social media allows you to reach your Soldiers at any point, it also has potential downfalls that must be considered. We have standards of conduct that must never be compromised. I refrain from giving the perception that my videos serve to market or brand myself. I want my videos to encourage my audience, not to glorify the messenger. Videos must be presented with selflessness in accordance with the Army values. Additionally, I realized that it is best to not conduct my videos in uniform. Although I believe my content is valuable, it should not be assumed that I am representing my unit or the Florida National Guard.

I believe that social media, if used wisely and in accordance with policies and standards, is a great platform to improve the profession. We have the opportunity to consistently reach our audience and provide digital leadership which can be accessed at the leisure of our audience. I hope to continue to capitalize on this opportunity as I progress throughout my career.

Major Dan Brown is currently serving as an Operations Officer/FTS OIC in the Florida National Guard. He is a recent graduate of the US Army Command and General Staff College’s Intermediate Level Education. He has 13 years of service in the FLNG and has commanded at the O3 Level. He commissioned from the University of Tampa. Follow him through his Bridging the Gap Digital Mentorship Page on Facebook @MAJBrownBTG