The US Army issued new online conduct guidance to soldiers: 'Think, Type, Post'
In the memorandum, both enlisted and commissioned chiefs laid out a reminder of what they regard as the Army's values
"Recent misconduct on social media has deeply affected our military community," the memo said. "We are all figures of public trust and our conduct must be exemplary."
They also included a directive for their online conduct policy that identifies the requirements for engaging in social media activity:
- Think about the message being communicated and who could potentially view it now and for years to come.
- Type a communication that is consistent with Army Values.
- Post only those messages that demonstrate dignity and respect for self and others.
The directive comes at a contentious time for the military, after a journalist uncovered the Facebook group "Marines United," where around 30,000 users had access to nude photos and the personal information of service members.
"We are soldiers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week ... This is not a new standard, but it is something that I feel a few of us may have forgotten," said Sgt. Maj. of the Army Daniel Dailey in a video message on Wednesday. "The actions of a few will not be the face of our Army."