Mullen on Social Network, Flash Drives

Adm. Mike Mullen told me that the Defense Department is in the process of modifying its bans on the use of social networks and flash drives during a brief conversation at a Government Executive Leadership Breakfast at the National Press Club on Wednesday. But he did not give me a timeline in when this would happen.

In late September, I reported that Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn III, in a draft policy memo, backed troops using and accessing social media on unclassified Defense networks.

Mullen, an unabashed Twitter fan made it clear in his talk that he views access to social networks as an important tool to retain young, techno-savvy troops on active duty.

Those of us who labor away at Government Executive and Nextgov should be delighted Mullen is such a Twitter fan, as his early morning Tweet today plugged our event:

"Being interviewed THIS MORNING at the Govt. Exec. Leadership Breakfast, live on CSPAN2@ 750EST. Tune in. Should be a great discussion."

Mullen did not see the same urgency to redo the flash-drive ban imposed by Defense a year ago, telling me that it has not had as much an effect as some people had forecast. Flash drives were a great way to transfer files from one computer to another and also a dandy medium for storing PowerPoint briefs beloved by everyone in the Pentagon.

Mullen told me the flash drive ban has not put a dent in his ability to conduct briefings.