Field Trip: TANKS for the Memories

The folks over at The National Museum of Americans in Wartime have organized an optional field trip for MilBlog Conference attendees. The trip is not part of the official conference, but attendees are invited. Anyone interested in attending will spend a couple of hours at a vintage Tank Farm. Below is a preview of the experience:

Tanks for the Memories: 

Would you like to see one of the world's largest privately-owned collections of military vehicles, including 70+ operational tanks? The National Museum of Americans in Wartime (NMAW) is inviting interested MilBlog Conference attendees to experience vintage military vehicles (World War I forward) up close, on display and in demonstration. 

Who:     MilBlog Conference attendees are invited

What:    Personal viewing of 110+ operational, vintage military vehicles; refreshments.                  

When:    9:00-11:00 AM, Sunday, April 26.

Where:  The collection is housed in Prince William County about 40 miles south of Washington. 

How:      NMAW will provide directions for those with cars.  If enough milbloggers respond, we will try to arrange round-trip transportation.

RSVP:    If you can join us or have questions, please click here to RSVP.

Web:      Click here.

The MilBlog Conference Moves Back to Washington

As you know, we experimented with moving our annual conference to Vegas in 2008. We had a great time in Vegas - how could you not have a great time in Vegas - but, Washington is a better venue for our official conference, so the 2009 MilBlog Conference will be held in Washington, DC. Milbloggers will continue to have a presence in Vegas at the annual Blog World Expo, which recently made some news, but the big conference will move back to Washington.

Going back to the successful model of 2007, all events will take place at The Westin Arlington Gateway on April 24-25. We've secured a block of rooms for attendees. You can reserve your room by clicking here. We know some of you like to combine your trip to the conference with a vacation, so you can reserve rooms under our block from April 22-29 (subject to availability).

The registration interface is currently being revamped and updated. Once the changes have been completed, I'll post a link which will allow you to register for the conference. I doubt the link will be ready before February 1, so please sit tight while the changes are made.

The registration fee is $50 per person and includes dinner, breakfast and entry to the conference. Pretty good deal...

As with everything, milblogging has grown and changed over the years. To reflect that growth, we're adding some unconventional, interesting elements to this year's program. We'll begin announcing the schedule of speakers and topics within the next couple of weeks, so stay tuned.   

Tentative program as follows:

Friday, April 24:

7:00 - 7:45P: Milblogger Meeting* (optional, and open to all milbloggers)

8:00P - Midnight: Party (dinner included)

Saturday, April 25:

7:45 - 8:45A: Breakfast

9:00A - 5:00P: 2009 MilBlog Conference

*The milblogger meeting will be an informal, voluntary meeting to discuss items of interest to milbloggers. Among the items we'll be discussing are how we can help raise money for troop charities, help veterans and families in need and better work together on various issues now that the community has become so large.

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Ignore me, just testing something out....