Putting up after shutting up

It has been roughly 9 months since the start of this blogging experiment, and we've never quite lived up to our grand designs ("we're going to post every other day, and it's going to be amazing and ground-breaking and thought-provoking and awesome"). Yet we've managed to have some fun with it, and it gave us an excuse to have more nerd-tastic conversations ("What do you think of this for a blog post..."). We've been a bit more successful on Twitter (much more conducive to our writing attention spans it seems), and thoroughly enjoy engaging with the defense/security Twittersphere.

While the tone of this post is one of farewell, that is not what is intended. Res Publica Belli will stick around. One day, perhaps in the near future, perhaps in the distant, the pace of posting will pick up and we'll take another swing at our initial grand design. As it is now, though, life is taking us in slightly different directions.

Our very own Kautilya, smiter of the Mercator Projection, is embarking on his journey of service to our country in less than two weeks. He's off to Ft. Leonard Wood to be whipped into shape and eventually emerge as an officer in the United States Army. I for one am incredibly proud of his decision and know that he will make a fine soldier, and a great officer and public servant. Best of luck to you Kautilya, and be sure to keep us updated as you regain internet privileges.

I am headed to Afghanistan for a 7 month stint with the Marine Corps at Camp Leatherneck in Helmand Province. Never having been a Marine (or worked particularly closely with them before), it should be a learning experience at the least. Once I land and get my bearings, I'll try to post periodic observations here. I'm guessing I'll be more active on Twitter, if history tells us anything.

Though we've made pretty miserable bloggers, both Kautilya and I are excited to be going places where we are in the position to make meaningful contributions to the defense/security field that so fascinates us. After months of shutting up (punctuated by flashes of brilliance of course), we look forward to finally putting up.