Brown started the Red Bull Rising blog in December 2009, and planned to deploy with 2-34th BCT to Afghanistan in August 2010. Just days before mobilization, however, a change in paperwork forced him off the proverbial bus. (His joke at the time: "The slot for a 'brigade court jester' no longer appeared on the unit's manning requirements.")
Brown retired from uniformed service Dec. 31, 2010. In May 2011, he traveled to Afghanistan to embed with "Task Force Red Bulls" as a civilian journalist. "More like an 'unofficial unit historian,'" he says.
Brown retired from uniformed service Dec. 31, 2010. In May 2011, he traveled to Afghanistan to embed with "Task Force Red Bulls" as a civilian journalist. "More like an 'unofficial unit historian,'" he says.In 2016, Brown helped edit and publish a collection of public affairs reporting from the 2010-2011 2-34th BCT deployment to Afghanistan: "Reporting for Duty: U.S. Citizen-Soldier Journalism from the Afghan Surge, 2010-2011".
He has also written poetry and essays about military experiences in such books as "Welcome to FOB Haiku: War Poems from Inside the Wire" and "Twelve O'Clock Haiku: Leadership Lessons from Old War Movies and New Poems."
During 20 years in the U.S. Army National Guard, Brown managed tactical communications systems such as radios, telephones, and computers. At battalion and brigade levels, he held primary staff assignments in personnel, intelligence, logistics, and communications. He also served as a lessons-learned analyst and "knowledge manager"--someone who works with people, processes, and technology to archive, disseminate, and share information throughout an organization. In this role, he even experimented with running an internal lessons-learned blog within the brigade headquarters.
Brown adopted the pseudonym "Charlie Sherpa" at a time when active-duty Army policies regarding the public use of social media were confusing and potentially career-limiting. The callsign derived from a nickname once bestowed on him by a fellow soldier.
In his civilian career, Brown is a freelance magazine writer and editor. He is a former trade and consumer magazine editor, as well as a metro and community newspaper reporter. He is a 1990 graduate of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa; and 2006 graduate of the College of Design at Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa. He resides with his family in central Iowa.
During 20 years in the U.S. Army National Guard, Brown managed tactical communications systems such as radios, telephones, and computers. At battalion and brigade levels, he held primary staff assignments in personnel, intelligence, logistics, and communications. He also served as a lessons-learned analyst and "knowledge manager"--someone who works with people, processes, and technology to archive, disseminate, and share information throughout an organization. In this role, he even experimented with running an internal lessons-learned blog within the brigade headquarters.
Brown adopted the pseudonym "Charlie Sherpa" at a time when active-duty Army policies regarding the public use of social media were confusing and potentially career-limiting. The callsign derived from a nickname once bestowed on him by a fellow soldier.
In his civilian career, Brown is a freelance magazine writer and editor. He is a former trade and consumer magazine editor, as well as a metro and community newspaper reporter. He is a 1990 graduate of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa; and 2006 graduate of the College of Design at Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa. He resides with his family in central Iowa.
Brown is a lifetime member of the 34th Infantry Division Association. He is also a past member of the Military Reporters and Editors (M.R.E.), past board member of the Military Writers Guild, and a current member of the Military Writers Society of America (M.W.S.A.). He offers writing tips and markets news via The Aiming Circle community of practice.
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Missions of the Red Bull Rising Blog:
- To explain in plain language the roles, responsibilities, and routines of the U.S. citizen-soldier, with particular focus on the U.S. 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division.
- To illuminate ways in which citizen-soldiers past and present--as well as their families--can be remembered, supported, and celebrated.
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Connect via social media:
E-mail address:
sherpa AT redbullrising.com
Postal address:
Red Bull Risingc/o Middle West PressP.O. Box 31099Johnston, IA 50131-9428
