From WNYC in New York, this is NPR's On the Media.

I'm Brooke Gladstone.

And I'm Bob Garfield.

Last week, we reviewed the obstacles that are keeping journalists from covering the war in Iraq.

This week, we consider one alternate source of information.

These soldiers themselves, with computers, wireless connections, and digital cameras,

soldiers are armed with everything it takes to publish a blog.

Those blogs, and there are dozens and dozens of them,

are bringing war in all its glory, horror, and mundanity to our home computers whenever we want to log on.

One such blog is called Madusgunners.blogspot.com, written by Corporal Michael Bertista, based in Kirkuk, in the Kurdish North.

He's a machine gunner with the 116th Brigade Combat Team and the Army National Guard.

When we reached him by cell phone,

he told us it began simply as a way to keep in touch.

You know, I started the blog because I felt bad

that I didn't write enough letters and emails to my family,

and they can see what I'm doing.

They can hear some of my experiences.

I immediately was recognized by some other

bloggers. They linked to me, encouraged me, and it's now become a hobby that I really enjoy.

I enjoy the feedback. I get a lot of people that tell me that I write well. I guess I'm kind of a budding writer.

Have you gotten any resistance from your commanding officer?

I've got the tacit approval of my platoon leader. He's reviewed what I've written thus far.

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