Duffel Blog is an American military news satire organization featuring satirical articles reporting on national security and US military topics. It is often described as "the military version of The Onion."[1] It was founded in March 2012 by Marine veteran Paul Szoldra, originally as a way to drive web traffic to the now defunct website CollegeVeteran.com.[2]
| "The American Military's Most-Trusted News Source" | |
 | |
| Type | US military parody news organization |
|---|---|
| Format | Digital |
| Founder(s) | Paul Szoldra |
| Editor-in-chief | Paul Szoldra |
| Staff writers | Various |
| Founded | 2012 |
| Website | duffelblog.com |
It eventually branched out and became its own entertainment website. The site has a following among civilians, veterans, and servicemen alike.[3] As of 2012, the blog had over 300,000 fans on Facebook and about 40,000 Twitter followers.[2][3]
Among their spoof articles is one suggesting a speech by the commanding general of Fort Benning resulted in a deadly riot, and another that said uncounted military absentee ballots would have resulted in Mitt Romney winning the 2012 US Presidential Election.[4][5] In November 2012, the site launched an online petition to the White House to lift the services' bans on hands in pockets.[6]
The website counts retired Marine General James Mattis, the subject of several Duffel Blog posts, as a fan.[7][8] It has also received praise from former Pentagon spokesman George E. Little, various national security journalists, and Scott Dikkers, the founding editor of The Onion.[9]
In 2017, Duffel Blog published Mission Accomplished: The Very Best of Duffel Blog, which included a hundred of the best Duffel Blog stories, hand-picked by contributors, along with additional commentary from creator, Paul Szoldra, and a foreword by Terminal Lance creator Maximillian Uriarte.[10]
Mistaken for truth
editAn article about Guantanamo detainees getting GI Bill benefits resulted in a formal inquiry by U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell.[1] The letter from McConnell's office to the Pentagon leaked in 2013, generating national headlines and subjecting the senator to mockery on cable news.[11]
The site drew attention in March, 2021, when during a congressional hearing on extremism in the US military, US representative Pat Fallon made the false claim that the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) had included the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars on their list of American hate groups. SPLC chief of staff Lecia Brooks noted that this claim had originated in a Duffel Blog satirical article that had appeared on the site in 2017.[12][13]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Ackerman, Spencer (19 February 2013). "Senate Minority Leader Fooled by Report in Military Version of The Onion". Wired.com. Archived from the original on 2013-02-24. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
- ^ a b Douglas Stanglin (2012-08-15). "The Duffel Blog's fake military news hits the spot". USA Today. Archived from the original on 2012-08-17.
Szoldra, a 28-year-old college senior, says regular contributors include about 20 volunteer writers described as "disgruntled Marines, annoyed Army guys and sickened sailors."
- ^ a b "Satirical military news site fools some readers". Army Times. 2012-08-14. Archived from the original on 2013-01-17.
- ^ "General's Controversial Graduation Speech". David Mikkelson. Snopes.com. 18 July 2012. Archived from the original on 2013-02-02. Retrieved 8 November 2012.
- ^ "Military Absentee Ballots". Politics | Satire. Snopes.com. 8 November 2012. Archived from the original on 2013-02-02. Retrieved 8 November 2012.
- ^ Harkins, Gina (25 November 2012). "Petition asks Obama to OK hands in pockets". Marine Corps Times. Archived from the original on 14 December 2013. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
- ^ Harkins, Gina (11 May 2013). "Duffel Blog: Don't get it? He doesn't care | Army Times". armytimes.com. Retrieved 2013-05-29.
- ^ Londono, Ernesto, "Duffel Blog makes fun of military absurdities — and has the Pentagon laughing, too", The Washington Post, 8 December 2013; retrieved 9 December 2013.
- ^ "Press - Duffel Blog". Duffelblog.com. Retrieved 2016-09-09.
- ^ Wolf, Mackenzie (2017-08-08). "Mission Accomplished: Duffel Blog releases a book to celebrate five years of humor". Military Times. Retrieved 2020-08-31.
- ^ "Mitch McConnell gets punk'd by fake national security blog". MSNBC. 22 February 2013. Retrieved 2016-09-09.
- ^ Beynon, Steve. "GOP Lawmaker Cites Military Satire Site 'Duffel Blog' at Extremism Hearing". Military.com. No. March 24, 2021. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
- ^ Scuttlebutt, Dick. "Southern Poverty Law Center classifies VFW and American Legion as hate groups". Duffel Blog. Retrieved March 25, 2021.