Soldiers and cell phones.

[Jagman]

My wife Sue got a mothers day call this morning from our son in law who is currently in Iraq, during the conversation my wife asked him what he was doing, he replied he was guarding 10 insurgants they had captured this morning, it was a 2hr. watch he was on - kind of shocked my wife as she did not realise he was in the thick of it, or more likely did not want to think that was the case.
I was surprised to see the soldiers could have cell phones, Im sure he did not have phone capabities the last time he was in the sand, (not a personal cell anyway) is this a new development or what, and what are your thoughts on this.
Jagman.

[M1 Tanker]

My wife has an Army issued cell phone in Iraq...she talks to me once a day on it. Lots of soldiers have cell phones in Iraq now, they are bought on the market there.

[Phirebug]

as far as i understand it, it depends largely on your chain of command. if anybody is caught with one in this unit, regardless of where they bought it, they are subject to court-martial proceedings for violating COMSEC (and it has happened). However, the EOD team on our FOB is allowed to have them, because they are Air Force and not subject to the same rules as us. I know there are other soldiers from different units that have them, so apparently it's not an Army-wide ruling.

[NavajoNPaleFace]

Knowing how advanced technology is today and that cell phone calls can be air wave traced I am surprised anyone in combat would even use one.

Maybe I am just behind the times. I duuno.

Glad he is safe, none the less.

And, to him SALUTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jagman]

I hear ya on the tracing calls ect. thats what i was worried about but I guess the bad guys can always locate the US and coalition troops.
Jagman

[jlpskydive]

It's not like when they are in base camp that they are actively concealing their location. Now I wouldn't be calling mom out on patroll.

[iocane]

Since the troops are going to Iraq two or three times, I figure allowing them phones probably cuts down on people who don't sign up again.

[M1 Tanker]

Two or three times...at 15 months per rotation now :(

[DAA1]

Over there can be darn expensive, both calling out and in.
I had an army cell phone, very few folks had the number, turned it in as soon as I got a chance. Sometimes those are the only commo that works. I guess you either wait in line to use the moral line, if you can find a stateside number, or you get raped by AT&T, or you pay out the wazoo for a cell phone.

Some times a cell phone can be the only sanity a soldier has.

My year long deployment was made easy by having almost dailey email and weekly calls home. But I was in an area where we had those luxuries, lots of soldiers don't.