How do you feel the Advent of the Smartphone has affected our military, and society as a whole?

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 15 Sep 2015 18:42:47 -0400

I have seen an ever growing population within the military of Soldiers who are glued to their smartphones. I have also have Soldiers recommended for adverse action due to not being able to adhere to a no phone policy while on guard because they are addicted to them. I grew up in a time when if a leader needed to get ahold of you, they went to your barracks room and you had a sign out sheet stating where you were at any given point in time. Then we had "cell phones" not "smartphones" that were strictly used for talking. Now we have the Smartphones that are swallowing up Soldiers minds, hours, and lives. How do you feel this is affecting people?

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 15 at 2015 7:44 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 15 Sep 2015 19:44:38 -0400

My biggest frustration is with fellow NCOs who are glued to the things. If joes are getting distracted, I tell them to put the thing up.
They definitely have their place, and I see a lot of guys are loading FMs on them and accessing study materiel that they wouldn't otherwise have access to, so that's a positive change. But if guys are on facebook, or playing clash of clans or some crap, I get frustrated pretty fast.

Response by PFC Aaron Hyatt made Sep 16 at 2015 8:36 AM

PFC Aaron Hyatt — Wed, 16 Sep 2015 08:36:57 -0400

It hasn't affected our society any more than the car, or the train. "the more things change the more they stay the same." Looking back at a "better time" and wishing our time was that time is the wrong way to look at anything. Anyone who ignores people by being on their phone, was probably going to ignore you with anything else, electronic or not. The thought that we, as humans, replace one thing in society with another, is wrong. We actually assimilate anything new into our way of living. There is a picture from many years ago, showing a train full of men, and they were ALL reading the news paper. Not talking to each other, and generally ignoring everything around them. Nothing is different. Soldiers aren't, people aren't, the army isn't.

Response by SGT Bradley L. made Sep 16 at 2015 9:14 AM

SGT Bradley L. — Wed, 16 Sep 2015 09:14:47 -0400

To be honest, I never had a Joe that the phone was a distraction from getting work done. Another squad in my platoon had a joe they had to take away his phone during duty hours because he couldn't put it down. If there was down time then my soldiers were free to be on them, but when there was work they knew to put them away. As a medic the smartphone was a huge help because we could lookup stuff while in an FLA and get the information we needed. One time we had a free fall jumper go off course and get stuck in a tree. The only reason we found him was because he was able to drop a pin on where he was at, and text it to my PSG. We then used the GPS to drive right to him. To be honest, what I hated about cellphones in general was when people interrupted my free time to discuss stuff that really could have waited until duty hours. I had the PSG blackberry for a month, and hated every minute of it. E-mails at all hours of the night. I don't know when the battalion XO or commander actually slept based on their e-mail traffic.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Sep 18 at 2015 2:41 AM

PO1 John Miller — Fri, 18 Sep 2015 02:41:45 -0400

I just have to ask. Did you post this with your smart phone? :)

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Sep 24 at 2015 8:09 AM

SSgt Alex Robinson — Thu, 24 Sep 2015 08:09:43 -0400

Yes. We rely on technology and have lost our souls.

Response by MCPO Roger Collins made Sep 24 at 2015 10:00 AM

MCPO Roger Collins — Thu, 24 Sep 2015 10:00:57 -0400

If someone has been around for some time, it's amazing to me to see where we have come from to where we are technology. For the better, in some ways, not so much in others. I see a loss of verbal communications skills, few people actually talk any more, but rely on brief E-mails and tweets. There was a time that families sat around the table and discussed the day's events, now most have a Smart Phone glued to their ear or playing games. All in all, technology is a good thing and there is no doubt that the computerization and Internet world has been a boon to mankind overall.

Response by COL Thom Brooks made Sep 29 at 2015 4:05 PM

COL Thom Brooks — Tue, 29 Sep 2015 16:05:32 -0400

As a result of the "addiction" that many Soldiers have for being on their smartphone, they have lost the art of real communication. They are also inattentive at best, and downright obnoxious at worst. BLUF: cell (or smart) phones should be used for emergencies only (as far as calling and texting) and should otherwise remain hidden. I wish we could reverse the obsession, not the advancement of technology. Smartphones have saved lives, but I can assure you there are a lot of Soldiers out there that don't give texting while driving or even talking on their cell while driving (or walking) a second thought. They do it!

Response by SPC James Lunn made Sep 29 at 2015 7:48 PM

SPC James Lunn — Tue, 29 Sep 2015 19:48:38 -0400

Hooaaahh! Modern Commo should be restricted to "Off Duty" status only! The Exception being in during long tours under fire. Then as much commo to home for comfort would really help the nerves of loved ones! And today, That pretty much means anywhere outside of U.S.Soil!

Response by Sgt Cord Nuoffer made Sep 29 at 2015 8:41 PM

Sgt Cord Nuoffer — Tue, 29 Sep 2015 20:41:31 -0400

The positives (access to information from a computer in their hands), out weight the negatives (inappropriate use while on duty). Though the negative is a function of discipline, not the phone/tech itself, as it would be the same if that military member were carrying around a newspaper and reading it or something else.

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Sep 30 at 2015 11:53 AM

SFC Michael Hasbun — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 11:53:58 -0400

We live in a world where all the worlds knowledge is accessible through a handheld device, and we use it to look at cat memes and share pictures of our food...

Response by SFC John Elam made Sep 30 at 2015 3:38 PM

SFC John Elam — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 15:38:40 -0400

Technology is going to continue to be here and available. It's when and how we use it that needs to be diciplined. Yes, it has produced one more addictive distraction for soldiers of all ages and rank. How leaders insure it does not interfere with thier duties is through supervision and discipline as we always have done. If for instance you need a duty to be performed without distractions and/or productivity will suffer have them leave it in thier car, home, barracks, or take it away when they report for duty. As for affecting people, it has allowed more people to connect whenever possible with unlimited information and people. The cellphone / smartphone is a great device and the majority of the world wants it to communicate and use for entertainment, research, etc. Yes it has changed the way we use to do things and change our active lives but it is leaders, be it parents, teachers, supervisors, coaches, etc. who can monitor when and how it should be used.

Response by Sgt Charles Malcom made Sep 30 at 2015 8:04 PM

Sgt Charles Malcom — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 20:04:06 -0400

Ban the damn things. Cell phones can be a valuable means of communication between personnel on duty and the NCO in charge. Smartphones are ruining this country. Kids as young as 8 are now using smart phones and Iphones, and their lives are run by the phones. Text messaging has rapidly become the worst invention to come down the pike in years. I know of a young couple in high school that sent 300 text messages to each other in one week. The owning and use of these things in the military could possibly be the difference between life and death. This is a problem that has to be addressed by the TOP, and that doesn't mean the Top Sergeant, the Secretary of the Army, Navy, Air Force have to be the ones to make the decision. You will never be able to get a young Soldier, Sailor, Marine, or Airman to be attentive to whaat he should be doing and listening to, both in training and in practical duties if he or she has their face stuck in one of these damnable phones.

Response by SMSgt Cary Baker made Oct 2 at 2015 6:29 AM

SMSgt Cary Baker — Fri, 02 Oct 2015 06:29:01 -0400

I think it sucks SSG - I had issues with many of my Airman using their phones instead of working. I made them keep their phones in the vehicles for a while. But the biggest problem I seen was, the airman getting on Social Media sites and verbally beating up their leadership for decisions they thought were stupid or wrong. I have had commanders ask me to speak with my Airman that people were reading their post and they were walking on thin ice. And it eventually happened where and Airman was held accountable for disrespecting a SNO on her cell phone - messaging. I always loved working with the young airman - I think they are smarter than we ever were today, and most of them want to serve their country - but I also believe some of them forget they are in the military - with some believing that they have a voice in day to day operations. I think its a big problem - but I have no solution for it other than making our troops keep them at home - not at work. I'm also sure that legal will find a loop hole somewhere that would prevent leadership from doing this.

Response by SCPO Carl Wayne Boss made Oct 2 at 2015 4:25 PM

SCPO Carl Wayne Boss — Fri, 02 Oct 2015 16:25:20 -0400

The kids these days have likely never been "regulated" regarding the use of their 'electronic devices... in a military context... they need to be, they're also way less careful with respect to speaking out and saying what they think, than we were. Holding them accountable for there mouthing off is as it should be. If they really believe they're so much more knowledgeable, then their Seniors, they should be "channeling" that superior intellect into studying for promotion and gaining rank so they can legitimately rise through the Chain of Command and make their ideas known through the proper channels.

At the same time Command should also be encouraging "ideas" be put forth, so the "Troops" have an outlet for their "piss and vinegar" and "brain storms". Junior personnel have always grumbled between themselves about their "Seniors" and "Officers" they work for... its perfectly natural... the thing that is different is in the past "their grumblings" haven't been out there on "public display" via social media of various types.

One of the things that perhaps they, their Supervisors and Command Staff ought to be considering is offering training regarding same, Such as this... "Who is on the other end of all those Musings going out into the great VOID of the Internet"..? Our Enemies perhaps... and today many of them are as electronically savvy as our own Troops are!

Airman, Soldiers, Sailors and Marines need to be taught these days... just as they were back in the "Big Wars"... that "Loose Lips May Give Actionable Information to Our Enemies"... So while the young 'nes may be "smart" in some ways... they're also "ignorant" about some of the potentially adverse affects of their use of "social media" and other electronic blathering in which they participate... whether on or off duty.

I don't think you Troops "forget" they're in the Military... they just aren't aware of all the ramifications their actions can have. And if your troops DON'T have a way to "participate" in, or as you say "have a voice" in day to day operations... your Command Staff is as we say in the U.S. Coast Guard... "missing the Boat." The Troops need to learn, there's a time and a place to use "their electronics" as well as "proper & improper" ways to use them. Perhaps ALL the Troops need to be schooled in "Communication Security For the 21st Century"! Let's get to it!

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Oct 2 at 2015 5:06 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Fri, 02 Oct 2015 17:06:45 -0400

It gives them ADD and an electronic domain. They mix that electronic domain with reality and skews the sense of self and goals.

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 2 at 2015 7:29 PM

PFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 02 Oct 2015 19:29:11 -0400

Hold on a sec, let me finish this angry birds level. Lol.

Seriously though, from an holistic standpoint, lets take a step back from our own preferences and patterns and see things for what they are.

You cannot stop change, as change is inevitable. I always try to see change as neither good nor bad, but with proper resourcefulness, we can bend change to our will. This is the pillar concept behind Sun Tzu's the Art of War.

Know yourself and know your enemy.

We have evolved now, as a semi-silicon life form. I say that half jokingly. You cannot avoid the symbiotic integration of technology into how we conduct our lives, but that can also be a strength, if properly channeled.

I specifically recall their being a pilot program a while bacj that would allow soldiers to have secure access to unclassified intel, study guides, general awareness and events in the area they are operating in, maps of their current duty station, both conus and overseas, etc. The smart phone is an outstanding intel dissemination device.

An aware force is one that breathes at the same rhythm. commanders have access to much more blue and opfor tracking if more information, no matter how small it may seem, is posted to tigrnet for example.

Utilizing filters to see certain kinds of activity, one could see patterns of enemy movement whereas before it was more basic reporting that we would rely on. A commander could get "inside the head" of the enemy.

Cell phones give us an opportu ity to integrate metaphysics and game theory into the way we conduct war. The opportunity is there, we just have to grab it. Ive often said that DARPA makes neat little toys to get us places faster, but they hardly ever study metaphysics long enough to get us to the point where we know the enemy so well that we arrive early to the battle before the enemy even knew they wanted to wage it.

Im not saying all the bugs are worked out, im just saying that as we evolve with new technology, so too does the nature of how we conduct war. We MUST change with it, or we will fall behind in the arms race.