Could the Army Operate without email?

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 08 Dec 2013 20:59:42 -0500

Losing the Human Connection as civilians is relevant in the world of mass electronic mailing. 10 yrs ago email was only limited use for 1SG's and above. As a military would it be fair to say that it would be either more or less difficult to communicate with or without email? Have we become so consumed and dependent on technology we speak and voice our words through technology instead of one another losing the emotional response or interaction most deem necessary to drive a force forward through COMBAT??? Are we addressing further disconnect with customs and courtesies by not interacting with one another on social levels at different ranks?

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Dec 8 at 2013 9:16 PM

SFC Michael Hasbun — Sun, 08 Dec 2013 21:16:33 -0500

TRADOC would collapse under the weight of all the new paperwork that could no longer be sent digitally. Countless POI's, memo's, Lesson Plans, reports, SOP's, CAD's, briefings, etc... We would deplete the worlds rainforests in 24 hours..

Response by SFC James Baber made Dec 8 at 2013 9:33 PM

SFC James Baber — Sun, 08 Dec 2013 21:33:40 -0500

I used to deal with the unablers whenever the network would go down for morning reports, we can't send them, I would tell them to walk their happy asses across the parade field and bring them to my office and they whined about that. Oh and that was just 4 years ago, so based on the current generation of Soldiers I would say no we wouldn't be able to, old skool, yes, new school , hell no.

Response by SSG Chuck H. made Dec 8 at 2013 9:37 PM

SSG Chuck H. — Sun, 08 Dec 2013 21:37:11 -0500

The Army could indeed operate without email. It fought and won several battles and wars without it. However the modern Army would have one HUGE learning curve as most of the soldiers that are serving now have had email as long as they've been alive. So yes it would be possible but there would be many growing pains in the process.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 8 at 2013 9:38 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 08 Dec 2013 21:38:54 -0500

Email is here to stay especially in the reserves where you don't see a soldier for a month. As for active duty it helps keep a digital trail of accountability that could be lost using hard copy only. In a combat zone well were in the Army we do what it takes to get the mission done with our available means.

Response by SGM Matthew Quick made Dec 8 at 2013 9:41 PM

SGM Matthew Quick — Sun, 08 Dec 2013 21:41:14 -0500

Not sure where you come up with the 1SG and above email statement; I've had email since 1995.

Part of life is adapting...email is apart of life.

In your post, you say, "interaction most deem necessary to drive a force forward through COMBAT???" Hasn't technology and upgrades in basic human-to-human interaction advanced us on the battlefield?

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 8 at 2013 9:49 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 08 Dec 2013 21:49:57 -0500

It would be interesting to see how much of an impact not having e-mail would affect the military but it would definitely force Leaders to utilize face to face more.

From what I've experienced, Soldiers communicate with their first lines face to face but more Senior Leaders communicate with Soldiers via email. It would definitely be a change of pace.

Response by SSG Robert Burns made Dec 8 at 2013 9:51 PM

SSG Robert Burns — Sun, 08 Dec 2013 21:51:45 -0500

For my department I have enforced an no email Friday policy.  We still get emails from around the hospital but for one day they have to contact people either by phone or face to face.  It's a good break and improves networking.<div>I highly recommend it.</div>

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 8 at 2013 10:17 PM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 08 Dec 2013 22:17:33 -0500

From my perspective in the Air Force, I kept a copy of every email I ever sent or received. BY the time I retired I had accumulated over 30Gb of email pst files. I know that sounds crazy - but through the years it came in handy. Sometimes the leadership would forget policies they had already put in effect or lose files they sent - so I was always able to pull up the required document or policy enabling the situation to de-escalate quickly and/or keep the mission going.

It is good to have a 'paper' trail of conversations - since human memory is a relative thing.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 8 at 2013 10:31 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 08 Dec 2013 22:31:28 -0500

Yes, we have done it before.

It would be painful at first

Response by SGT Ben Keen made Dec 9 at 2013 1:52 PM

SGT Ben Keen — Mon, 09 Dec 2013 13:52:29 -0500

So what is being suggested is to have the Army take several large steps backwards and ditch email? Has the Army done this before, well yeah. Could we do it again, sure but is it a smart idea? NO! Think about how fast things are sent out via electronic communications. Sure, face to face discussion is nice but cannot always be accomplished easily. The Army is covering large AOs now, how would you communicate with these service members than? Say you are a 1SG, you are deployed downrange, your company is working on 3 or 4 different FOBs; how would you communicate to your NCOs ? The military today is a lot different than it was in the past. Technology has added to the overall success of the warfighter. Why someone thinks it is a good idea to take steps backwards in the evolution is beyond me.

Response by CPT Aaron Kletzing made Dec 9 at 2013 1:57 PM

CPT Aaron Kletzing — Mon, 09 Dec 2013 13:57:30 -0500

The military could certainly operate without email, but it would be much less efficient.  Another way to reword your question here would be: "If the Army chose a less effective means of communicating across the organization, would the Army be more or less effective?"  It's a simple conclusion to me.  <div><br></div><div>I'm not declaring that email is altogether good.  Obv it has some drawbacks if used as a crutch.  But email is good for the military, plain and simple.</div>

Response by LTC Jason Bartlett made Jan 5 at 2014 2:45 PM

LTC Jason Bartlett — Sun, 05 Jan 2014 14:45:35 -0500

Yes we can still operate, bring back the day of having company runners. Most places I have served the BDE/BN commander put email off limits between certain hours. So email has never been an issue within the units I have served. I was never stuck to a desk but I did come in earlier and leave later.

Response by GySgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 5 at 2014 7:47 PM

GySgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 05 Jan 2014 19:47:39 -0500

not sure about the Army but I will say the Corps would because we have procedures in place for lost comms which I assume the whole DOD does as well. Anybody know the yellow canaries or field messages? "Hey Marine, run this message to the CP!"

Response by WO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 5 at 2014 7:51 PM

WO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 05 Jan 2014 19:51:17 -0500

I feel that modern communication as a whole has hurt the military. It takes away the ability of subordinate commanders to command and improvise on the spot. Instead of being given a mission and told to accomplish it. Commanders are lock step with higher echelons that are far removed from the on ground reality. No matter how good the reports are at relaying this reality, something is always lost. Commanders must also spend a lot of time communicating in both directions rather than taking action. I recall one incident where I sat for half an hour for clearance to destroy a tree, with and IED next to it. We finally had to move the IED somewhere else because the locals might be upset if we destroyed the tree. Too much micromanagement! Train good people and allow them to do the job they were trained to do. Trust their judgement! I wish I could word this better. I feel it is key to success. Give good people a task and get out of their way and let them do it. They will surprise you and do it, in most cases, better than you would.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 6 at 2014 11:49 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 06 Jan 2014 11:49:57 -0500

I think SSG Gorman may have hit the nail on the head with his commentary on being forced to work without many taken-for-granted electronic communications means duing deployment.

My concerns with many of the technologies used by all branches today do not necessarily rest on how the technologies impact interpersonal communications - those changes tend to work themselves out over time. They rest with the tendency of units to put 'all their eggs in one basket,' so to speak.

As with any technological means of communicating, it is essential for units to unplug themselves periodically - both during garrison operations and during combat training - in order to help minimize the shock factor a loss of primary communication means inevitably brings on the battlefield.

While our current battlespaces tend to be digitized to the extreme, giving us a tremendous battlefield C2 advantage, it is entirely conceivable this advantage could be temporarily lost due to any number of things - including an engagement with a threat force that specifically planned for just such a possibility.

Just my humble two cents. Great discussion point!

Response by 1SG James Wise made Jun 20 at 2014 9:49 AM

1SG James Wise — Fri, 20 Jun 2014 09:49:29 -0400

As most have said, we can work without email but it will be less efficient and painful. Worse though is loss of the mandatory use share-drive or complete loss of all connectivity...THOSE TWO quickly grind everything to a halt above the level of a company from my experiences - and just 10 years ago it wouldn't have. So no, I don't think we will get along well without a steep learning curve and maybe losses.

One example/experience...I had a medical appointment one afternoon, and as I was trying to return to my unit I noticed a huge flow of traffic OFF-base. I got to my unit to find a ghost town...connectivity to the entire net had dropped base-wide about an hour earlier and word from DOIM was it would be down till early evening....so at 1500 units everywhere started sending people home because none of the leaders could get any work done, meetings couldn't happen because the slide deck was on share point, VTC was down so classes and briefings stopped, and on and on. Companies were able to keep functioning, but word came down from on high to send everyone home...so an entire DIV went home hours early and most got the joy of staying extra late the next day to make it up. So...my two cents on why things won't work without email, share point, and internet.