Posted on Sep 15, 2015
How do you feel the Advent of the Smartphone has affected our military, and society as a whole?
7.2K
28
25
5
5
0
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?
Cell Phones
Leader
Soldier
Technology
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 15
3
3
0
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.
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.
(3)
(0)
SFC (Join to see)
Agreed, but even the fact that they have study material on them should not be an easy reason to allow them to be on the phones all the time. We still have a job to do and too many times I see Soldiers and NCO's alike doing ALOT more than "studying" on them. Studying is an after work hours chore.
(1)
(0)
SCPO Carl Wayne Boss
Sgt; Its a big problem in all walks of life these days. Have had to fire people who had such a severe "addiction" to their devices, that they just could not or would not... adequately perform their jobs because, even after being warned, counseled and even pled with on numerous occasions, refused to desist on using their electronics while they were supposed to be working.
(0)
(0)
2
2
0
SFC Terry Fortune
Things were a lot simpler before all the these cell phones and other electronic devices.
(0)
(0)
1
1
0
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.
(1)
(0)
1
1
0
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...
(1)
(0)
1
1
0
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.
(1)
(0)
1
1
0
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!
(1)
(0)
1
1
0
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.
(1)
(0)
1
1
0
1
1
0
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.
(1)
(0)
SCPO Carl Wayne Boss
SPC; your example is a little "simplistic"... a train, or car are modes of transportation... you use them and then "park" them somewhere until you need transportation again... unlike a "smart" phone which you carry around in your pocket... or in some cases, carry them around in you hand so if it makes the slightest peep... it can be immediately reacted to! Last time I checked, a train or a car is a wee bit too big, to put in one's pocket.
A smartphone is a "tool", nothing more nothing less. When you need the "tool" you pick it up and use it. Carrying the thing around and constantly, texting, tweeting, commenting on facebook, playing electronic games or talking endlessly... is an addiction! No more, no less. Would you carry a hammer, a stapler, or Pipe wrench or knife around in your hand constantly? I doubt it!
If a soldier is supposed to be on sentry duty and standing a post... he/she is supposed to be on watch, looking and listening and paying attention to what and who is around him/her or approaching his/her post and challenging them as the General Orders require, that "All" Military Personnel learn, the very first thing in Basic Training right after "Sir, Yes Sir"... "Sir, No Sir"... and "Sir, No Excuse Sir".
Use of a Smart Phone while on Guard Duty, Engineering watch, or during duty hours when some one is supposed to be concentrating on their job, for other than something directly related to the performance of that job or their assigned duty, should be considered "dereliction of duty" and subject to NJP at the least or if the nature of the infraction is deemed severe enough, by Court Martial, just the same as if they were caught reading a Newspaper while they're supposed to be on Guard/Sentry duty or standing any other post or watch.
If the Soldier/Sailor/Airman/Marine worked for me and I saw he/she had a "problem" with controlling the "impulse" to use their "electronics", whether a lap top, tablet, smartphone or other electronic paraphernalia, I'd require them to relinquish that equipment to me or their immediate Supervisor or require them to leave it secured in their quarters, while they were on duty.
A smartphone is a "tool", nothing more nothing less. When you need the "tool" you pick it up and use it. Carrying the thing around and constantly, texting, tweeting, commenting on facebook, playing electronic games or talking endlessly... is an addiction! No more, no less. Would you carry a hammer, a stapler, or Pipe wrench or knife around in your hand constantly? I doubt it!
If a soldier is supposed to be on sentry duty and standing a post... he/she is supposed to be on watch, looking and listening and paying attention to what and who is around him/her or approaching his/her post and challenging them as the General Orders require, that "All" Military Personnel learn, the very first thing in Basic Training right after "Sir, Yes Sir"... "Sir, No Sir"... and "Sir, No Excuse Sir".
Use of a Smart Phone while on Guard Duty, Engineering watch, or during duty hours when some one is supposed to be concentrating on their job, for other than something directly related to the performance of that job or their assigned duty, should be considered "dereliction of duty" and subject to NJP at the least or if the nature of the infraction is deemed severe enough, by Court Martial, just the same as if they were caught reading a Newspaper while they're supposed to be on Guard/Sentry duty or standing any other post or watch.
If the Soldier/Sailor/Airman/Marine worked for me and I saw he/she had a "problem" with controlling the "impulse" to use their "electronics", whether a lap top, tablet, smartphone or other electronic paraphernalia, I'd require them to relinquish that equipment to me or their immediate Supervisor or require them to leave it secured in their quarters, while they were on duty.
(1)
(1)
PFC Aaron Hyatt
CQ is guard duty. Every single person I have ever seen pull CQ has had their laptop, xbox, cell phone, etc. Because 24 duty gets boring as hell really fast. This is not the first time this conversation has been brought up historically, when the telephone was first put into homes, people were crying about it going to replace human interaction, and it definitely didn't.
(0)
(0)
0
0
0
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.
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.
(0)
(0)
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google