Posted on May 18, 2015
Should cell phones or home phones for that matter be mandatory for Service Members?
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In our instant gratification society (and military), what if anything can't wait until the next formation? Except in alert or rapid recall units...
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Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 22
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I firmly believe that if a unit or the military as whole makes it a requirement to have a phone, then a phone should be provided. Personally, if I'm forking out the money for a nice phone and data plan then it's going to be for personal use. CQ, staff duty, and the like have people assigned whose job (runners) is to contact people within their AO during duty hours. unless it's a life or death situation, most recalls can be avoided by handling the supposed problem during the next scheduled formation.
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MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca
Absolutely!. Though in today's age, Other than some old-schoolers, I'd think someone w/o a personal cell phone is rare.
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SSG (Join to see)
My boss used my cell as a reason not to plan and always drop big missions on me at the last second. Getting rid of the phone(giving it to my wife) was the best thing I ever did. After a 2 week adjustment period things started running smooth with proper planning.
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SFC Michael Jackson, MBA
PFC Kyle Klofstad, without your cell phone number, how is your superior or peer going to call you and tell you when the next formation is. Things change, and we have to adapt as a military. Sometimes responses need to be timely, and if you can't be reached. you miss important info. Not saying the military should mandate cellphones specifically. However, I think the organization is within it parameters to expect reliable communication.
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PFC Kyle Klofstad
If there's a change in formation time or location, then simply seeing the CQ runner to a persons room or a notice on all the doors into the barracks and company locations should be sufficient notification. The exception being those who live off post or in on post housing, in which case mandating a landline at their residence or voice mail service would be reasonable.
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Phone/cell phone? Yes. Unwanted texting and driving up your cell phone bill? No. Remember it's a PHONE! Texting is an addition, not the mission.
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SSG (Join to see)
"Texting is an addition, not the mission."
Sir, what does this mean? Communication is part of the mission and texting is communication. And a benefit of texting is that you have a record of the communication and a reference, so what was said can be clarified later.
Also, texting, like voicemail, can be said when you have time, and read when the Soldier has time.
Sir, what does this mean? Communication is part of the mission and texting is communication. And a benefit of texting is that you have a record of the communication and a reference, so what was said can be clarified later.
Also, texting, like voicemail, can be said when you have time, and read when the Soldier has time.
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LTC (Join to see)
If an E-1 is "required" to have a VERY basic cell phone plan, they may not have a robust texting plan. It's not that hard to go over your allotted text amount for the billing cycle. Furthermore, if a Soldier wants to opt out of text communication from his CoC, I don't see an issue. Again, I'm all for Soldiers having a phone. Some low income families are given cell phones by charitable organizations. However, ITS A PHONE. If a Soldier chooses to use it as such and not pay the additional fees for a handheld portable entertainment center; I'm OK with that decision.
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I guess I'm getting old, but the training schedule used to tell you where to be, in what uniform, and what to bring. Commanders could find there people just by where they were supposed to execute training. Training exemptions were by name through the 1SG and if exempted, service members came right back to their place of duty. However there was no e-mail, Powerpoint, cell phones, or exel to complicate training schedules either. I thought of this question because some service members seem to want the old ways and have the new ways built into the system. The old addage is true, you just can't have it both ways I suppose...
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