October 30, 2006: Most people are not aware of how much our lives have changed because of cell phones. This has particularly been the case in the military. Cell phones are relatively new. The first ones were introduced in 1984, were the size and weight of a brick, and cost about $6,000 (in current dollars). They were an instant success. But as they got smaller and cheaper over the years, their use exploded, and changed. It all happened so gradually that few people noticed how far reaching the changes were. About ten years ago, cell phones shrank enormously, and weight got down to a quarter pound or so. These models fit easily into pocket or purse (or hung from a belt). Now things really got interesting.

Cell phone service was now available over a huge area. And this is where the military began to feel the effects. Some training areas, for example, were covered by nearby cell phone towers, and troops could be seen using their cell phones while dressed for combat. At first, the phones were used to keep in touch with family and friends. Typically, the training exercises lasted for several days, and the troops were cut off from the folks back home. But then commanders began to notice troops using the cell phones instead of, or in addition to, their military radios. This was no good, because most combat zones would not have cell service, and any dependence on cell phones in training, would teach the wrong lessons. In more professional armed forces, the brass cracked down on cell phone use in the field.

But in most nations, the cell phones were seen as a superior replacement for poorly maintained, inefficient, and sometimes wholly absent, military radios. That's because in many poor countries, the new cell phone technology proved superior to the older phone systems. For many nations, cell phones not only brought superior communications to civilians, but to the soldiers as well. In any event, armies in most nations exist to keep the citizens in line. So cell phones were much better than military radio gear. The secret police were big fans as well.

In Iraq, Saddam kept cell phones out, for the most part. But after he fell, cell phone service came in big time. And Saddam's old buddies, now running a terror campaign against the new government, in an attempt to get back into power, found cell phones very useful. Not just for communicating, but also for setting off bombs. That soon changed as the Americans brought in jammers. This made roadside bombs less effective, and pissed off Iraqis who had their calls interrupted as jammer equipped U.S. vehicles passed by.

Finally, there were the problems of military etiquette. This was an issue only in the more professional armed forces. In most countries, a soldier with a cell phone was considered a well turned out trooper. But in the United States, there were debates over whether you could wear the phone (as many civilian men did, hanging from the belt), and whether it was proper to walk and talk with a cell phone. The Americans are particularly hung up on such issues. There is still some static about uniformed troops carrying umbrellas, or laptop computers. So cell phone use caused a stir for tradition minded commanders.

Meanwhile, navies installed cell phone service on ships, so sailors could more easily take care of business. Airmen and soldiers found the cell phones as useful as anyone else did. The U.S. Army used cell phone technology as the model for its future battlefield communications systems. "Walk and talk" may not look military, but it's a lot more effective than what was available before. And it sort of crept up on everyone until, there we were, walking and talking and wondering where it would all end.