Blackouts

One of the other things that is interesting about Army life here is the way we communicate with home.  Thank God for modern technology.  I have access to regular internet, secure (classified) internet, a cell phone - yes, Iraq now has a growing network, unknown in the days of Saddam, US Mail and AT&T phone trailers.  The days of censoring incoming and outgoing communications, for all practical purposes, are gone.  This is not because the Military is a big believer in free speech for its members.  Our business is protecting that right for civilians.  Our oath actually provides that we voluntarily undertake limitations of free speech for security purposes.  The real reason that censorship has become largely a thing of the past, is that it is impossible to effectively enforce it in the information age.  Unfortunately, this was proven a few days ago.  A sister battalion of ours here on the FOB lost two soldiers to an IED. When the report came in over the radio, all communications to home were blacked out for 24 hours.  This is the policy of the higher headquarters so that proper notification may be made of the families of the fallen.  They closed the phone trailers, shut off the internet and everything else they could.  However, cell phones still worked on a limited basis.  The word could have leaked very easily before official notification was made. No one here, however, would do or did do such a thing.  All the censorship in the world can never replace respect, class and good manners.  Once again, may these warriors rest in peace.  Their cause is just.  Their fight is right.  Their time came too soon.

Comments

[Brian H]

Yes, imagine being the one (hypothetical) person in charge of deciding how to maintain security and preventing a "loose lips" disaster or two or two hundred. How would you go about it? I actually don't envy the Army et al. the task or the problem.

[Kat-Missouri]

Sir, one of our boys from Weston, MO, just up the road from me, was killed on Friday from an IED.

You know, this is one of those towns where everyone has a flag out and yellow ribbons with signs that say "support our troops".

Now they are taking up a collection to name the ball field after him. He was 22 and very active in the community coaching baseball in the summer and other youth mentoring programs.

Another good one gone from us.

The men who killed him could never be him.

Thank you for carrying the torch for us.

Stay safe. Keep up the good fight.