Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!bellcore!att!cbnews!cbnews!military
From: rja@Eng.Sun.COM (Robert Allen)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: What does a Comm center need?
Message-ID: <1991Feb28.053713.11557@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 28 Feb 91 05:37:13 GMT
References: <1991Feb18.054110.11303@cbnews.att.com> <1991Feb22.232157.4167@cbnews.att.com> <1991Feb26.012058.5985@cbnews.att.com> <1991Feb27.022225.22937@cbnews.att.com>
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From: rja@Eng.Sun.COM (Robert Allen)

In article <1991Feb27.022225.22937@cbnews.att.com> carlson@gateway (Bruce Carlson) writes:
+
+One other item the Brigade CP has is several touch-tone telephones, 
+which gives them direct dial access throughout the division area and
+may give them connectivity to Corps or higher.  The telephones are connected
+to automatic switchboards that are primitive by AT&T standards, but
+still work very well.  The boards can have up to 90 lines (although at
+Brigade I think they only use a 30 or 60 line configuration).  Local
+numbers are 3 digits and "long-distance" to division or to other
+brigades is 9xx-xxx.  Division Signal publishes phonebooks and it
+is fairly easy to locate and call anyone else in the Division.

    In theory.  In practice I've noticed that phone communication is
    often spotty, and tends to get worse near the shift changes of the
    manning personal.
+
+Infantry battalion CPs are supposed to have a line into the brigade
+automatic switchboard, but very few units run the line unless they
+know they are going to stay in place for a while.  Battalions use
+single-channel VHF FM radios with encryption devices for most
+of their commo to Brigade and to their companies.  Battalions may run
+wire to the companies in the defense, but in the offense it is usually
+too time consuming.

    I'm not certain, but I think that the model you describe may be more
    apt for the Army than the Marines.  In my experiences working with
    the 9th ID, such as you describe was the case.  In my limited exposure
    to the work of the 3rd Mar. Div. however I noticed that the comm
    backbone was much less static, and much more dependant on humans
    than on comm hardware.
--
    Robert Allen, rja@sun.com		DISCLAIMER: I disclaim everything.

    "The intelligent man is one who has successfully fulfilled many
     accomplishments, and is yet willing to learn more." - Ed Parker