Communication today is faster than it used to be. In an instant, someone can make a phone call, send an e-mail or fax, or even chat via the Internet with a relative or friend. In times of conflict, this is extremely beneficial. No longer must families rely on slow military communication to keep in touch with loved ones.

“I was very fortunate to communicate by e-mail,” said nurse Doris Jones, whose husband was stationed on a base in Iraq. “We e-mailed on almost a daily basis, and he was usually able to call once a week. It made it easier to get through. It assured me that he could still be involved in home and family issues.”

The ability to communicate with family allows the individual who is overseas to be able to not only keep in touch, but to play an active role in daily life. Though the parent or spouse may not be able to make decisions, they can remain in the loop regarding family life

“My dad was overseas in the Navy, helping to prevent another attack like the USS Cole,” said Jonathan Atkinson, junior. “At first, we would just use cell phones, but then he got a video camera and I could chat with him or send letters and packages. I mean, at first, I was upset about his deployment. It was easier to deal with his departure when I know I could communicate with him on a regular basis. For the guys in Iraq and Afghanistan, it is harder to get daily communication. I was lucky my dad was in a more developed country where he could call or write.”

Of course, where a soldier is in combat can make communication dramatically different. Being in a combat zone is different from being stationed on a base in a foreign country. Combat zones are often removed from communication areas, whereas being stationed on a base makes life easier.

“The first time I was overseas, I was deployed for a six month tour of the gulf, during the first Gulf War,” said Michael Sharp, history teacher. “Then they didn’t have the communication systems they do now. We wrote letters and maybe once a month I could make a phone call home. It made things lonelier and there were two sides to it. First, you could keep in contact, but you also keep thinking about your family, which was a distraction, and it was hard to focus on the mission.”

However, that is exactly why combat zones are often removed from communications. A distraction could be fatal and the soldiers must keep their focus on the mission. However, most of the branches maintain lines of communication through people other than the soldiers themselves.

“I’ve joined the Key Volunteer Network,” said Barbara Lopez, secretary, whose son was deployed to military training this week.

“The wife of the highest ranking officer will be in contact with me. I’ll call the other parents and she’ll call the wives. This will help me to keep more in touch.”

The military has come a long way in ways to communicate, but without the advent of modern technology, families would be relying on slow military communication to keep in touch.