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Semper WiFi

Posted by michael on from the better-than-MARS dept.

Roblimo writes "Armed Forces personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan increasingly use the Internet to communicate with their familes back home, but there are not nearly enough computers and connections for them. Lt. Phillip Geiger, Medical Officer with the 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines, suggested using a privately-funded, long-range WiFi network to help troops stay in touch. The idea has grown from there, all funded privately with cash and equipment donations. Joe Barr has the details on NewsForge (which, like Slashdot, is part of OSTG)."

2 of 176 comments (clear)

  1. Troops by Klar · · Score: 5, Informative

    Things like this are great. Troops fighting for us deserve to be able to communicate with their friends and family to keep them sane. This really reminds me of the http://www.gmail4troops.com/ project. If you have an extra gmail invite around in you inbox, why not give it to someone who could use it to receive video and pictures from loved ones.

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  2. "Better than MARS" FAQ by dogfart · · Score: 5, Informative
    MARS stands for Military Auxiliary Amateur Radio System. It's a long standing ham radio network designed to assist military personnel with contacting the folks back home (among other things military-like).

    FAQ is at http://public.afca.af.mil/LIBRARY/MARS1.HTM . Another article explaining the Air Force MARS is http://www.asc.army.mil/mars/history.htm

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