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Semper WiFi
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)."
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.
Boxing Equipment Reviews
...front line forces surfing slashdot.
Eight Oh Two dot Eleven Be. Full Speed Packet.
-- "I'm not a religious man, but if you're up there, save me Superman..."
Reminds me of the USA Today headline a couple of months ago: Occupation of Iraq to End. Troops will Remain Indefinitely .
Tubal-Cain smokes the white owl.
I want very much for our troops to be able to communicate with their families back home. It's good for morale both in the service and for their families. But the lack of security in a WiFi network, IMO could easily put those military forces in jeopardy. All it would take would be the wrong information packet-sniffed by the wrong person to cause danger to the soldiers there. Is it truly possible to make a WiFi network secure enough to avoid this?
Never look down your nose at others. Someday, someone is bound to see your boogers.
Makes you look at WiFi rifles in a whole new light (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/08/03/wi-fi_aer ial_gun/).
Prosperity is only an instrument to be used, not a deity to be worshipped. Calvin Coolidge
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
"dope will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no dope"
I'm sure al Queda will think up all sorts of diabolic plots after learning of Suzy's sniffles, Billy's math test, and what the guy's wife is going to do to him as soon as he gets back (note to celibate geeks: this is a sex refeence).
"I'd rather be a lightning rod than a seismometer." -Ken Kesey
This sounds like an Operational Security nightmare. Unless it is well secured (and fully encrypted end-to-end), it could well be a valuable source of information for the Bad Guys.
Remember, information wants to be free...
A house divided against itself cannot stand.
I did check it out though, and the term 'Semper Wi-Fi' was used previous to mean wireless Internet for Marines... by the Marine Corps itself. http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/0/B2C90 2831D9E2D8A85256E7D004BA4A5?opendocument
-- "A chicken is an egg's way of making another egg."
There is nothing much new in the setup they are proposing, perhaps the biggest thing is that they are proposing it.
I would suggest wireless dumb terminals with certificate based security, going through a WEP that is MAC configured and keeping a tabs on all terminals as much as possible.
No, the thing that shocks me is the reference to ehowa...
Governments spend unbelievable ammounts of money on military equiptment, can't some of it be appropriated to communications?
I thought 'battlefield' communications would be very good - I am utterly mystified how a country can have so many troops in a place and not have a solid redundant communciation netwrok that could be accessible to the troops.
Perhaps this could be an oppourtunity for some community aid? Let the students get involved in configuring the units (after all, we are talking email and video messaging, nothing secret?)
This may be nice.
#hostfile 0.0.0.0 primidi.com 0.0.0.0 www.primidi.com 0.0.0.0 radio.weblogs.com
Probably because most people know a guy down the road or from school or in the family who's over there, and especially those who have family in service know what it's like to be out of touch for long periods of time and would want to fix that. It's human nature to care more about people who are closer to you. Also I'd guess most people have a mindset that makes them think whatever they put in would be so small as to be a drop in the bucket in the rebuilding effort (whether that's true or not i can't say)...with this wireless thing you can donate equipment and know you put a piece of it in place.
That said, even though you're trolling you have somewhat of a point...
If you can't see the value in jet powered ants you should turn in your nerd card. - Dunbal (464142)
If you have older computers lying around, fix 'em up and donate them to local families who have family in the war.
The military has special sites setup for where the families can get free webmail, inet access, etc..
I took two old P3-450s and gave one to my wife's friend and another to the local Marine Reserve base, that they can pass out to other family members.
Josh
"Semper Fidelis" (or Semper Fi) is the Marine Corps motto...
A house divided against itself cannot stand.
All an opposing military need develop now is a missile that homes in on the frequency that 802.11b/g/a uses.
How about a missile that homes in on a particular MAC address?
Troop morale is an important issue - especially since many of these great people have been forced to be away from their families longer than originally planned.
If more frequent contact can be made, their morale will increase, and this leads to more effective troops.
If YOU wish to start a Rebuild Iraq fund, feel free to do so. Like a Habitat for Iraq-ity.
Our military is not supposed to rebuild Iraq (they are demolition/enforcement, not construction). The rebuilding is supposed to be done by the 'contractors' already hired (and a fine job they are doing, too).
It's a pun on this
Shhh, you're going to spoil the fun a friend of mine has been having.
When he shipped out earlier this year, he made sure to bring is entire war driving setup including cantenna... although when we do see him on it's always been from the local and legitimate network connection from where he is stationed.
Help Brendan pay off his student loans
As a non-military-type (hell, I'm Canadian, we don't even know what a tank is) I'm curious how the US military is able to rein in information of a militarily-sensitive nature, as they did with letter censors in previous conflicts? Is this still something that is a concern for the US military? How do they restrict information in the digi age, when any lowly private can jump on gmail or hotmail and send off messages?
And, in response to the article, does anyone see a security issue with a "privately-funded, long-range WiFi network" in a battle zone?
What does it mean to wake out of a dream
and be wearing someone else's shorts?
BNL, Born on a Pirate Ship (1998)
to War Driving...
-- "I'm not a religious man, but if you're up there, save me Superman..."
"In case anyone doesn't get it, "Semper Fi" is the Marine Corp motto."
Other prominent mottos we've use include:
Oh, and I don't consider the grandparent a troll, it seems a valid point to me. If people are so concerned about rebuilding Iraq for freedom and prosperity, why not donate for that cause?
To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
...it would be nice if they left the network in place, if this were at all possible. I'm sure the Iraqis could make great use of it.
Well, some people went into the military because it was the best choice for them. They're not blood-thirsty or enjoy killing. Most were likely just poor, were trying to escape a bad household, or just were not suited for a regular school. Some were just fooled into believing that the military is just piloting million dollar equipment and having honor.
They took the risk of having to hurt someone to get what they wanted. There is no way you can blame their youthful ambition or ignorance. If you are young, you have it. And if you are older, you laugh at yourself for having so much of it (but you still miss it).
With all due respect, I think you have it backwards. The Army and military in general is NOT trained for rebuilding infrastructure or even for "peacekeeping" or law enforcement. The military is trained for one thing: Achieve their military objectives as quickly and efficiently as possible. Military objectives generally fall into 3 categories.
1. Kill that guy.
2. Keep that guy from killing someone else (method: see #1).
3. Train for 1 and 2.
This is the reason Vietnam turned out the way it did. If you expect the military to effectively do anything but kill the enemy, be prepared to be disappointed.
IMHO, Civilian contractors, US, Iraqi, or otherwise, should be doing the reconstruction. It is the Iraqi government's responsibility to oversee this task and the US government's responsibility to assist as appropriate.
nos laetus epulor qui would domito nos
However, US soldiers who enrolled (i.e. all US soldiers in Iraq), did so willingly...they're hired killers and they're this administration's accomplices in starting this illegal war and invasion of a sovereign country.
Wow, you really are ignorant. Given the choice, most people wouldn't risk their lives overseas just to "see some action." Most of these people are doing it because they have no other choice. It certianly doesn't pay well, especially for the risks involved. Maybe you're somehow not aware of current tuition costs, but I know of alot of people who cannot even afford to go to a state or community college. Going into the military for a few years then having them pay your tuition is a great way to go to college and be able to get a job that is better than being in the military. Consider yourself lucky that you didn't have to take this route and don't condemn other people who have no other options. You can disagree with the war in Iraq, but the troops did not make those political decisions.
That has nothing to do with the troops. The troops, if you ask them, are fighting for their countrymen.
They didn't go over there to make money for someone, they went over there because they were told it would make the US safer.
Now, you can argue whether or not that's true, and you can certainly accuse the top of the chain of command of betraying the country, but don't blame the troops for it. They still want to believe they're doing it for us.
---
Mod me down, you fucking twits. Go ahead. I dare you.
(I read with sigs off.)
The people there now are most certainly "fighting for us"
Now Saddam Hussain has gone, the occupying force has an absolute responsibility to hand the country over to responsible governance. The alternative would be balkanisation and the development of mini states led by fanatics. Many of these warlords would benefit greatly from supporting global terrorism.
Dont kid yourself, Iraq is most deffinitely a threat now and it is a vital responsibility of the occupying forces to support the development of the new government - for our sakes as much as for the Iraquis
For many people opposition to the war before it began was for this very reason - that we doubted that the US would be capable of returning Iraq to peace and prosperity after removing their vile dictator. In particular we doubted that the American electorate had the stomach to take responsibility for the winning of the peace after the war.
Whatever the rights and wrongs of starting the thing, it is now of vital importance to finish the job.
Facts are history now plebs have politics for religion on social media.
As this poster and this AC have pointed out, this is non-operational, family information trafficing between a small base (probably known to the enemy) and the US for the expressed purpose of letting loved ones know that they are alive and, for the time, okay.
This is not a situation where military details will be disclosed or data stolen from the hard drives of military planners laptops (they have to go to Los Alamos for that - groan).
This is an initiative to send equipment to troops who need to keep their families apprised of their condition.
"Rocky Rococo, at your cervix!"
However, US soldiers who enrolled (i.e. all US soldiers in Iraq), did so willingly. They didn't get that job to play tennis, they knew they could very well be asked to go do some killing on behalf of the government. So, I don't care if they went there to get money for tuition, or to make their families proud, or just to "see some action", they're hired killers and they're this administration's accomplices in starting this illegal war and invasion of a sovereign country.
So, what are you saying?
Are you saying that all soldiers in all armies in the world are "hired killers"? Is it your position that no good person should ever join the military?
Or are you saying that soldiers should independently evaluate each conflict that comes along and decide whether or not they think this one is "moral"?
Or are you saying that people should only join the military whey they know there's a war coming up that they think is worth fighting in?
Or are you saying something else? Please explain, so we can tell you why you're wrong.
Note to ACs: I usually delete AC replies without reading them. If you want to talk to me, log in.
Hello Fellow Slashdotters,
My name is Michael and I'm a civilian contractor out here in Fallujah, Iraq working with the Marine Headqaurters in their Information Office. On my free time my roomate and I keep the current internet cafe running on base for a large number of Marines and service members.
I can tell you want is needed. There are over 20 internet cafes, which consist of one 1mb/512 satellite and 20 computers and 8 IP's phones. Some cafes have multiple satellites with this configuration. We have 3, which is 60 computers with webcams and IP phones.
The problem is that there was no support included with this package. Most cafe's are not working becasue there aren't any IT or computer geeks to keep them running. And if there are any Marines who could they are busy doing other things.
A wide wireless LAN is risky. The reason is Operational Security. Information is easier to leak if not controlled. So when a Marine sits down in the internet cafe we have signs posted and of course their background reminds them about OPSEC.
Also I have been looking for simple Internet Cafe software on Freshmeat and other places but have not found a good solution.
Currently we are reworking the contract. We are going to use this Internet cafe as a template for all others. I would LOVE suggestions from the Slashdot community on what they think. Please drop me an email or IM on your thoughts.
As a communications professional (worked with radio, satellite, data, voice, crypto) and military member who has spent 2 years in the Middle East, I want to respond to a few things.
(1) Just as a note, pay for use phones are already at several Middle East locations courtesy of AT&T.
(2) I would be concerned about soldiers discussing sensitive info with their family. This happens anyway but even telephone and unclass network signals are encrypted by the military before being blasted out over open airways. This wireless setup would make the information much more accessible to baddys. No, they can not be trusted to police themselves. Trust me, I'm a net admin, I see the bad (from an OPSEC standpoint) stuff people send their families all the time. I don't even want the enemy to know innocent stuff like my mailing address,phone number or wifey's e-mail addy. Hello blackmail/family threats! Most places I've been we burn anything that is personnlly identifiable.
(3) re: "Well, some people went into the military because it was the best choice for them. They're not blood-thirsty or enjoy killing."
How naive... in every war our soldiers have dehumanized the enemy. What makes you think this one is different? If I had a nickel for every time I've heard "I can't wait to kill a f'in raghead". Also, as a previous poster noted, all of these people are volunteers. If they truly did no believe in the cause, there are many ways out. They weigh the odds and consequences and at the end of the day, they choose to go and kill/be killed.
(4) Military people aren't as poor as those who mismanage their money would have you believe. I'm a lowly E-5 and I get ~ 50k a year, mostly tax free. Not bad for a highschool graduate. Those who complain about how poorly their paid are usually poor managers of the money they get. I guarantee everyone house a roof over their head, food in their belly, a car, and a TV. That's not poor.
(5) Someone mentioned the old style "read the GI's mail" censorship of WWII. I've sent hundreds of letters from the desert and never heard of any of them arriving opened or censored.
I don't think this still happens.
(6) Someone said: "Governments spend unbelievable ammounts of money on military equiptment, can't some of it be appropriated to communications?
I thought 'battlefield' communications would be very good - I am utterly mystified how a country can have so many troops in a place and not have a solid redundant communciation netwrok that could be accessible to the troops."
Trust me, the US military has an incredible communications infrastructure. They also have the common sense to devote 99.9% of this infrastructure to fighting the war rather than talking about Tim's tooth ache. I'm much more interested in transporting high resolution UAV footage to the battle center than I am in sending pics of someones kids. Even so, there is plenty of bandwidth available for moral e-mail use. Lets face it, text is pretty small. The problem is abuse of the system. For every guy that just e-mails his family and gets the occasional picture, there are three who download porn, forward stupid video clips, and propogate chaind "get prayer back in school" petitions to 10,000 other users. At every place I've been the biggest reason the network is slow is because people abuse it!
(7) No offense, but I've been living this life for 8 years and I can say that 99% of the posters on slashdot are speaking out their a** when it comes to military comms.
Making money from an unnecessary invasion is not protecting your family. Your family is now in far more danger now that the U.S. government has invaded an oil-rich Arab country that was, at the time, not threatening other countries. Nothing a Madison Avenue advertising company could do would have given more support to crazed terrorists. It was an effective move for those who want more war, because there is profit in war.
I don't think you can claim that soldiers aren't killing people for pay.
So do cops.
Most soldiers never kill anyone. It's a possibility that comes with the job, just as it does with being a policeman. It's the unfortunate nature of the world that, sometimes, killing people is a good thing to do.
My suggestion is that should your country be invaded, then you arm yourself and fight - no one can hold a country when the populace is motivated to resist.
This is technically true, but the brutal reality of such an approach is much, much worse than keeping a standing army of soldiers who, if they do their job well and professionally during peacetime, will never have to fight anyone. Of course, that does create a risk that politicians may decide to use this force for evil, but it's the job of the *citizens* to keep their own government under control.
(Actually, it occurs to me that those who want to blame the soldiers are really trying to shift the blame from their own shoulders. They should have done more to stop their government from doing those things they disagreed with.)
Your suggestion also doesn't consider the fact that the whole populace will not be motivated to resist. A large portion of the populace will prefer to try to get along with the invaders, even if it means that they lose their freedom in the process.
Note to ACs: I usually delete AC replies without reading them. If you want to talk to me, log in.
As a soldier here in Iraq I'll put in my 28 dinars ...
:) The reason invitations are going unused is simply because most soldiers aren't geeks and aren't even aware this exists. Most of em probably don't even know what google is. If internet explorer came up on MSN then that's what they search with. I've had to write a friggen internet policy here for our troops to help guide them away from all the spam and spyware and viruses. Hopefully I'll get alot of them converted over to something like firefox before we leave and hopefully they'll be more responsible internet uses when I'm through with them...
First of all wireless is not all that uncommon here. Though I will admit of the two marine bases I've been on one of them didn't have squat. I didn't take my laptop to the other. As far as it being restricted, nobody is reading over our shoulders to see what we say. They must be using some kind of proxy as we know some soldiers got caught looking at porn. However, when I was in Kuwait the cybercafe there actually charged for the time but provided computers with games installed. Several soldiers there got together and played everquest late at night.
The article very accurately describes our problem with the Morale systems. To top it off most of the soldiers here are computer illiterate. I've managed to "war Drive" a little bit and have found a third party willing to let us hitchike on their wireless. Someone asked me if I'm stealing it. No, they are completely aware we are on their system. They think I'm a friggen genious cause I got the viruses off their computers and helped them with several other computer problems. It's a win-win situation and one of the only true luxuries we have here.
What these people are doing for the marines is great. I can tell you they've got the worst living conditions I've seen in theatre and they certianly deserve better than what the MWR facilites have to offer. I'd be tickled s***less if we could find someone to do the same for us here on our post. Our families are trying to raise money to help us be self sufficient with our internet but it is a slow process when we are from such a rural area back home. Until then we'll do what we do best and improvise.
As far as the comment about Abu Ghraib. As any soldier will tell you there are several things you should know.
First, what was done there is WRONG and a disgrace.
Second, if found guilty they will receive quite the punishment. The UCMJ is fair but cross it and you are in for a world of hurt.
Third, photos and videos are encouraged for reasons just like this. Many times it may help with intelligence. Videos may help later to review tactics and create new plans. We have to think on our feet and keep looking to see what we are doing wrong and right. If it weren't for those photos Abu Ghraib might have been worse.
Finally, put on your tinfoil hats, there was probably someone directing them do to what they did. I wouldn't look so happy about if I was ignorant enough to follow those orders but the same people that are brainwashing the prisoners are likely as influential on the soldiers there trying to do their duties.
Last but not least I did get my gmail account.
Anyway... If anyone has any questions about anything over here feel free to contact me. I'll only say what I can that doesn't endanger anyone else but I'm pretty open to comments. If anyone cares to help us over here feel free to contact us. In the mean time I'll thank the slashdot community for pointing out this article and I'll see if they can't work up some kind of deal for us.
For the contractor in Fallujah, keep your head down man! I'm also glad to hear I'm not the only nerd in Iraq!!
-- this space for rent --