The complete guide to Aberdeen Proving Ground
Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) in Maryland is one of the lesser-known Army installations. That’s probably because it’s largely an R&D installation. It’s also home to nearly 80 tenant commands and…
1,000 bombers took part in largest World War II bombing raid
The largest bombing raid of World War II was the British attack on Cologne, Germany, on May 30, 1942, when over 1,000 bombers were sent to destroy chemical and machine tool facilities there in a single-night attack.
6 reasons why comm guys hate military movies
There’s a pretty good reason why comm guys — Signalmen — don’t like war movies. See if you can spot it.
1. Saving Private Ryan
The crazy way subs used to communicate
7 little ways to be an effective radio operator
Every combat arms unit needs a radio operator. Whether they enlisted as one or they were “voluntold” to be one, someone’s gotta do it. There’s a steep learning curve between being a guy with a radio pack and being the go-to radio operator. If yo…
The story of ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’ makes your officers look pretty smart
The “Charge of the Light Brigade” has become shorthand for a military disaster, especially one that is filled with heroics but is still a catastrophe. In the actual Charge of the Light Brigade, approximately 670 men rode into the teeth of Russian …
6 rules about military email to keep you out of trouble
Work email is often more of an annoyance than anything else. It lets people reach you whenever they want, ignore you if they so choose, and provides the new hire…
Radiomen in the Vietnam War faced a 5-second life expectancy
At the height of the Vietnam War, up-and-coming commo guys who wanted to learn the art of radio operation would walk into a classroom and see a huge number five written on the chalkboard.
Inevitably, someone’s curiosity would win out and they…
How Vietnam-era commo guys talked through the jungles
Throughout history, communications troops have had one job: to make sure those on front lines are able to talk to headquarters. Today’s troops that operate satellite communications and line-of-sight radio waves through mostly barren terrain may not…
11 memes that perfectly capture life as a commo guy
In every branch, on every base, and in every possible unit is a communications (commo) guy. Sometimes, you get a commo guy who runs-and-guns alongside the combat arms guys. Other times, you get the guys who can talk for hours on the backstories of e…