Communications Under Fire

摘要

In the war against terrorism, ship and aircraft activity may be foremost on the nightly news and in the public eye, but in information-age conflicts an almost invisible force is just as critical to mission success. The military service members who build communications infrastructure from the ground up under combat conditions have become major contributors to winning battles fought by joint and coalition forces. When 1st Lt. Julie Bresciani, USA, of the 11th Signal Brigade, Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, felt the jolt of the C-130 aircraft landing in Afghanistan last November, it was the beginning of her team's mission to create a worldwide network to allow U.S. and international forces to communicate and start dismantling a terrorist regime. It was late in the evening when the team began the landing process over the Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan. About 15 minutes before landing, the aircraft's lights went out and the red lights came on, signifying, blackout mode. It was going to be a combat landing.