[antimedia] antimedia: I noticed a post a while ago....

[Email subscription to blog articles]

Posted by antimedia:
I noticed a post a while ago....
http://www.antimedia.us/posts/1175304731.shtml


   ....[1]on Blackfive that shocked me. The article was [2]crossposted at
   Michelle Malkin's site.

     From time to time, Staff Sergeant D (on the Pakistan-Afghan border)
     shoots me an email on what's happening. The worst revelation is
     that the Army is charging the soldiers for Internet access (by the
     kilobyte) - I may have to send instructions on how to Vampire Tap a
     line to D.

   I thought that was pretty cold, so I emailed my friend, Dan, who is an
   Air Force EOD TSgt serving in Afghanistan right now and asked him if
   it was true.
   Here's Dan's answer.

     Unless they're talking about the unrestricted access people get at
     the AAFES vendors, noone is being charged for internet access. I
     have to use the computer far more than I'd like and I'd have one
     hell of a bill by now if they were charging me.
     Internet access from DoD work computers and morale computers is
     restricted in a lot of ways, but none that would be unusual
     anywhere else. Uncle Sammy doesn't want to pay for people surfing
     porn or visiting internet gambling sites any more than a lot of
     civilian employers do. However, they generally make sure that
     there's a means for people to do such things when they're off duty
     if they are so inclined. The USO here provides free unrestricted
     wireless access. The bandwidth sucks, but if you want to go to
     boobies.com or watch streaming videos from Youtube you can do so.
     There are also "Green Bean" coffee shops (one of the aforementioned
     AAFES vendors) where people can do the same but they have to pay
     for the time and the bandwidth that they use. Such things are payed
     (sic) for on the spot, directly out of ones pocket. It is also
     possible, here on Bagram at least, to have civilian internet
     installed in one's B-hut (wooden "B-huts" have taken the place of
     tents here). This is basically the same as what kids who live in
     the barracks back home have. If you want it, you have to pay for it
     and a civilian organization provides the service. The rates are
     quite reasonable too. If I wasn't so busy all the time I would
     probably do it myself. As it is, I don't spend enough time in my
     hut.

   So either the Army is doing something Dan is completely unaware of or
   someone is scamming Matt's friend or the Army is charging soldiers who
   are serving in remote locations where Internet access is harder to
   come by (satellite?) than it is in the more "settled" areas like
   Bagram.

References

   1. http://www.blackfive.net/main/2007/03/ssg_ds_note_fro.html
   2. http://michellemalkin.com/archives/007095.htm