If somebody in the Military stationed in Iraq or Afghanistan want to call home, how do they do it?

Question

Do they have pay phones? Cellphones? Are there designated phones that they use? Do they only get so many calls that they can make? Just curious how this works?

Answer 1

It depends entirely on where they're stationed. Some people do have cell phones, although the reliability, availability of service, and cost makes this a rather dubious choice. Some units/FOBs will have AT&T payphone shacks available, where the deployed soldier can dial a 1-800 number on a calling card they buy at the PX (and can recharge), and call home. The waiting lines for these can often be long, depending on where they are. There are also "phone rooms" run by local nationals, which are often cheaper than the AT&T shacks, and sometimes even more reliable. Some places have satphones available. There are also civilian-number-enabled DNVT (military phones) occasionally available, usually for more remotely located FOBs. The availability of all of these increased even in the span of time I was deployed, so I'm sure they've become more common since then.

Answer 2

There are two ways to go. There are pay phones. And then there are VOIP. You still need a card to use VOIP, but what you do is, call home to a base near where you live, and tell the operator there you are using a calling card. They will patch you through to the commercial line and you make your call as normal. Calls from Iraq are dang near a buck a minute, but if you use VOIP, you get as much milage as you would if you were calling from the states.

Answer 3

I know that there are designated phone banks. My husband used a prepaid phone card that we CONTINUALLY recharged. He only got to use the phone so often. It wasn't like a designated amount, it was whenever they could use the phone- not out on missions, or had some down time.

Answer 4

I had a few options. Pay phones with a global phone card, those I used for quick calls. I also used the office phone after hrs and called a base near home to transfer me to my mom and brother. You can also call a base to transfer you to let you use phone card.

Answer 5

the only interest in Iraq is the sequestering of oil materials. the very shown fact that individuals do no longer provide a monkey's curse approximately uncomplicated Iraqi civilians is all to sparkling, and is why they are going to by no capacity win any appreciate or co-operation from them. The individuals % to barter with the elite of Iraq, in return for agreements to grant u.s. with oil. in the event that they actually cared approximately Iraqi's, they could do extra to alleviate the tensions between Sunni and Shia, besides the shown fact that it fits them to have a semblance of civil conflict interior the country. Divide and triumph over, and all that. As for Afghanistan, hundreds of thousands of yank taxpayers funds replaced into used to assist the 'resistance combatants' (or is that terrorists?) whilst the Russians occupied the territory. at that element, the Taliban resisted tries by the Russians to have women knowledgeable and supply women individuals extra beneficial freedoms. The individuals supported the Taliban in that resistance. a lot for woman emancipation. it variety of feels that each and every of the 'concepts' that individuals carry so expensive recommend no longer something if commercial hobbies are in touch. Why are we in touch in Afghanistan? Who stands to benefit? no longer Afghan civilians, it quite is for optimistic. enable's be elementary. The individuals will in trouble-free terms be finished in Afghanistan whilst despite company interest that seeks to take benefit of their presence there has have been given what they %.

Answer 6

there are a big line of phones a chair and boards for privacy they sit there for about 15 minutes and call home also they use cell phones too.

Answer 7

There are specific phones for it.

AT&T, MCI, and others are out there.

There are also some cell phones available.

Video conferencing is available at most COBs/FOBs.

There is also chat and email.

There are also free morale phones, but there are few phones, they have limited talk times and usually bad connections, but its free so you cant argue.

Most of it works through sattelight connections.

Answer 8

Phone cards and theres only a few phones for a lot of people. They also can steal a Sattelite phone from the UN wusses.

Answer 9

If I told you I would get in big trouble..but the do have video phones