Thread: "First Op Tour - What You Should Know"

Originally Posted by JayJo

I spoke to bunch of TA guys who had just come back from Iraq last year and they said they were able to speak to their wives/girlfriend every day if they wanted. I'm a bit rusty on the exact figures but I think they were allocated 20 mins a week but could buy extra phone cards from the Naafi for 10 bucks for about 30 mins (maybe more). They could also email every day if they booked in quickly. I'm about to go through my first experience of a tour (my OH is off to Afghanistan) and I'm told that e-blueys are the way ahead for filling them in on all the day to day stuff so they can spend their precious email time writing emails instead of reading them. Hope this is of some help - there are some veterans on here who will be able to tell you a lot more.

The trouble with the phones and eblueys is that they shut down when on 'op minimise' this is when a serious casualty comes in. It can last for a couple of hours, until the casualty comes in by MERT and is triaged and found to have only a small scratch, or for a couple of days if next of kin has to informed of more serious stuff.
It is also not possible to ebluey out or email out when 'minimised'. Sometimes the eblueys sent out to theatre can be held back by a back log or the link going down. Or even running out of printer cartridge.
It is also not always possible to get to the phones and sometimes they 'go down' and need to be fixed.
Paper blueys can take anything from a week to weeks.
If your OH is going to use the efax system then they MUST write large and clearly in black pen as by the time it is printed out and sent to the home adress it is sometimes unreadable. I found they weren't much quicker than paper blueys anyway.
I think the most important thing is to know that if you don't hear from your OH do not worry. If there was anything to worry about you would have been informed!
Also to write as much and as often as possible and to get family and friend to write too. It is their only links with home and for myself I lived for the post. It was the highlight of my day.

Great advice Marns. Thanks!

sorry if ive posted in the wrong area still abit unsure
my partners going out on tour to iraq next month will i be able to contact him whilst hes there as he may be back for our babys birth but might not be due to dates, x

I'm not sure of the ins and outs of it but I'm assuming his chain of command or welfare etc know you're pregnant? If so then make sure he gets a number for you to get a message through on if you need to get hold of him urgently. If not I'd suggest he lets them know asap. Last time my OH was out I could text him most of the time on his mobile but I wouldn't want to rely on that if I were pregnant.

Originally Posted by kazzam

I'm not sure of the ins and outs of it but I'm assuming his chain of command or welfare etc know you're pregnant? If so then make sure he gets a number for you to get a message through on if you need to get hold of him urgently. If not I'd suggest he lets them know asap. Last time my OH was out I could text him most of the time on his mobile but I wouldn't want to rely on that if I were pregnant.

Can I just add that taking mobiles on tours is NOT allowed! :roll: It's not just "not recommended", it's a security risk.


Don't depend on sending text messages etc. as I'd be mighty peed off if something happened to my OH because someone had gone against the briefing and turned their phone on, on tour.

Irresponsible - not having a go at anyone in particular, but it is. :evil: And I also don't care HOW many videos from mobiles/people who do it, it's still against a very sensible and proper rule and those phones should be left at home.

Dammit. This is really annoying me now.

Originally Posted by CocoaKid

It's not just "not recommended", it's a security risk.

And I also don't care HOW many videos from mobiles/people who do it, it's still against a very sensible and proper rule and those phones should be left at home.

CK, thanks for making the point.

Again, not directed at anyone in particular - it's just something everyone should keep in mind. And I can't speak for the other MODs, but I personally will keep reminding people whenever necessary.

I know it's tough not getting those little reminders, and you're worried about your OH. But this is not a normal job, and broadcasting information signals outside the Army system can cost lives. Simple as.

I can't address why someone's OH would take their phone on tour, knowing the rules...I can only cite the Tankie's opinion, that if he found a phone on one of his guys, the discomfort caused by a Nokia shoved sideways up the ricker would be the least of his problems.

Partners survived somehow before the age of mobile communications, and you can manage too.

If you want to get it out of your system in the meantime...that's what RP is for. :-)