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By Paul S. Maxwell
OK, we've written about this in CableFAX Daily more than once. But CableWORLD has a much broader circulation, so, if you've read about this and already have decided your system(s) will join in, you can read Paul Kagan's very good and thoughtful column. For the rest of you, pay attention!
Our nation has soldiers, sailors and Marines in harm's way. And cable systems can do a little bit to help ease the sense of despair that overcomes every military person separated from family and friends...just a little bit.
A couple of guys who should know better?former Lemco VP, sales, Rick Jubeck and former SCTE and Cable Center techno-guru Bill Riker?have staked their careers (not to mention their former jobs) on actually making a difference for our men and women in uniform.
Their mission is called USO Videophone and the idea, in cooperation with WORLD USO, is to put videophones using IP broadband near most soldiers and sailors (in USO and military facilities) and connecting them to family via videophones in cable offices across the U.S. Hal Krisbergh and WorldGate are cooperating and (to a big degree) contributing new videophones (Ojo) to the mission. (I'm calling it a mission, not a nonprofit exercise, which it is; nor a business venture, which it isn't. But a quick thanks to dbTronics for starting the contribution ball rolling!)
I'm for it.
Big time.
And you should be, too.
This ain't some partisan-driven idea. You can be for this no matter your party affiliation, if any, and no matter your view of our current military efforts in Iraq (scene of most, but not all, of the fighting today)?pro, con, indifferent and/or just resigned to it. We're "there"?Iraq, Afghanistan, South Korea, the Balkans, other Middle Eastern bases and a dozen other deployments around the world. Well, "we" aren't...but our military personnel are.
Let me tell you about being out of touch for days, weeks or months at a time...only news from home a letter or six at irregular mail call. (OK, I admit, these guys have cell phone connections, telephones at most bases and e-mail access pretty regularly...but videophones would up the connections a nice notch.)
Let me tell you about getting home and, in uniform, walking down a street and getting called names and spit at.
There's a difference between the policies that put soldiers at war and the soldiers themselves. That got mixed up in the '60s and '70s. It shouldn't this time around.
We need to do anything and everything we can to make that duty and service a little more appreciated. In this war of all "volunteers," there are many who are reservists, National Guardsmen and soldiers caught in "stop loss" rules. The pressures are tough. The pace of war and harm's way is relentless. Hours and hours of boredom followed by a couple years' worth of adrenaline pulsing throughout your body in just a few seconds. Intense.
A little face time with loved ones once in awhile would be really nice.
So when Bill or Rick give you a call...listen closely to how your systems can be a part of this. A test will be underway soon in Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey (absolutely no coincidence that's near Comcast's HQ, of course), co-managed by Liberty USO (the local WORLD USO affiliate). I'm sure it'll "work." (Right? This stuff does work, doesn't it, over cable?)
Contribute to this...make it happen. You'll be glad you did. (Hey, what a test bed for a new product! What a chance to sell folks on this idea...works even for college kids away for the first time, for new grandparents and more! Enlightened self-interest is an OK thing!)
And so will the soldiers who come home and become (or re-up) subscribers. Inquire now: or .
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