In the past, soldiers on deployment had to rely on letters, care packages, and the occasional long-distance phone call to communicate with loved ones. But when the Internet burst onto the scene in the early 1990s, it opened up a world of new possibilities that made staying in touch with partners in the military easier. Now, there are online dating sites for military personnel that can help deployed soldiers communicate with their loved ones and of course find new friends and partners. There are also now a number of different apps designed for the same purpose. Here are some of the new technologies that you, as a military spouse or partner, can take advantage of.
Videoconference:
The advent of video conferencing allows military penpals to see and communicate in real time. This computer and communications technology digitizes audiovisual information sent via web cameras and then transmits the video over the Internet to a computer at the other end of the line.
Seeing and communicating with your partner in real time can help reduce loneliness and alleviate the stress that comes after a loved one has been deployed.
How does it work:
To make video conferencing possible, webcams record both audio and video and then convert it to digital format. This is then compressed and prepared for playback on computer monitors and through speakers. Videoconferencing uses a combination of web page tools and Internet communication technology to make communication possible in real time. Tools like HTML and XML, Java, and Flash play a role in making Internet communications attractive and effective for military soldiers and their spouses.
How it helps:
According to studies, many people absorb information better when they are visually guided by something they are looking at. This is the main reason why video conferencing is the best technology to keep in touch with your loved ones in the military. Being able to see your partner in real time will help you overcome the loneliness and stress that both go hand in hand with the sacrifices that military life demands.
Other options:
If you need other options or want to have a backup system in case video conferencing is temporarily unavailable, you can also use instant messaging and chat applications.
Web-based solutions such as chat rooms, forums, and sites designed specifically for military pen pals are also helpful.
Some deployed soldiers also use audio and video recording. With this technology, military soldiers and their families can record messages that they can then send to their peers for playback in the event that real-time conferencing is not available. Audio and video files can be attached to text messages using MMS technology, and can also be attached to emails. There is nothing more heart warming than receiving a video or audio file from your military spouse or partner that you can download and view or listen to.
Why mobile phones are not enough:
Some are probably wondering why mobile phones are not on this list. The fact is, in the experience of many military spouses, cell phones can be quite unreliable and instead of making things easier, they make the situation more frustrating due to faulty or unstable connections. Therefore, reliable web-based technologies like military pen pal sites and video calling apps like Skype are a better choice.
So, what are you waiting for?
Start communicating with your loved ones in the military. Just download the right video conferencing software, buy the right equipment, and get online with your military partner, now.