Contributed Article

Readiness, resilience, and quality of life: the importance of bringing mission-critical connectivity to U.S. military bases.

By: Phil Carrow, EVP Military Solutions at Boldyn Networks, US

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When Prussian military officer Friedrich von Steuben arrived at Washington’s winter encampment at Valley Forge in 1778, he was met by poorly disciplined troops and horrible camp hygiene and sanitation. The Continental Army was losing soldiers to infection, illness, starvation, and injury. Von Steuben applied lessons he learned in Europe to improve conditions at Valley Forge. One of his first lessons, which seems obvious to us today, was to instruct troops to separate the kitchen and latrines to opposite ends of the camp and position the latrines on a downhill slope to improve sanitation. In addition to improving health and wellbeing, he streamlined the procurement of goods and equipment, and designed training regimens to improve the soldier’s marksmanship and fighting ability.

These commonsense improvements to life in a military camp and training from Von Steuben vastly improved troop health and morale that led to a stronger army marching out of Valley Forge that spring and helped lead them to the historic victory against the British at Monmouth.

Today’s modern base has come a long way from that hard winter at camp in Valley Forge, but the U.S. military must continue to strive to improve the on-base life of its soldiers, their families, and visiting civilians, while modernizing and maintaining a state of readiness.

Due to a series of wars and the challenges of a global pandemic, many bases have become underserved communities and poor on-base cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity is a common challenge faced by many service members and their families across the country. Connectivity is no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity. It is essential for mission readiness, operational resilience, safety, security, and upholding a high quality of life for those who serve and those who live and work inside the fence line.

The U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) new strategy to build resilient, healthy environments for service members emphasizes the importance of robust infrastructure. According to Brendan Owens, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment, “people are our most important asset. Enhancing military readiness starts by putting the quality of life of those who serve front and center.”

Inside the fence, but out of range

Best-in-class connectivity is paramount to ensuring that bases can provide the best quality of life possible for our U.S. Armed Forces and their families. Strong communications coverage and capacity is critical to mission readiness and resilience in all respects, from staff coordination and supply chain logistics to intelligence gathering and analysis. Even basic communication can be challenging in poor coverage conditions. Reliable reachability is fundamental to personnel operations and response. As was stated by General John W. Nicholson stated, former commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, “in today’s digital age, robust and reliable communication networks are essential for operational efficiency and the well-being of our troops. Connectivity gaps can jeopardize mission success and daily life on bases.”

So why are bases falling behind on connectivity while other large infrastructure projects like stadiums, college campuses, airports, and transit systems are moving ahead?

Installing new communications infrastructure on a military base presents unique challenges. For one, the lengthy real estate and permitting approval processes can discourage investments, leaving many U.S. military bases reliant on off-site towers that fail to provide adequate coverage “inside the fence.”

Solutions that enable mission-critical connectivity

Co-locatable passive telecom infrastructure (PTI) offers a shared and carrier-agnostic network solution. By allowing multiple carriers to deliver their services, PTI eliminates monopolies, introduces competition, and improves service quality.

Building PTI inside the fence line can be expedited with the support of military housing partners and carriers. Developing a master siting plan that addresses all parties’ connectivity needs holistically also speeds up approvals and helps get necessary infrastructure on base faster.

PTI solutions provide the foundation for all carrier services, including networks that give priority access to first responders during emergencies, thereby enhancing on-base resiliency and responsiveness.

Better connectivity for a better quality of life

Improving connectivity on military bases is about more than mission readiness. Bases are microcosms of the world outside. Spouses work remotely, children attend school and rely on technology in classrooms, and families use smart home solutions to manage their daily lives. All these activities depend on fast and reliable connectivity.

PTI fiber solutions enable best-in-class internet service providers to bring top speeds directly to homes on base, enhancing the quality of life and making bases more attractive to military families. This, in turn, can lead to higher occupancy rates, triggering housing quality improvements and new construction.

As retired Admiral Michael Mullen, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, emphasizes, “Quality of life for military families is directly linked to the quality of infrastructure and services available on bases. Reliable internet access is not a luxury; it’s a necessity that affects education, healthcare, and overall well-being.”

Committed to your needs

Military bases are unique and have different challenges than civilian cities, towns, and developments. Base leadership should seek out trusted technology providers who are versed in those unique challenges and offer best-in-class solutions to them. Most importantly, leadership should demand that those providers are as mission driven as our military and have the wherewithal to see a job through even when it gets tough.

Recently announced by the DoD, they have invested $11.4 billion annually to build facilities and $15.4 billion annually to maintain and fix current infrastructure over the past five years. However, an estimated $134 billion remains of deferred infrastructure maintenance. Maximizing mission readiness and resilience on military bases across the U.S. requires the best connectivity available. Troops and families living on those bases deserve a great quality of life, supported by fast and consistent connectivity.

Our military service members demonstrate an unwavering commitment to our country, and it’s vital that we honor that commitment through our military installations, creating an environment focused on their health, safety, well-being, and resilience as a small token of our gratitude for their courageous efforts.

About the author

Phil Carrow serves as the Executive Vice President of Military Solutions for Boldyn Networks’ U.S. business and is responsible for developing, directing, and overseeing the company’s overall strategic direction for connectivity projects and solutions in the military vertical.

He has built a strong network of retired military officers, including colonels and generals, who serve as advisors and are instrumental in helping the company challenge and transform the established norms.

Phil brings over 30 years of industry experience, including as an Airman in the US Air Force. Previously the CEO at Signal Point Systems, Inc, now Boldyn Networks’ military vertical, he has spent several years focusing on expedited/standardized methods of deploying commercial wireless infrastructure on U.S. Armed Services branch installations.

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