Video TeleConferencing (VTC) System
Markell D. Holliday
CIS/207 Information Systems Fundamentals
April 11, 2013
David Avery Jr.

Video TeleConferencing (VTC) System
Video teleconferencing is a system that is used in the military to bring families back together instantly with their loved ones stationed in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other oversea countries across the world (Military Information Technology, 2009). In addition, military leaders can speak eye to eye with their subordinates and private industry partners for effective communication to review detailed documents without leaving their offices. They also ensure that the commander’s intent is understood (Military Information Technology, 2009).
Video Teleconferencing is a method of holding that allows people who are in different cities and countries, to communicate on computers or television. In the 35th Signal Brigade, Video Teleconferencing was used to talk to leaders and soldiers in combat zones and to have meetings with our higher headquarter, XVIII Airborne Corp at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Before video teleconferencing, the military had emails, chat rooms, and morale calls to keep soldiers overseas in contact with their families. It was also one of the ways commanders communicate with subordinates and held meetings over the phone with units in combat zones. The military realizes that phones calls were not reliable. The phone calls were often broken, had static and unfortunately very expensive for soldiers and the military.
However, emails were unreliable and difficult to create because there were not enough computers for everyone to use. Therefore, the military decided to give deployed soldiers a better way to communicate with their families which help reduce the stress that soldiers have from the separation of them and their families. Military leaders are able to communicate more effectively with subordinates by being able to see the commanders briefing their missions to their staff and soldiers. In a result, this alleviated any misunderstanding or unclear guidance through e-mails or phone calls. Video teleconferencing technology has given the military a better solution for long distance communication between soldiers and their families, commanders and subordinates that suffer through difficult tribulations in war zones, oversea duty stations, and different stateside locations. There are two basic types of Video teleconferencing use by the military. The first type is Desktop PC conferencing. It is used as a software package over the Internet network and Webcam (iT services, University of Oxford, 2011). The Standalone system is a system with built in cameras designed for room based meetings using the Internet or Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) (iT services, University of Oxford, 2011). The second type is Desktop IP conferencing. This uses the Internet to link desktop computers running the Video teleconferencing software (iT services, University of Oxford, 2011). There are two ways to perform Video Teleconferencing in the military. First, Point to Point. This is operated by directly connecting two sites and Multi-site which means connecting three or more sites together. Video teleconferencing gives soldiers a chance to see each other and hear each other from two different locations at the same time by using computers and communication equipment. They use webcams, streaming, video, and digital video cameras to see each other. Telephones or computers are used to hear the other person. Information is transferred and comprehended better when you can see and hear the information from the other party.
However, Video Teleconferencing (VTC) has helped the 35th Signal Brigade reach across time zones, cities, countries, and war zones to bring soldiers and their families together. It has also made commanders more efficient leaders by bridging the communication gap between the commanders and their subordinate soldiers on the battle field. In a way, I have personally been a part of a few video teleconferencing. In the 35th Signal Brigade headquarter building; there is a video teleconferencing room where video teleconferencing is taking place every week. As a result, the 35th Signal Brigade was getting quality assurance inspection by the XVIII Airborne Corp. The video teleconferencing coordinator had setup a video teleconference from Fort Gordon, Georgia to Fort Bragg, North Carolina to go over the items that would be inspected on their visit to the Brigade. Therefore, the Commanders were able to see and hear the inspector as they went over the checklist for the inspection that was to be held soon. This Video Teleconference let the commander engage in the event of the meeting. In a result, the commander was able to ask questions and get clear and precise information without any confusion between the parties. The other end answered all the questions and was able to show the commanders exactly what they expected for them to accomplish and to succeed in their inspection.
In all, by using the Video Teleconference System, the unit leader got positive and accurate answers faster than sending any type of e-mail or talking over the phone. The complications such as long term responses and unclear understanding have definitely come to an end. VTCs have improved the 35th Signal Brigade capabilities to communicate with other units around the world.
Until recently, the reality of video conferencing didn't live up to the marketing hype (Gough, 2006). That's all changed. The network infrastructure and broadband capacity is now in place to deliver clear, real time video and voice feeds between multiple points of contacts, with market leaders such as Cisco and Microsoft continuing to invest heavily in development (Gough, 2006). In addition, newcomers Skype and Google are poised to launch services and products targeting this market (Gough, 2006).
The Video TeleConferencing system is giving the 35th Signal Brigade the ability to communicate more efficiently with soldiers and families through a more traditional face to face communication.
Reference
Gough, M. (2006). Video Conferencing over IP: Configure, Secure, and Troubleshoot. Rockland, MA: Syngress Publishing Inc..
Military Information Technology. (2009, November). Retrieved from http://www.kmimediagroup.com/mit-home/211-mit-2009-volume-13-issue-10/2177-technology-focuses-on-video-conferencing.html iT services, University of Oxford. (2011, November). Retrieved from http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/videoconferencing/index.xml?ID=body.1_div.2