Military Instant Messaging

During the second Gulf War, Gary was an Air Force colonel. He routinely flew on different aircraft to familiarize himself with their capabilities.

One day he was aboard an intelligence aircraft where each crew member was surrounded by complex gear.

A young major showed Gary his computer screen. "That’s a chat screen, Sir," the soldier said. "We use it to relay enemy information to the crew. It’s like instant messaging."

Nodding, Gary moved down the line. Flashing on an airman’s screen several feet away was this warning: "Heads up! The colonel’s on the way!"