The Evolution of Communication in Overseas Operational Deployments Marc Hecker and Thomas Rid, Les Documents du C2SD, 2009, 149 pages.

Over the past fifteen years, two phenomena had a considerable impact on the communication strategies of modern armies and Ministries of Defense: the advent of a new media environment and the development of irregular conflicts. The convergence of these two phenomena has important consequences. The difficulty in withholding information also affects the armed forces. Today, soldiers communicate. They use “milblogs”, take part in virtual “communities of practice”, post videos and photos on web platforms. They also use mobile phones, and journalists often make use of such devices to obtain first-hand information. In other words, the communication of armies and Ministries of Defense is no longer the privilege of public affairs officers.