Mobility

3 Ways the Military Is Using Mobile Applications

How technology is powering the Army, Air Force and Veterans Affairs.

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Jimmy is a writer and editor who publishes a weekly newsletter. You can find him on Twitter.

Along with NASA, the military is creating some of the coolest technology around. Here are three ways the military is using mobile applications to take advantage of the popularity of smartphones.

Recruiting

The U.S. Army has a polished mobile app — U.S. Army News & Information — that features news, photos and videos straight from the largest military branch in the United States. For future soldiers, the app is a great way to learn about the Army’s equipment, ranks and uniforms. The more recent Army Strong Stories supports this news and information app with blog posts from soldiers stationed in the United States and abroad.

Training

In the summer of 2011, the Air Force launched the US Air Force Airman Fundamentals mobile application for iOS and Android.

This app has information all current or future active duty Airmen can use. The focus is on physical training. Videos show you the proper form for push-ups, sit-ups, running, and pull-ups. There's also information to help you with pre and post exercising.

Airmen have found the app to be especially useful for tracking progress over time. The iOS app has a 4-star rating, and the Android app has maintained a 5-star rating. You can download the app for free from Google Play or the Apple App Store.

Ongoing Care

The Veterans Affairs Department, led by Roger Baker, assistant secretary for information and technology, has made huge progress in creating technology to support our veterans. The department launched the PTSD Coach app for iOS and Android that helps vets manage the symptoms of PTSD.

PTSD Coach was designed for Veterans and military Service Members who have, or may have, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This app provides users with education about PTSD, information about professional care, a self-assessment for PTSD, opportunities to find support, and tools that can help users manage the stresses of daily life with PTSD. Tools range from relaxation skills and positive self-talk to anger management and other common self-help strategies. Users can customize tools based on their preferences and can integrate their own contacts, photos, and music.

The Veterans Affairs Department is also working on an electronic health records app, projected to be ready in 2017.

Download our Mobile Strategies for Government whitepaper for more information.