# Communication



## Georgia133 (Mar 25, 2020)

So I've been wondering for a while now. How does callsigns get assigned on operations? Meaning like for example: bravo 1-2 or bravo 0-6. What does the numbers stand for.


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## Marauder06 (Mar 25, 2020)

Every unit is different, and some techniques are unit-specific so we won't be discussing them here.

One very common way of assigning call signs is by unit (e.g. Bravo Company) and then by subordinate unit designation.

So for example, a platoon leader of Second Platoon, Bravo Company might be Bravo-2.

Additionally, there are designations loosely based on the Napoleonic staff model. For example,a battalion personnel officer might go by the battalion nickname (e.g. Bulldogs) and the staff designation (S1). "Bulldog-1."

Under this system, the "6" generally represents the leader, "5" is the deputy or XO, "7" is the noncommissioned officer in charge.

"Actual" means the actual person assigned the call sign (e.g. "This is Bravo 2-6 actual," as compared to someone else answering the call on that person's behalf. The person carrying the radio often adds an R or "Romeo" to the call sign to limit confusion (This is Bravo 2-6 Romeo, over!).

Those are common ways of doing call signs.  Some units use nicknames, some assignments are random.  It depends largely on how much OPSEC is required.  I've been in units where we just used peoples' names.


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## DasBoot (Mar 25, 2020)

It’s by unit, and more specifically command. It’s all pre-determined by the unit. You don’t choose them. It’s all kept under wraps too.


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## Teufel (Mar 25, 2020)

We had a little more flexibility in the infantry. My battalion told us to pick callsigns that started with the same letters as our company designations. For example, I was the commander of Hotel Company, so my call sign had to start with H. They would run it through the system and see if another that call sign already belonged to another unit or not. My battalion was stationed in Hawaii so I asked to take the call sign humuhumunukunukuapua'a after the Hawaiian state fish. Someone else must have already taken it because my request was denied and we ended up with the call sign Hammerhead after the shark that populates the Kaneohe Bay near our base.


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## 0699 (Mar 25, 2020)

In some units, the letters and numbers are assigned randomly so that there's no way to determine who is who based on their call sign.  Alfa 27 might be the call sign for the battalion commander, while Kilo 42 might be the XO's call sign.  Completely random.  Pattern analysis might give away some context, but it's not like you can go "Bravo 23, must be the third squad from the second platoon in Bravo Company".


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## Georgia133 (Mar 25, 2020)

0699 said:


> In some units, the letters and numbers are assigned randomly so that there's no way to determine who is who based on their call sign.  Alfa 27 might be the call sign for the battalion commander, while Kilo 42 might be the XO's call sign.  Completely random.  Pattern analysis might give away some context, but it's not like you can go "Bravo 23, must be the third squad from the second platoon in Bravo Company".


Ohhh that makes sense.


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## Georgia133 (Mar 25, 2020)

DasBoot said:


> It’s by unit, and more specifically command. It’s all pre-determined by the unit. You don’t choose them. It’s all kept under wraps too.


I see.


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## Georgia133 (Mar 25, 2020)

Marauder06 said:


> Every unit is different, and some techniques are unit-specific so we won't be discussing them here.
> 
> One very common way of assigning call signs is by unit (e.g. Bravo Company) and then by subordinate unit designation.
> 
> ...


Right. I thought "actual" meant the element leader. Im sure that's unit specific too. Thanks for clearing it up for me


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## AWP (Mar 25, 2020)

There's no unified standard for ground or air units.


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