January 24, 2008

Vision Net puts military families face to face
By KRISTEN CATES
Tribune Staff Writer

Rob Ferris has taken part in weddings and births, but he's neither a priest nor a doctor.

He is the CEO of Vision Net, a Montana-based technology company that has paired with the Freedom Calls Foundation to provide video-conferencing services for families and service members stationed in Iraq.

"As a company, we really want to give back," Ferris said.

Through Vision Net and its nearly 300 studio sites across the state, a wedding has been conducted and husbands have seen their newborn children via video conferencing.

The company's goal Wednesday was to get more people interested in connecting with their loved ones as a press and video conference was held between Great Falls, Williston, N.D., and Freedom Calls Founder John Harlow in Morristown, N.J.

Later, the video conference was turned over to three service members stationed at Camp Taji in Iraq.

Sgt. Angela Younger-Embree, who is stationed in Iraq, said troops can talk with their family members on the phone or over the Internet as much as they want, but that is not as reassuring to the families.

She added that she has two young children at home in Texas.

"When they can look at mommy and talk to mommy, it's a lot better," she said.

Harlow said that his interest in giving a face to troops and families overseas came about in 2003, when he heard of a service member from Rhode Island that was stationed in Iraq spending nearly $7,000 on a cell phone bill in one month. Harlow said the cell phone provider wouldn't cut the military member any slack on his bill.

"I just didn't think that was right," he said.

The nonprofit Freedom Calls Foundation began working with the military in the fall of 2003, to see if sites could be set up at camps across Iraq.

Since the company is not being a government agency, Harlow said he had to work through some red tape, especially since it was service members operating the video equipment in Iraq, while private individuals do all the communications work in the states.

Harlow said military officials recognized that deployed service members weren't getting to connect properly with their families, and in April 2004, the Freedom Calls Foundation launched its first video conference call.

There are currently five sites set up in Iraq. Harlow said the nonprofit also is trying to set up studios in Afghanistan.

Younger-Embree said that at Camp Taji, military members conduct up to 100 video phone conferences a week.

Across Montana — people can come into studios, whether it is at the Vision Net office in Great Falls or a school in Eastern Montana that utilizes the company's services.

Families wanting to conduct a video conference must first fill out a form. Once that is complete, the Freedom Calls Foundation does the legwork to see if the military member is stationed where they can access video conferencing. Then, if the service member is available, it comes down to scheduling a time.

Because of the lengthy time difference, it's not uncommon for families to come into the Great Falls' studios late at night. Or in some cases, a superintendent will unlock a school so that a family can talk with a deployed member. Ferris noted that the service has been used sporadically in Great Falls, largely because many of the area's deployed members are from Malmstrom Air Force Base and don't have family here. Vision Net plans to ramp up efforts to attract family members of Montana Air National Guard members to video conferencing.

Studios are available at many of Montana's hospitals, schools and district courts, where Vision Net is in use for other business purposes, company officials said.

The calls are private as employees stay out of the room when the families are talking, Ferris said.

He said the attitudes of partners such as the schools or district court sites have been positive.

"I've never met anything but total support of this program," he said.

Vision Net has been a partner in the Freedom Calls Foundation since its inception. It's not a money-making program for the company, Ferris said, nor is it used to promote the business.

Ferris said troops overseas serving their country deserve the opportunity to stay connected with their family and friends at home.

He added that the service members are doing a great duty for their country. Keeping them connected with their families is only a small contribution to their efforts in his eyes.

Reach Tribune Staff Writer Kristen Cates at 791-1463 or
kcates@greatfallstribune.com