The networks for military communications are one of the best examples of networks which not only must be changed with the changes in objectives but also must be changed with the addition of new machines of war. They also furnish proof that, in modern war, message sending must be monitored. Without monitoring, a military hookup becomes a noisy party. The need for monitoring became greater when radio was adopted for military signaling. Alexander the Great, who used runners as message carriers, did not have to worry about having every officer in his command hear what he said and having hundreds of them comment at once. As time has passed and science has progressed, the speed of military vehicles has increased, the range of missiles has been extended, the use of target-hunting noses on the projectiles has been adopted, and the range and breadth of message sending has increased. Next to the old problem of the slowness of decision making, network structure seems to be paramount, and without monitoring no network has value.

On the parade ground the net may be similar to that shown in Figure 3. The monitoring is the highest and most restrictive of any organization in existence. No questions, statements, or explanations are permitted -- only commands. Commands go only from an officer to the man of nearest lower rank. The same command is repeated as many times as there are levels in rank from general to corporal. All orders originate with the officer of highest rank and terminate with action of the men in the ranks. Even the officer in charge, be it a captain (for small display) or a general, is restrained by monitoring. This is done for simplicity of commands and to bring the hidden redundancy up to where misunderstanding has almost zero possibility. The commands are specified by the military regulations; are few in number, briefly worded, all different in sound; and are combinable into sequences which permit any marching maneuver that could be desired on a parade ground. This monitoring is necessary because, on a parade ground, everyone can hear too much, and without monitoring a confused social event would develop.