This is certainly one of those things that shows the double edged sword of tech - in this case that edge can foster dull thinking and exclusion. I've related the experience before of our CF partner's frustration with the Iraqi Army (IA) because they attributed their own tech predispositions onto the IA. Eventually they (the CF Partner) adapted and understood that a 10 digit grid to a suspect IED was near useless (although the IA also got better at adapting the info ) whereas a good 6 digit grid followed by a terrain reference - better if it was not the CF imposed name - such as RTE _________, but was instead something local such as between the Ma'sah Market and IP Station 5W - on the North side of the Road. The issue ultimately became one of speed and certainty. Both sides had some learning to do and they eventually met half way. This is something to consider when working with foreign forces - don't reflect your capabilities onto them - to include your tech - for a number of good reasons.

You can program BFT to give you something other then 10 & 12 digit grids, and you do have a choice about the information you send, however, the receiver on the other end can be lazy and unimaginative. He can look on his screen and instead of using it to enhance his understanding of the situation can use it to reject what he is being told - he places more stock in the screen then the voice. As Cav mentioned - there is a training and policy piece to this. The training is not that much different then the philosophy we've used in training good staff and battle CPTs in the past - the What do I know, Who is it important to, and have I told them yet? combined with asking "So What" in reference to things leaders must make a decision on (be it a known CCIR or something not covered) - the issue is that we've abdicated some of our responsibility in doing good staff work to automation - we've voluntarily allowed the machine to take over things that by their nature should be very personal. This is a choice - and I'm afraid we've made the mistake of letting our cultural use of tech to make our life easier influence our level of personal involvement under conditions where technology reaches its limits early on.

I like good tech, but it does not relieve from needing good people who are well trained.

Best, Rob