In the past, military units used drum signals and bugle calls to communicate orders on the battlefield.
Colonial Militia and Light Infantry units often used whistle commands for the same purpose and such
signals can still be used today to coordinate small unit actions like raids and ambushes. Military
communications may take the form of visual signals, sound signals, radio messages, telephone
conversations or written messages delivered by courier. Since two-way radios are the primary means of
modern tactical military communications, this information paper primarily concerns radios, but many
procedures apply equally to field telephones used in semi-permanent or defensive positions.
Tactical Communications Procedures
