Military Engineer Class 2

[Norm Braddock]

Soooooooooooo, if the above dude provided encrypted communications, would he not be part of military intelligence? Isn't this related to being a coder or decoder?

Thanks:thumbsup

[Esteban_cool]

Without being an expert at all, lemme take a guess.

Methinks if, given the case you´re saying, he would be KGB rather than an Engineer. Maybe he was a covert KGB guy inside a regular unit, who knows. They had politruks back in the time, so...

IMHO.

[Lapa]

Norm,

I'd tend to think that basic encoding is part of regular military operations, and as such, it would be part of a communication specialist's duty. I can't imagine having an encryption/decryption specialist (member of MI) on hand in each unit that required it.

Marc

[CtahhR]

Military signalling is usually the job of a normal service branch member. I knew someone who was recruited to signal for the Arctic convoys and then some how "forgot" how to signal. When it's really hitting the fan encryption isn't usually used. It would seem a waste of an intelligence operative to sit tapping messages all day about supplies or weather reports. It's also usually some grunt tapping away anyway.

[desantnik]

Agreed. Encoding/decoding is usually done according to a "key" that both sides possess and changes according to a prearranged signal to make cracking that much more difficult. Specialized, or namely "intelligence" training is not required - not to say intelligence personnel don't receive the same training.

[Art]

When possible, a transmission may also involve sitting in front of a shortwave-receiver, tuned to a specific frequency simply waiting for a binary command. Simple and direct with no need for a one-time decryption pad.

[CtahhR]

(I think) the B.B.C. Documentary "Stalin - Behind Close Doors" it stated that the Red Army prior to the German invasion did not encrypt their messages - leaving intel. gathering by the German forces rather "easy". With the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact it seemed to be a waste of effort, who would know "friends" were listening in to use the information against them?

I'm sure now I'm going to be told otherwise.