Servicemembers Offered Special Access To Google Voice

Because of how they serve our country, members of the military are often given special treatment – drinks on the house, free upgrades to first class, etc.  And now, Google’s doing its part by bumping them to the front of the line for Google Voice.

U.S. Army Sergeant Dale Sweetnam has been working with Google’s communications team, and on the Official Google Blog, he explained this morning, "For servicemen and women who are constantly on the move, having a single number and an easy way to retrieve messages from loved ones can be invaluable."

So, "Starting today, any active U.S. service member with a .mil email address can sign up for a Google Voice account at www.google.com/militaryinvite and start using the free service within a day."  (Or if they’re already deployed, service members’ families can set up accounts on their behalf.)

This should give them an advantage over civilians, who still face a waitlist of unknown length.

It’s a commendable gesture on Google’s part.  From a marketing and public relations perspective, it’s pretty smart move, too.  All sorts of friends and family members try to stay in touch with members of the military, so Google Voice may soon get a lot of exposure.  Plus – hurray for self-awareness – it’s almost sure to become the subject of a few feel-good news stories.