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Last update: May 31, 2005 at 5:47 PM

Families offered free link to soldiers overseas

By ELIZABETH DUNBAR,  Associated Press Writer
May 31, 2005 0531BC-MN--WAR-STAYI
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ST. PAUL (AP) - A stack of tissues came in handy for Robi Meyerson as she talked to her son, Lance Cpl. Cory Larson, and watched him smile and wave on a TV screen.

Meyerson, who lives in Duluth, hadn't seen her 21-year-old son since he left for Iraq at the beginning of April.

"On the phone you imagine where he is, but I'm a visual person, so seeing him was really special,'' she said.

A coalition of Twin Cities businesses and organizations started a video conferencing system on Tuesday to give military families a free, real-time audiovisual connection to loved ones serving overseas.

The St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce will host the system, and families and members of the public can make appointments to talk to soldiers.

The technology isn't available in all places where soldiers are deployed, and the link is better in some areas than others.

The image and voice of Larson, who is in Fallujah, sometimes cut out. But his parents, three younger siblings and cousin still got a chance to ask him what he does in his free time (sleep, read and work out), what he wanted them to send (music, DVDs) and what the weather was like (hot, about 100 degrees).

"He doesn't like to talk on the phone, so this was great,'' his brother Steve Larson, 14, said.

The microphone Larson was using in Iraq picked up background noise, and he and his brother and sisters all laughed when they figured out some other soldiers were watching "Austin Powers.''

"We're going to be able to do this more often,'' Bill Larson told his son. "We're so happy to see you.''

Sgt. Mike Hanson, who helped launch the project, said donations are coming in to help give more soldiers a better link to home. A webcam like the one installed at the St. Paul chamber by telecommunications company TDS Metrocom costs $5,000, Hanson said.

"It's a crucial thing for soldiers to be able to connect in this way,'' said Hanson, adding that the military has tried to set up more and better Internet connections all over Iraq.

Hanson was first deployed to Iraq in the spring of 2004. He is home until next January, when he will be deployed again.

His wife, Toni, said she's grateful Minnesota now has the technology. "It means a lot to know that people care about the sacrifices we make,'' she said.

Dan Millbrand, a Marine serving in Al Assad, Iraq, said he looks forward to using the technology to stay connected to his family. On Tuesday, he got to talk to his sister, Abby.

The connection was much clearer for Millbrand than for Larson. There was hardly any delay in the video and audio and Abby could see his facial expressions.

"I thought I'd never get to see my parents or my sister's face for my entire deployment,'' he said.

After the two talked, Abby Millbrand had her picture taken with the TV screen version of Dan, with his arm around her.

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