New Software Lets Sailors Use Navy-Issued Phones for Personal Use

The Navy has green lighted a plan that allows sailors to stop carrying their work and personal phones.
Navy leaders authorized mobile software for Defense Department-issued phones that will separate a user’s official calls, messages and images from their personal ones.
Newly issued devices, starting with Apple’s iPhone 5S and 6 models running IOS 8, will utilize systems developed by Good Technology that segregate official business uses of the phone and securing it with enhanced encryption and passwords, according to the Navy’s April 21 announcement.
“Mobility is transforming how the Navy operates, connects, and supports our personnel and the fleet,” Vice Adm. Ted Branch, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information Dominance and Director of Naval Intelligence said in the announcement.
“To meet this growing demand the Naval Enterprise Networks program office has implemented a mobile solution to meet operational needs while complying with architectural and security requirements to protect the Navy enterprise,” he said.
The solution uses “Good Container” technology that will enable sailors to use their Navy-issued phones for government work and personal activities in keeping with Navy policies on acceptable use of government IT, Branch said.
Users may load non-work apps to the phone, but only outside the Good Container system.
However, only apps available through the iTunes or the Android apps stores may be downloaded, and “users are responsible for all charges and installations of personally desired applications and data installed on the non-secure portion of the device,” Branch said.
The technology will also be added to newer iPhones/IOS versions, as well as Androids, as they are certified on the Navy Marine-Corps Intranet network.

Bryant Jordan can be reached at bryant.jordan@military.com.