Yep, cell phones can never be more reliable than the memory of their owner. I've been fortunate in having gotten in the habit of keeping my cell phone charged and with me all the time, but it's only because I try to make sure that I always have it that I'm able to keep track of it. I don't trust myself to remember it when it's important, I have to have it be a constant habit. And even then, I'm not always so good about actually calling someone if I'm running late....

I also understand/agree regarding the slick, polished war coverage. We're so used to seeing "realistic" high-production-value war fiction in movies and TV that it can be hard to distinguish between that and high-production-value "factual" war coverage. (The actual fact content of American war coverage is another debate, but let's not get into that just now.)