Gigaom reports that “Anyone who has ever spent time in a military town knows there is a whole network of services, ranging from medical and dental care to banking and department stores, provided specifically for members of the U.S. Armed Forces. One of those services, however, isn’t mobile. That’s changing this coming Veterans Day.”

“November 11, a company called Defense Mobile Corporation is launching a new mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), offering inexpensive mobile phone plans for active-duty military and their families as well as for veterans, members of the reserves and even cadets and midshipman in the military academies. Combined those groups encompass 51.6 million people, DMC estimates.”

“DMC isn’t directly affiliated with the Armed Forces, though it will be able verify its customer’s military status through a secure link to Defense Manpower Data Center. Rather DMC is a private company founded and run by telecom, defense industry and government veterans, including Peter Lurie, co-founder of Virgin Mobile USA (now one of Sprint’s prepaid brands).”