Jeff,
Glad to see you pick up PS. Its a great game, and be warned, it can get addicting
The other folks are right, getting Teamspeak is a must, since all the major outfits use it. It's mandatory here, and trust me, it makes a world of difference when you're trying to get 30+ people working together.
Also, when you're comfortable with the game, try and find an organized outfit as others have said. It takes this game into a whole new level, and makes it a lot more fun. I probably wouldn't still be plays PS after a year if it wasn't for being in SG. If you have any questions about this game or anything else, feel free to PM me here or send me a /tell in game to ChronoSphere. I play Emerald NC, as does the rest of Sturmgrenadier
