Comments on: When the Soldier’s Away, the Blogger Will Be Silent?

By: Candace (aka Molly Pitcher)

Candace (aka Molly Pitcher) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:14:31 +0000

@Morgan

Yes, OPSEC is very important.

This post wasn’t about OPSEC. This was about personal home security and whether or not a blogger feels comfortable revealing to the world that his or her spouse is gone for an extended period of time.

Some bloggers blog anonymously–but even then that anonymity is often an illusion if someone is truly determined to figure out who you are.

I was wondering if some bloggers were concerned about blogging while their spouse was gone.

By: Morgan

Morgan — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 07:52:18 +0000

As a wife to a deployed soldier I think its perfectly okay to blog while your husband is gone. However there are certain guidelines set not only by the military (OPSEC) but also by common sense.

I do not list my childs names or my husbands name. I do not list where we are living or stationed. I do not say where he is deployed or when he is coming back.

I do not have links to any of my personal web pages (i.e. facebook or myspace).

As long as you use your head and follow OPSEC then there is no problem blogging while your soldier is gone.

here is a link if you don’t know what the OPSEC rules are
http://www.heartsofourtroops.com/opsec_rules2.htm

By: Wendy Hill

Wendy Hill — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 08:34:47 +0000

Now I can say that I have kinda experienced your home security issues while my hubby was in the field. My next door neighbor’s Sgt. kept coming to my house and stopping in even when my neighbor wasn’t home and implied to me just what he was looking for with out just bluntly saying it. I resolved that issue by calling my FRG leader who was a former MP. I also managed to get a message to my hubby while in the field and he then told his chain of command. Now that my hubby is deployed. I’m not quite sure how I would handle a situation like that.I never thought to not post it on my facebook or myspace. I have been filling in every one that knows us on his status. I guess I need to make my pages private. I live on post. So there is some small security in that. It’s just off post I worry most about since post is 5 minutes from Juarez, Mexico.

By: Stacy

Stacy — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 23:16:06 +0000

I think that as long as you are careful to not post pics of yourself, or say, your address…we are fine to blog about our husbands being gone. It would be just as easy for someone to see you at wal-mart, decide you are cute, follow you home, and discover you are alone. (ha, now we are all going to be paranoid!) If I couldn’t blog- I’d probably go batty. I just don’t violate opsec, and I’m good. We milspouses are mostly too tough for anyone to target anyway, if they are smart!
lol
-S.

By: Candace (aka Molly Pitcher)

Candace (aka Molly Pitcher) — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 21:37:36 +0000

Ceece-Makes sense!

OpSec is really the command and soldiers’ responsibilities…but you can certainly remind your husband if he forgets or mention the concept to other families.

Essentially, avoid discussing anything that might compromise security over unsecure lines–ie, don’t talk about locations for, times of, and other information for troop movements while on the phone/chat/e-mail with your DH.

By: Ceece

Ceece — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 02:14:50 +0000

My husband is currently gone for 6 month for training in switching from Infantry to MP.

This thought has often crossed my mind as I blog that he’s gone and we’re basically home alone.

It’s scary.

Also, I’m very very interested in more info on OPSEC. It feels like since myhusband is in the NG I’m left out of so many things and information, and only feel the repercussions once something has come to pass. Does that make sense?

By: A Soldier's Wife

A Soldier's Wife — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 11:02:40 +0000

I guess I never really thought about the home security issue when I began blogging, but I remain an anonymous blogger nonetheless. I do this not because of anyone finding me when my husband is deployed (he was when I began my blog) or when he is TDY now, I do it more so that what I say and how I say it does not have a direct impact on him. He could care less, but I have seen what my opinion in real life and how I have handled things for others have impacted on him…although, no one would directly come out and say that….but the underlying point has been made to both of us…..and so the basis for my anonymity comes from a position of not wanting to announce to the world “This is who I am, this is who my husband is and this is my opinion, period.”

If you know me and know enough about me and then you read my blog, then yes you do know who I am….but to connect those dots and find me…you gotta be good….and well….if you are going to take that much time and effort to do so, then knock yourself out…that is what Smith and Wesson is for .

By: Tara

Tara — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 09:46:37 +0000

blogging helps me tremendously…

i came across your blog in an internet search, and i just wanted to thank you so much for sharing all of this!

By: anonymous

anonymous — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 03:33:34 +0000

I started my blog while my husband was deployed. We were newly weds and I was new to the area, so when I felt lonely, it was a place to feel “heard.” I never posted pictures of us or gave enough details that someone could figure out who we were. Now that we live in a big city and far from a post, I’ve become more relaxed about privacy. I know that once we return to a post though, I’ll probably start deleting some posts and tightening up on how much info I give out. I’ve also always felt like I needed to “behave” or more acturately, watch my mouth on my blog. Not from obscenities, but on personal and political views, because I would never want them to come back on my husband.

By: MommyBrainReports

MommyBrainReports — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 06:21:16 +0000

I’m a wife of a former Marine… I did blog when he was gone, because I needed that outlet.. BUT… I lived on base in Okinawa… I went to work every day like normal.. and we didn’t have children at the time.
Now, he travels once in a great while with his job for training, etc… I do NOT post that he is gone until he has returned… then I’ll talk about what we (the kids and I) did while he was gone, or how he (dis) liked his trip. But.. I now live in a big city, where there have been several break-ins, rapes, you name it.. it’s happened… and I live in the nice, new neighborhood with private security… Gee…
So I understand both sides… but personally.. I’m paranoid too.. especially since I had my children!
God Bless your DH, and all of your readers who have served and are still serving anywhere..