If you have been a military spouse with a Facebook account for more than two seconds, you’ve probably seen someone getting a lecture about OPSEC (Operational Security). This is for good reason; keeping troop movements, notifications of casualties, and other sensitive military information under wraps is essential. With the surge of social media use by military families, it is a problem that is constantly being addressed.
But what about PERSEC (Personal Security)? There are plenty of folks willing to tell us how to keep our service members safe during deployment or training operations, but what about keeping YOU safe? Unfortunately deployments can leave family members vulnerable. Fortunately, you can take steps to ensure that personal safety isn’t a stressor for you, or a worry for your deployed spouse.
Here are five steps you need to know about:
5) Did you know one of the biggest threats to our military when they are deployed is identity theft? Perhaps you are the one taking care of the bills for the first time in your marriage. You may not notice a charge to your bank account as odd, or may just assume that a credit card bill in the mail is just one your spouse forgot to tell you about. So make sure you have a thorough conversation about the finances, but you can also put an Active Duty Flag on your credit report. The flag ensures that your identity has to be verified before anyone can open a new account. To place the flag on your file, call the reporting companies below and request and Active Duty Flag.
Equifax 1-800-525-6285
Experian 1-888-397-3742
TransUnion 1-800-680-7289
4) Get to know your neighbors. It is not necessary to become best friends with them, but it is a good idea to introduce yourself and make an attempt to get to know them. You never know, they could turn out to be wonderful friends who always have your back… which is great when you are holding down the home front alone. Or, they could turn out to be the neighbors you might want to keep a closer eye on. Didn’t someone once say something about keeping your enemies close?
3) Don’t advertise that you are alone. We are all very proud of our service member, but plastering “Half My Heart is Deployed” stickers all over your car, or pinning yellow ribbons on every tree in your front yard, might make you a target for someone with less than stellar intentions. And even though it may be true, wearing a tee-shirt announcing that you are sexually deprived for America’s freedom…may not be the message you want the creep at the grocery store reading.
2) Facebook is not a secure site, no matter what your “security settings” may say. We all know this, but it bears repeating: Nothing that you put out on the Internet is ever 100% private, so be careful what information you share during deployment. A few years ago I was shocked to see a Facebook friend update their status to say, “So glad my husband will be home in 3 days! The front door is still broken, and I can’t lock it. Can’t wait for him to get home and fix it!” You can’t make this stuff up, folks. It is totally understandable to want to connect and share during a deployment, and social media has given us a great medium to do just that. But be careful! Do you really KNOW every single one of your 746 “friends”?
1) Before your spouse leaves, do a safety sweep of the house. Check to make sure the locks on all the windows and doors are in working order. Have your alarm system serviced if you have one. Change the batteries in all your smoke and carbon monoxide monitors. And have a family meeting outlining a safety plan that includes detailed instructions on how and when to properly use 911, an escape route in the event of a fire, and instructions on what to do if there were a home invasion.
The bottom line is that no matter how strong and independent we are, switching from a household with two adults to one can make you more vulnerable. Be aware of your surroundings, take steps to prepare for emergencies, and be careful of who you tell your spouse is deployed.
But also, relax. There’s no need to let your personal security be an extra stressor. Goodness knows there are more than enough of those for the military spouse! Taking a few extra steps will help to ensure that you and your family are safe, and will give your spouse peace of mind so that they can focus on the task at hand.
It’s a win-win for everyone!