Military Wife Confessions

I've asked this on another board a long time ago and everyone had different answers and it quickly turned into a debate.  I feel kind of stupid for not knowing this, but at the same time it doesn't really matter because I just avoid information all together whether it's okay to tell or not.

Question: Is saying when an SO is coming home for leave on a holiday considered a violation of OPSEC?  Some say yes.  Some say its only bad if it has to do with deployment.  Some asked their husbands, and they said its a violation.  Some asked their husbands and said it was no a violation.  I've avoided asking this question for a long time because I don't want to get snarked, or seem like I don't know what I'm talking about ..but you can kind of understand my confusion when a bunch of different wives and SOs have told me different things.  I don't even REMEMBER what my husband told me.  I think he just said, "Huh ..you know what ..now I'm not sure."

I think it might only be a violation if you mention exact dates and times.  I'm not sure if you say a generalized, "oh my husband will be home for R&R in a few weeks."

But then, I'm not completely sure.

My husband said he's always been under the understanding that unless it is directly related to a deployment/tdy/mission, it is not considered a violation of OPSEC.

He's not 100% sure, but that's his understanding and how it's handled here as far as we've seen.

auphelia at 03:08AM on Jun 11, 2009

My husband said he's always been under the understanding that unless it is directly related to a deployment/tdy/mission, it is not considered a violation of OPSEC.

He's not 100% sure, but that's his understanding and how it's handled here as far as we've seen.

This is how we understood it as well. Still stick with the rule of thumb when in doubt don't talk about it online or over the phone.

auphelia at 03:08AM on Jun 11, 2009

My husband said he's always been under the understanding that unless it is directly related to a deployment/tdy/mission, it is not considered a violation of OPSEC.

He's not 100% sure, but that's his understanding and how it's handled here as far as we've seen.

I agree with this. My husband and I have  discussed OPSEC tons of times becaues I see so many wives up in arms about it, yet much of what is considered violation is actually Googleable with even the basic of information (pics, names, ranks, locations..etc). And taking in to account what the freakin' evening news puts out t here, it's a wonder we have any safe guarded secrets.

If it is directly related, particularly to a unit deployment or secret squirrel mission, then mums the word. If it's not,  it's probably okay to talk about.

My role of thumb with information is when in doubt leave it out. 

Ok it isn't my "role" of thumb but it is my "rule" of thumb....sorry

I figured it would be alright to say when my husband is coming home on a certain vacation, considering he is not deployed. 

I got yelled at for saying when he was coming home from bootcamp, and I thought that was a bit ridiculous because a) grad dates are on the USMC website b) names of all graduates, and when they graduate are in the paper, and c) the USMC forum I am on, which I consider to be one of the most popular and better informed website there is, always posted bootcamp graduation dates.  So whats the harm in knowing when my husband is coming home for a weekend 96?

So in that case ..MY HUSBAND IS COMING HOME FOURTH OF JULY WEEKEND WOO HOO!  I didn't think I'd see him until I moved out there.