October 28, 2008
Military.com|Melinda Warthman

Once your new computer is set up and equipped with the necessary tools, you're ready to connect with faraway friends and loved ones. Sending an e-mail or instant message (IM) are no longer the only ways to communicate on-line. Social networking sites allow you to use your computer to maintain long distance relationships and cultivate new ones. Weblogs (blogs) and other sites provide ways to exchange information and make new friends.

If a more permanent presence in cyberspace appeals to you, consider creating a profile on a service like MySpace or Facebook. Both provide ways for you to easily share information, photos and thoughts. You can search for profiles of people you know and then "add" them as friends. As your friend list grows, you'll make new connections and have access to your friends' information. Remember, though, that these are searchable, public forums. Use the privacy settings available to you to uphold the operational security measures required to keep your deployed loved one and yourself safe. To further protect your identity, consider using an alias for your user name and resisting the urge to post current photos or identifying information in any public forum. Collected over time, even little bits of information can equal complete disclosure.

If you find the status message is one of your favorite features of MySpace, Facebook, or IM, you should check out Twitter. Twitter allows users to post up to 140 words detailing what they are doing at the moment. This service provides a way for you to bridge the information gaps between e-mail, blog posts, or IM sessions. Users may "follow" their friends' statuses while using this service. Text messaging allows users to update Twitter or receive updates when their computer is not within reach.   

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Perhaps you want more control over content and security than the above sites provide. Consider launching a weblog (blog) of your own. These personal on-line journals can take many forms and be useful to military families as they offer a spectrum of openness - from complete password protection to total public access. You can also allow others (like your deployed loved one) to have author access to the site so you both can post content. Blog software like Blogger, Typepad, or Wordpress offer easy-to-use platforms for creating your own blog either for free or a nominal, monthly fee. Take some time in choosing your blog's domain name. Beginning bloggers sometimes forget that the domain name cannot be changed and it can also convey identifying information if not selected carefully. You can use Google to search for blogs as examples or, if you're interested in military-themed blogs, visit Milblogging for a comprehensive database of military blogs. 

Another option for connecting is joining already established communities that share your concerns and interests. Some communities take the form of a threaded discussion board like those at iVillage where boards are searchable by topic or interest area. Still others are fully interactive like those located under the Community tab at Military.com. Here, for instance, military spouses can link to an insightful, multiple-author blog, join an existing community group or create their own in the Spouse Network. Service members may also want to check out the latest offering under Military.com's Entertainment tab. Shock and Awe, allows users to submit raw footage and photos and participate in communities geared toward discussing everything from tattoos to nose art to the latest gear.

By investigating options with personal safety in mind, you can connect on-line and erase the miles between you and those you love.

About the Author:

Melinda Warthman, a Midwestern mother of two, is married to an Army National Guardsman who will deploy again in 2009. A recent law school graduate, Melinda spends most of her free time searching for a perfect job, blogging as "Guard Wife" at Most Certainly Not and SpouseBuzz, and shuttling the kids between school and activities.

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