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‘Loose lips’ warning even more important in digital age

The supermarket is buzzing with noise as everyone makes their purchases. You are in the middle of a long line that juts out into the middle of the busy store. Behind you, you overhear a woman on her cell phone, talking about getting things ready because her husband’s ship pulls in next Wednesday.

Far too often, I find myself overhearing such things: spouses revealing ship and troop movements in crowded public places.

While we wait at home, it is nice to believe that nothing will happen to our sailors, but the truth is far less comforting. The fact is, we can never be sure who is listening to our conversations. In today’s wireless culture, it is impossible to be sure that our telephone calls and Internet transmissions are secure.

As military spouses, we are privy to information about the ongoing activities of the armed forces. What information do you possess concerning your spouse’s activities that the enemy would love to have? The World War II saying, “Loose lips sink ships,” is as true today as it was then.

As a military spouse, I understand the excitement of a pending homecoming. You would like to scream to the sky that your spouse finally is coming home. But this is a dangerous thing to do.

It is imperative that, for the safety of our service members, we do not discuss ship or troop movements, except via the command’s official phone tree or care line. The information you receive from the command is for you alone. It is given to you for planning only, and is given under the understanding that all information is deemed classified. This means that even if another spouse from the command approaches you, that information still is not to be discussed.

When you are out and discussing your spouse, always remember to take a turn about to see who is around you and think to yourself, “Is what I have to say really important enough to potentially endanger hundreds of other lives?”

Remember, while our spouses are out there defending and protecting our freedom, it is our duty to do our part in operations security and make sure that all of our sailors come home safely.

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The writer and her husband, who is deployed as supply officer aboard the attack submarine Pittsburgh, have two children. Her e-mail address is kymberli83@hotmail.com.