I can’t imagine what that other Army wife was thinking, posting news like this on FB before making sure notification of NOK had been made. What happened to, “There, but for the grace of God, go I”? How would she have liked to get this kind of news in this way?
Colonel, USAFR
I agree, we are so much more connected today, than we were just a few years ago. Most phones have Facebook capabilities today, texting is just standard. And with the laundry-list of “Friends” on a Facebook page - it’s quite likely that every Army wife has other platoon wive’s on their Friends list.
And it all begins with a friend saying “I was at lunch, and I heard gunfire ... Tom got killed”. This starts as a text, and explodes before the proper channels even have a chance to respond.
I think the problem lies with the military. Too bad it wasn’t an Afghanistan wife - Obama could have apologized to her.
That’s why we implement “communications blackouts” after we have KIAs. It’s not lifted until home station Rear Detachment tells us that the next-of-kin has been notified. Primarily a blackout involves cutting off the unclassified internet, collecting cell phones, and padlocking the MWR phone trailers.
When my son was over there I got the impression that the soldiers were under strict rules on what they could and could not say. I know there were times we were talking on skype and he would indicate that he couldn’t say when asked a question. I think someone broke the rules and let this through.
Thank goodness he came home from this hell hole in January.