Domestic Spying & Incident of Intimidation of Military Families

[shance]

Letter from a Military Mom: Domestic Spying & Incident of Intimidation of Military Families

Written by: Robin Vaughan

I am sending this letter to you in hope of finding a source to hear my concerns. It is something that has bothered me since the occurrence, and I know it is not something that should have happened, and I worry for my family's safety as I step out to speak about this.

During my son's deployment to Iraq, February 2004-February 2005: I created a small group website on MSN, for families and friends of our soldiers’ deployed unit. It was a membership only site, and we were a tight group of mostly "Moms", from all over the United States, just trying to make it through each day. The support and help we gave one another is a singular experience of grace, I will never forget.

(snip)

"I was told I would have to let a commanding officer on the site to monitor the messages; I did allow this, but I also informed the officer that this was a courtesy, as there is no such law, or right of the military to monitor, shut down or exclude our web site.

I believe we received this order, and treatment for a couple of reasons.

Occasionally we would voice our concerns publicly over what our government was failing to do to help our soldiers, or we would share or argue political opinion as well. The second reason may be: the armed services all have a group of their own family type support (FRG); as we were not local to the base our soldiers deployed from, the site was a means to provide that support, as best as we could.

The support group at our base, tried to force the site to be given over to them, which I refused. At this time I was told, I might want to be careful, as the government was monitoring the site as well. Soldiers in our unit, while in Iraq, were telling their parents to stay off of the site, or to be very careful of what they wrote. This came from a rear detachment officer in charge, and members on the site.

(snip)

I have waited to speak of this situation until my son was home safe and sound, and also after his transfer to another base. Yes, I was afraid of repercussions that could have harmed him, one way or another. (snip)

I truly believe we were singled out because of my refusal to hand the site over to the local F.R.G., as well as outspoken political beliefs.

(snip)

We were afraid for their safety, our own, our relationships with them and their future in the service, all of these things could have been affected, and we couldn’t chance one more problem or pressure being added to the already heavy load the families and soldiers live with. The intimidation worked. Is this just something silly I should let go?

It doesn't seem trivial to me, but I am learning unless it happens to someone personally, no one seems to care.


rest of the article
http://www.altpr.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&f...

Veterans Against the Iraq War
http://www.vaiw.org/vet/index.php

[tularetom]

1. Jeezus - what a position to be in

Hold your tongue or we'll give your kid a dirty job on the front lines in Iraq. And they wonder why parents are activiely discouraging their kids from signing up?

[Doctor_J]

2. We already discussed this

and RObin weighed in.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=2326245

[cal04]

6. thanks for the link. I didn't see it

so I posted this in Editorials and Articles
It was good to see that Robin was posting. Thanks again

[Doctor_J]

7. No problem.

It was gone to the archives already. I just kicked it over in GD-P

[Miss Chybil]

3. The military has no jurisdiction whatsoever over a soldier's mom, or any

other family member. They don't even have jurisdiction over their wives, or husbands, sons, or daughters. They can enforce rules of conduct upon them on military installations only. Period. End of fucking story. Who do these people think they are?

[GreenPoet64]

4. This is the first I had heard of this . . . Thank you for sharing. n/t

[Doctor_J]

5. I'll kick my original thread for a recap