Some wives have lost their damn minds...continued from FB.

Last deployment, I made a "22nd MEU Ladies" group. It gained about...125+ members. I thought it was super cool...I even had the FRO compliment it and how I'm doing a good job with OPSEC, etc. He appreciated that I made it.

This deployment, someone made a 22nd MEU to Haiti group. Cool beans...

Well, during this deployment, there are alot of hating people... Why are we there, can't they come home yet, this is ridiculous, command sucks, yada yada yada. Ya, alot of us THINK this way...but alot of us don't blow up our internet pages in grave detail about how this sucks...

Someone made a "Bring the USS Bataan Home" group. The description made me laugh. Apparently (from some insider friends...lol) it was all back and forth drama about how they should be home yesterday. Cmon. Really?

Oh...and someone reported it to the command I guess (not me BTW).

*shakes head* drama drama drama. . . Some people just don't think.

Jon would KICK MY ASS if I even JOINED the group. REGARDLESS of the fact that he may or may not agree with his own tasks at hand...you just, don't, do that.

exactly. You can think it all you want, just don't announce it to the entire web.

Jeannette wrote:Jon would KICK MY ASS if I even JOINED the group. REGARDLESS of the fact that he may or may not agree with his own tasks at hand...you just, don't, do that.

thats all there really is to say about this

On one hand, it's a nice place to vent and share all the bs you've heard from your husband. It's just good to get it out there without having to hear the same spiel from the same people about being a "strong military wife" and "bucking up and dealing with it". And the group is members only, nothing is announced to the whole internet about what they're doing, and it wouldn't be that hard to figure out that they're upset about being there anyway (which no one seems to care about anyway).

On the other hand, it's not going to help anything and could possibly get the Marines and Sailors in trouble. But, with that being said, I don't honestly see the Marines and Sailors getting more than maybe a stern talking to about what they tell us. And to be honest, if they're going to go after one little group on Facebook, then they should go after every sort of military spouse support site. It shouldn't be a crime against our husbands for venting, especially when nothing that is said goes against OPSEC (but if it does, then by all means go after the idiots).

I'm amused by it, but I'm pretty sure that the BC and FRG feel threatened by it. I think it'll come up in the next meeting, and they'll pretty much go over everything they've already told us about how they're trying their best to come up with information to give us, how we shouldn't listen to rumors, respect OPSEC.

Eh' I think its one thing to vent about things that go on daily. But to vent about something you have no control over...that your husband has no control over...that your FRO has no control over seems just pointless to me.

It doesn't matter (in general) if you (general you) think we shouldn't be there. Obama does so maybe the group should be called "Obama shouldn't have sent us to Haiti."

Really if you think about though I think any family member would rather their SO be in Haiti than to be smack dab in the middle of Afghanistan who are currently doing a big push mission.

I think you can always find things to be thankful for ...Make the best of each situation.

Oh I understand both viewpoints. But I think it's way over the top.

And some of it just gets old.

It's been well enough time to re-adjust with them being gone.

I agree Tate.

I'm the optimist. I'd rather be married to a Marine that's serving two deployments that are combined shorter than an Army soldiers' single deployment.

Plus you know what you sign up for when you join the military ESPECIALLY if this isn't your first deployment.

As much as I hate that saying its the truth. No it doesn't make it easier but it should make you prepared.

Tate wrote:Eh' I think its one thing to vent about things that go on daily. But to vent about something you have no control over...that your husband has no control over...that your FRO has no control over seems just pointless to me.

Isn't that everything in the military though? You, nor your husband, nor the FRG have no control over anything he does daily, except the mandatory fun days.
It's the responsibility of the BC and FRG to keep us informed and take care of the Marines and Sailors. A lot of wives don't feel like they're doing that. I can't really blame them, but I think a lot of things being said are exaggerated (like the lack of food for example).
I think that a lot of anger is just being directed towards the closest source, which is the FRG (I really feel horrible for the FRO's even though it does seem like they have no other responsibilities besides forwarding emails) and the BC.

Tate wrote:Really if you think about though I think any family
member would rather their SO be in Haiti than to be smack dab in the
middle of Afghanistan who are currently doing a big push mission.

This is just for the sake of an argument (because I'd rather have my husband in Haiti than any place else to be deployed to), but Haiti could have been worse than Afghanistan. I know my husband would rather shoot at people shooting at him than people in a desperate situation who are just reacting to mob mentality.

Tate wrote:Plus you know what you sign up for when you join the military ESPECIALLY if this isn't your first deployment.

I don't think my husband signed up and expected to be shipped off without a return date. Despite all the bitching about how our husband aren't doing anything, I know I wouldn't have that much of a problem with it if I just knew when my husband was coming home.

I guess different strokes for different folks then.

When my husband signed the line he knew he could be shipped off...that he might not be able to tell me where he was, that he may not know when he would be coming home, that he might have to live within 24 hours after finding out he is leaving. Etc.

I guess I am just more understanding than some folks. I know that its not my FRO's fault if they can't tell me when hes coming home. Heck when John deployed we didn't even HAVE a FRO.

I don't see any need in getting my panties in a wad over something that isn't in any of our control. I bet you though that your FRO lets you know something when THEY know something. They aren't magical...they only know stuff when they are told stuff.

I guess it just comes down to some people are more understanding than others.

Bottom line is it stinks either way I just don't see any reason in getting all upset over it.

I don't know that the FRO can do anything more than he already does...

I know it's annoying that all we get are emails for get-togethers and events...but it's an attempt to help...since there's nothing the poor FRO can do.

Haiti is a rare case. They had an earthquake and thousands died...although I'm not fond of Haiti, on the outside in, I can't imagine getting there, seeing bodies scattered, rubble everywhere, and going..."Hmm...well...we'll go home in around 3 months." I really don't think we knew what we were doing/going to do, we were just bodies there to help any way possible. The tasks at hand have changed day-to-day.

I'm so torn on this Haiti crap, I wouldn't even know whether to tell you I think we're being honorable in helping, or we need to ship our asses back home and take care of our falling outs, let alone spend hours online bitching about it there is good and bad to any situation and I understand the need to vent about.

the arguement that you knew what they were signing up for doesn't seem fair to me because it sounds like were trying to take away their right to have bad days and to vent about it and to be upset and sad, to have emotions other than "eh, just another day". but I also don't think you need to go that overboard that you seriously feel the need to bitch about it every. effing. day. I totally undertsand where jeanettes coming from. Having a feeling against it is great, but do we need to spend hours bitching about it? ... No.

(all my "you's in this thread are general btw, not directed at anyone. just thought I'd clarify lol)

Tate wrote:When my husband signed the line he knew he could be shipped off...that he might not be able to tell me where he was, that he may not know when he would be coming home, that he might have to live within 24 hours after finding out he is leaving. Etc.

I don't see any need in getting my panties in a wad over something that isn't in any of our control. I bet you though that your FRO lets you know something when THEY know something. They aren't magical...they only know stuff when they are told stuff.

While a lot of people knew that, not all of us expected it. You can't blame people for reacting like they are no more than they can blame someone like you for reacting like you don't care.
I know that my FRO is doing the best he can, but he seems to care more about planning events that usually get changed a dozen time or canceled than actually getting the information out to us. Most of the time my husband tells me things days before I even get an email and a lot of the information that is brought up during the FRG meetings is never passed along to the rest of us.

Jeannette wrote:Haiti is a rare case. They had an earthquake and thousands died...although I'm not fond of Haiti, on the outside in, I can't imagine getting there, seeing bodies scattered, rubble everywhere, and going..."Hmm...well...we'll go home in around 3 months." I really don't think we knew what we were doing/going to do, we were just bodies there to help any way possible. The tasks at hand have changed day-to-day.

I'm not saying that we should have had a date the moment they left, but I think enough time has passed that they should be able to have an idea on where they're at and how much longer it'll take.

Oh I know...

Speaking of...

Did you get the bulletin today?

Bulletin? The last thing I got from the FRO was about the meeting Friday...

http://www.lejeune.usmc.mil/22ndMEU/Family/Family_CO.htm

4th paragraph.

Tate wrote:

Jeannette wrote:Jon would KICK MY ASS if I even JOINED the group. REGARDLESS of the fact that he may or may not agree with his own tasks at hand...you just, don't, do that.

thats all there really is to say about this

Yeah that. Except change that to "Chris would kick my ass". He's made it very clear to me what he expects from me when it has anything to do with his career and putting that kind of stuff out there is not it.

Jeannette wrote:http://www.lejeune.usmc.mil/22ndMEU/Family/Family_CO.htm

4th paragraph.

YAY! A date!
And how many FROs are there? It says to get in contact with a different FRO than the one I get emails from if I want to stay up to date. Silly me, I thought I was, that's why I already have an FRO!
And I didn't even realize that our FRG was active, or that you could volunteer for it... I feel so out of the loop.

I'm willing to bet that our FRO will send that email out shortly...within a day or two. I'm not sure why it doesn't have ours on there... Could be a FRO from a different group, but same ship...?

I have no clue. There is a letter to the "Bataan Families" on the "Bring the Bataan home" group that says
"For those of you who attended the February FRG general meeting had the
opportunity to hear from the CO and CMC directly via phone. There was a
time line of the ship's return put out to those who attended, it then
went out via e-mail through the FRG and Ombudsmen e-mail trees a few
days later."
I NEVER got an email that had a time line, or an email like this one. Did you? It doesn't say who the FRO is that sent it out.
Then the letter goes on to threaten to take down the USS Bataan Facebook page if people keep complaining on it because that apparently violates OPSEC.

I didn't get an email...but I didn't attend...

I only have the FRO contact info...he sends the events, etc.

Maybe email the FRO and ask about it? Maybe he dropped the ball or something?

I'm not in the group so I don't know how it violates OPSEC...the description didn't appear to...

I didn't attend either, but I don't think that should matter. It's the FRO's job to keep the families in the loop and obviously an email like that one should have been passed along to everyone.

I'll email him and ask about it. Maybe there was a mailing list we should of signed up for but accidentally checked the decline box!