The Name Requirement

I live on a military post.  At this military post someone has gotten the brilliant idea that the soldier’s last name and rank needs to appear on every housing unit.  This is supposed to help them find the soldier’s house in case of an emergency.  This is also supposed to somehow show that we family members have pride in our home and out soldier.  Supposedly this in no way violates the privacy act.

There are many problems with this.  Many of the other wives may be comfortable and happy with it.  They may be pleased as punch to have everyone know they live there or everyone in the entirety of the post know who they are and where they live.  If they do, that’s their business, but I feel it’s just one more way the government and the military is invading my right to privacy.

First of all, what about my right to privacy?  Don’t I have the right to live in my neighborhood without anyone who drives by being able to know my last name?  They’ll have my husband’s name and rank right there, right out in the open.  What if someone came to my door claiming to be from housing?  What if they claimed to be from CPS?  They can just walk on up and ask if Spc X is there and if I’m Mrs. X.  I’m not very comfortable with that at all.  How would I know the difference?

What about a soldier that has a grudge against my husband or I?  If they know what village we live in, all they have to do is drive around until they see the name Spc X next to the door and they could break in, steal from us, let our dog loose again, or create whatever havok they wanted.  Is that really fair?  We all know soldiers aren’t saints.  There have been enough crimes committed by soldiers to know that.  Some of them come back from deployments a little wacked out.  Personally, I don’t think that’s very safe.

To further that point, there’s already people threatening to beat Oz if they ever see him.  I wouldn’t be surprised if there were people who wanted to harm me as well.  They blame me and my boyfriend for the reason my husband and I are divorcing and don’t want to look past that to the actions my husband has taken against me.  I’m just a "cheating Army wife" so what do I matter?  How about the fact that my husband was sleeping with other women before I even had a boyfriend?  That aside, I still don’t feel safe with soldiers coming home on R&R or not long to be back from deployment with a vendetta against myself or the man I love being able to track down my house because my husband’s name and rank is on it!

What about issues of credit?  Someone meets a woman and her friends at the bar.  He gets her first name.  He follows her home.  Now not only will he have her first name and address, but he’ll also have her last name too!  It makes her easy to identify, find, and use her identity for fraud.  I know that’s just being paranoid, but it could happen.  It’s a possibility.  Shouldn’t we take that into consideration too?

In general, anyone who has access to post, my husband’s last name and rank, and a general idea of where we live can track down where I live.  As a pregnant woman with two young children, I don’t feel terribly comfortable with that.  It’s all too easy to find out way too much information about me if you happen to be a soldier with a grudge, or anyone with a grudge.  It’s too easy to pull a con and say you’re supposed to be there when you really aren’t.

Finally, what about my right to privacy?  I give that up more and more by the day as the military takes away more of my rights to privacy.  As a civilian, I don’t understand the purpose.  What gives them the right?  Oh, yes, that’s right.  I made the mistake of marrying a soldier.  I guess according to the military that means I’m no longer afforded my own life, my right to privacy, or anything else for that matter.  What’s next?  Cameras in our homes?  Routine spot inspections that occur monthly to make sure everything is in order and nothing contraband is on the premisis?  I’m seriously getting sick of the way the Army is nosing into my private life…

~*~Raven Night~*~