Staying in contact with loved ones is an essential part of life for military families. In years past, doing so may have been particularly difficult, especially with a parent or spouse deployed overseas. However, more recently social media has played an increasingly important role in helping military families communicate, The Augusta Chronicle reports.
Social media has been a staple of everyday life for much of the last decade, but that didn't become the case for the military community until fairly recently. Up until about two years ago, the military restricted access to Facebook due to concerns over security breaches. They have softened their stance since then, opening up the opportunities for troops to talk with their loved ones on the popular website. Additionally, Skype has allowed families to see each other even when separated by thousands of miles.
"No other military in the history of warfare has had that level of access to their families," social psychologist Benjamin Karney told the newspaper.
Such websites have played other roles in the military community other than helping families stay in touch. For instance, Twitter has helped like-minded families get in contact with one another, and a new website – Rallypoint.com – helps connect military professionals with one another, NBC affiliate WVIR reports.