Rumors 101

Small talk is a natural as playing on the playground or a walk in the park; as as we say hello to people in line at the post office or to fellow shoppers at the register.
When we engage in small talk with our friends and family, and especially our Marine, it's about this time in the deployment that traditionally the first of the "rumors" begin. Don't be alarmed! This is perfectly natural.

Let's take a look at a couple of reasons why rumors start:

• First of all, with so much chitchatting going on (or lack of it), there's bound to be misinformation. Remember the game of "telephone?" It is also known as Chinese Whispers http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telephone_(game), Broken Phone, and Arab Phone! The first player whispers a phrase or sentence to the next player. Each player successively whispers what that player believes he or she heard to the next. The last player announces the statement to the entire group. Errors typically accumulate in the retellings, so the statement announced by the last player differs significantly, and often amusingly, from the one uttered by the first. Take heed lest we become a "broken phone" and, like Humpty Dumpty, can't be put back together again.
  
• When passing information to family and friends, or from the command to anyone else, let's be sure to have our facts straight. If it's not written down in some kind of memo form from the Command, chances are in could be wrong! When in doubt, remember to ask the Family Readiness Officer, Nancy Wike - Brigade Headquarters Group Family Readiness Officer; Office: 910-450-8034; Cell: 910-381-7749 . . . She is our official rumor mill stopper!
  
• The only possible good thing about rumors are the opportunity to turn them into TRUTH!! Chances are if they're negative - STOP - the information is probably wrong and you're in over your head! Occasionally, when the rumor is positive, it "could" be true! But again, go to the "rumor mill stopper!" and turn it into TRUTH!
  
• In my experience (we are now on deployment #7) the main rumors have to do with return dates (on the Navy ship side it was where the ship was going during the deployment, as well)! These rumors usually begin after a couple of months into the deployment (soon enough for all of us). When it happens, and it will, it always does, remember Humpty! And, no matter what you hear do not believe it . . . until it is official from the Command!

Blessings,

Tamera