Have you heard about this reality t.v. show coming to San Diego? It is. And it scares me.
I’ll admit when I first heard about it, I was a bit excited. I read the promo information that was being sent out, and it really painted a nice picture. They wanted to give the civilian world an inside look at what our lives as military wives looks like. So, if you have seen my blogs tagline you would see why this interested me. To finally give an honest look at what we go through. I even joked about being on the show. For that, I am slightly ashamed. But I really did hope that this would shine some positive light on the military life and what families go though. I think I would have been incredibly naive if I would have let myself believe that.
This show is going to ruin all that us military wives, who are completely dedicated to the cause of supporting our spouses who have chosen to be apart of the greater good, have worked hard for. The stereotypes that are constantly around us. The rumors. I remember hearing them all when I was first married to my Marine. I never wanted to be titled with any of those labels. Now? Many of us are worried that all that vigilance we’ve put into our lives as military wives is about to go down the drain. I understand the majority of my civilian readers are probably not going to understand the magnitude of this, but I know the dedicated military wives will.
I hope not, though. I hope, not just for me but for all of us, that our worry is in vain. Only time will tell. In the meantime, though, it has been put out throughout the commands that this show is NOT approved by the Navy or the Marine Corps. What does that mean? Commands, BN’s, Units are giving strong advisory to STAY AWAY from this show. Can they directly control if a wife decides to be on it? No, but the hard truth of the matter is that it can directly affect their spouses career.
Wives: If your husband plans on being a career serviceman, don’t jeopardize that. Also? Know that any wife who does go on this show, against the approval of the Navy and Marine Corps they are directly ‘biting the hand that feeds them’.
Below is an email that a girlfriend of mine, who is the wife of a Naval Officer, received. I think it sums it all up nicely.
Thank GOD! I always though this was an awful idea. I'm so happy the Navy and Marine Corps are against it. It's just a show that need not be made.
So, I am no military wife by any means, my boyfriend is in the Marine Corps, but your post has made me very curious. After realizing that the company casting this show is the same behind Jersey Show and Millionaire Matchmaker, I wonder- if it were a more 'respectable company'- maybe a show on A&E or maybe OWN even (although I have not yet seen anything on OWN because I won't pay for the extra channels that you have to buy so I can't say whether or not the shows on there are more tasteful) would you- or military & spouses NOT supporting this show- be more supportive of it? Would there be a more open mind that it could actually help people's views as opposed to hurt? Because there are a lot of bad tasting reality shows out there, but there also some helpful, educational ones.
Reality tv is scripted to be full of drama and BS. This type of show would not be good for the military and our families in general. I know there will be those woman who will jump at the chance because they want to be on tv without thinking about the impact of what it will do to their family and their husbands careers. I would be all for it if it was a "real" show about military families and their struggles with deployment, moving, starting over in a new town/State, putting food on the table, ect…but I do not think that is what they are looking for unless there is some cat fighting, back stabbing and name calling involved.
I think there are too many negative things that come out of the short lived fame associated with being on a reality tv show. I've not seen too much good uplifting things but rather lots of drama and I'd hate to see the military or millitary spouses be portrayed in a way that those auditioning intended. Great post!