Why is the "military only" aspect on RallyPoint so important to you?

A few of my coworkers say that RP is nothing more than a social media site and they want nothing to do with it. One coworker stated anyone can look at your profile and wreck havoc on your profile information.

The thing I like about Rallypoint is that it hasn't been taken over by commercial interests. Don't get me wrong. There's nothing wrong with commercialization in general, and I don't mind looking at some appropriate advertisements, but sometimes commercial interests can take over entire organizations.

My Father-in-law (now deceased) fought in WW II, Korea and Vietnam with the Army Air Corps, and the U.S. Air Force. As an World War II Army Aviator (he was a door gunner in WW II) he was a member of the "Old Crow Society". Of course this is an organization that included a great number of career military personnel, but ultimately was self limiting in it's charter as the membership became older. My Father in law served 29 years in the military and flew in B-52's over Hanoi, flew reconnaissance over the Soviet Union in the 1950's and 1960's (mapping most of Siberia), Worked at the Pentagon acquiring and developing aerial reconnaissance systems.

The reason I tell you about this is that he told me about how the Society of Old Crows changed over the years. The Aerial (later satellite) reconnaissance business meant big bucks, and was soon taken over by it's customers. First, in the form of sponsoring conventions, and a newsletter, later by having the bylaws changed to allow "associate members" (defense contractors) Before they knew it, the entire organization was being run by the contractors instead of by the membership, and conferences became more about selling new equipment and systems than about the men and women who were our WW II Aviators. http://crows.org/

This is why it is important to keep Rallypoint a military only forum. The industrial complex associated with the Military is enormous, and has profit as it's motive. Again, I have nothing against profit, I think profits are great, but don't belong in any influential form, in a forum designed to discuss matters of military importance on a personal level.

I agree with many of the comments, security is the main, due to fact we tend to operate with a condition red mindset, based on my experience, this is often misunderstood by civilians as being irrational or some other mental deviance and labels are quickly placed. What they don't see is when something unthinkable happens and everyone else is running the other way, it is when we run to the area to help often referred to as the helpers.