- Internet dating sites have exploded in the last five years, but they've been around for much longer than that. Match.com, launched in 1995, is considered the pioneer of online dating sites and boasts over 18 million active members; it also now includes an exclusive military dating feature. eHarmony.com began as a website providing relationship advice, and in 2000 it became a matchmaking service. Since the pioneers of online dating, many companies have branched off into more streamlined dating services, like military dating websites. The first military-focused dating site launched in 2000 and the online military dating community has only increased in popularity since then. In 2001, militarysoulmate.com, one of the most recognized sites in the military dating network, launched. Online military dating site memberships have quadrupled since 2003, with some military dating sites boasting 15,000 new members each day.
- Military dating sites can be identified by the profile of its members. While being a member of the armed services is not a requirement for joining a military dating site, it is understood that the individuals seeking matches on them are themselves in the military or are looking for mates who can handle the stresses of being married to a person in the military. While the majority of military dating sites are completely separate of the popular matchmaking and dating sites on the Internet, there are a few exceptions. Some of the most recognized dating websites, like eHarmony.com and Match.com, have pages dedicated exclusively to military dating.
- Military dating and networking sites create a community of like-minded individuals who share the same lifestyles and beliefs. Members of military dating site networks receive a lot of features that help to streamline the process of finding a match and make the matchmaking process comfortable and convenient. Features of these sites include a personalized member profile, a message board where you can post and receive messages, access to chat rooms and a unique service that provides information on mingles or local community functions for singles. Military dating sites also offer a service that does the searching and matching for you. If you don't have time to do an exhaustive search, you can fill out a simple profile and the site finds matches for you. Different sites offer different features to their members. For example, Military Singles Connection uses a color-coding system to represent basic personality traits, including blue for loyal, red to represent powerful, yellow meaning fun and white to represent a peaceful personality.
- Some military dating sites are free for use, but the more elite, and arguably safer, sites require a paid membership. Sites offering paid memberships will often offer a free trial period that can last between one and three months. A free trial is good for individuals who are curious and are interested in taking a look without the commitment of a paid membership. Trial memberships ask you to fill out a basic profile and then you are free to browse other profiles and photos. A free trial membership allows you to receive emails from others and respond to received emails, but you cannot send a primary email without a paid membership.
- In the past few years, online dating has become an acceptable way to date, which has helped paved the way for the more streamlined sites like military dating. Only a few years ago it carried a stigma of intolerance, but now it has become a mainstream way to meet your match. Because of the advancements in technology and the new tolerance for online dating, industry leaders are beginning to take serious precautions at professionalizing their sites in order to protect their reputations in the industry. Military dating sites, along with other popular networking sites, will begin to use smart phone and wireless technology to bring its dating services directly to its members' fingertips, literally. iPhones, Blackberrys and Bluetooth-capable electronics will have the capacity to improve the way members receive messages for possible matches. Experts believe that military dating sites will double in size in the next five years, seeing an increase in older members and veterans who have returned to the dating world after losing spouses.
