03:27 PM PST on Monday, December 3, 2007
By JOE VARGO
The Press-Enterprise
Video: An interview with the creator of militarymatesonline.com
Cassandra Wilson says she doesn't want members of the military to look for love in all the wrong places.
The daughter of a Navy veteran whose brother pulled two tours in Iraq, the Temecula resident started a dating Web site for Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard men and women seeking pen pals, casual companions or marriage material.
The Web site, www.militarymatesonline.com , already has attracted service members and civilians seeking military personnel for love or fun in both the U.S. and overseas -- more than 200 since Wilson started it in late October.
 Cassandra Wilson, of Temecula, the daughter and sister of military personnel, says she literally got the idea for her new Web site, Military Mates, in a dream. Her Web site developer, Austin Coulson, right, owns Acu Web in Riverside.
She said she hopes to attract 500 by year's end, and with luck, more than 1,000 over the next 12 months.
Like MySpace and FaceBook, militarymatesonline.com offers the chance for people to introduce themselves throughout cyberspace in relative anonymity, Wilson said. Members can build their own profile, peruse others on the site and communicate in a chat room. The site is free until Jan. 1. After that, it's $19.95 a month for members of the military; $24.95 a month for others.
Unlike other social networking sites, Wilson said her creation mostly limits itself to members of the military and those seeking relationships with men and women in uniform. Members can find love and romance by service branch and rank and military base, she said.
"People in the military know the hardships that come with the job," said Wilson, 27, a social worker by day and aspiring matchmaker after work. "They understand the separations, the deployments, the loneliness. People who are interested in a military mate usually are aware of that too."
Guys like Jason Rose, 25, an Army sergeant from Olympia, Wash., make no bones about what attracted him to the site: He's Iraq-bound and in the mood for marriage.
"I'm going on deployment soon and I need a wife," Rose said.
What's he looking for in an ideal wife?
"A woman with an amazing personality and beautiful smile," he said.
His ideal first date: "Monday Night Football."
Several women from the Philippines, which has a long history as an American military ally, have posted their profiles. Some American women also have signed up. A 33-year-old woman from San Diego said she's seeking someone "who can speak his mind and knows what he wants out of life. Someone who's not into games."
A 22-year-old woman from Washington, D.C., wrote on the Web site that she loves "family, animals and fun." Her best attribute: "I'm a great cook."
Building a Winner
Niche Web sites abound.
Web designers say sites targeting customers based on race, hobbies, religion, job and sexual preference proliferate the Internet.
The key to building a moneymaker, they say, is to attract enough subscribers to make members feel they are getting their money's worth every time they log in. Rob Frankel, who helps run the Los Angeles-based HoochyMail.com, offered a cautionary note: Wilson's site could become the victim of its own success, he said.
Hoochymail.com , which provides "romantic fantasy letters" and "customized erotic stories" for its subscribers, became so popular with men and women in the armed forces that military brass blocked it amid concerns that the content was too steamy, Frankel said. He said the site continues to cater to couples separated by long-distance jobs.
It's popular among prison inmates, too, he said.
Frankel said Wilson has tapped into a potential gold mine because soldiers and their spouses and significant others want to keep the home fires burning.
"They have the same needs and wants," Frankel said. "He wants to know she'll be waiting for him when he gets home and she wants to know that he'll be coming back home."
Frankel and Trish McDermott, who bills herself as the "Vice President of Love" at Engage.com , said Wilson needs to dramatically expand her customer base to at least 2,000 for her site to enjoy long-term success.
McDermott, who is based in San Mateo, said militarymatesonline.com can succeed because "people like to socialize in a community that feels comfortable and inviting, whether in the real world or online.
"Military people will benefit from a community that values service to country," McDermott said. "Civilians who hope to meet singles in the military will enjoy having an obvious destination for their search."
Dream Come True
Wilson, whose own relationship with a military man soured, called her online dating service a dream job -- literally. She thought it up while dreaming.
Two years later, after formalizing a business plan and getting startup funds, the site went online Oct. 19.
Riverside Web designer Austin Coulson, who is working with Wilson on the site, said upgrades are in the works. A psychologist will offer advice to the lovelorn and dispense wisdom about how to deal with lengthy separations.
"I see a need for this," Coulson said. "Anytime you put something on the Web, it's good to have a focus."
Wilson posted her own profile on the site. She's not expecting to find a cyber connection but if it happens, it happens.
"Love is where you find it," she said.
Reach Joe Vargo at 951-368-9289 or jvargo@PE.com
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