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NEWS | July 25, 2017

Ready, set, deploy!

By Airman 1st Class Kaylee Dubois 633rd Air Base Wing Public Affairs

All you have is 48 hours — 48 hours to prepare yourself for an experience like no other.

Whether tasked as early as a day before departure or two months ahead, service members should always be ready to deploy, regardless of how much notice is given.

Although more seasoned service members may have a few deployments behind them, new members may not have a contingency plan set in place for a deployment. Luckily, there are resources available to help prepare them at any given time.

We encourage (service members) to contact their Unit Deployment Manager for all deployment readiness questions,” said U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Devon Ege, 733rd Logistics Readiness Squadron logistics planner. “The UDM’s primary duties are to assist members within their unit with out-processing the base to support any contingency mission, deployment or exercise.”

To make deployments easier on military members and their families, pre-deployment checklists and training help guide individuals to sufficiently prepare themselves to be away from home station.  From travel briefings to mobility bags, medical appointments to passport photos, completing all pre-deployment requirements can take time.

Along with accomplishing the standard pre-deployment requirements, Airmen and Soldiers must also get their personal affairs in order, including dependent care, housing, vehicles and pets.  

Families

Tech. Sgt. Melanie Thermidor, 633rd Air Base Wing Equal Opportunity specialist, said when she received her tasking only three week before she was supposed to leave, her children were at the forefront of her mind. Her husband was already deployed, and she was unsure of how this would affect them.

In my opinion, oftentimes people don't consider the effect a deployment will have on member’s children,” said Thermidor. “I would encourage parents to have conversations with their children about short-notice deployments because sometimes you will not have those months to spend together and prepare for the deployment.”

In her case, Thermidor activated her family care plan, which military members develop if they are a single parent, or in the event both parents or caregivers for minor children get deployed, to move her children to live with their grandparents in New Jersey.

Deployment requirements

“All (service members) are inherently deployable, and the profession of arms is expeditionary in nature,” said Ege. “If we aren't deployment ready, we reduce the options for a commander to meet the mission.”

Following the pre-deployment checklist can help Airmen and Soldiers complete the necessary requirements to aid in the mission downrange.

Some requirements on the checklist are as follows:

·      Financial matters, such as establishing separation pay.

·      Legal documents, such as Power of Attorney or creating a will.

·      Public Health visits to help service members medically prepare for deployment.

·      Service members will be assigned individual protective equipment such as mobility bags, gas mask or chemical gear.

·      Depending on the deployed location, members will also have to attend Combat Arms to qualify on the M4 carbine or M9 pistol. 

A UDM is available for deploying individuals to answer questions or concerns with any issues they may come across during the pre-deployment experience.

Personal affairs

Among the long list of necessary requirements, service members may deal with added stressors in their personal lives.

Some of the personal affairs may be:

·      Service members finding a home for their animal(s) can use organizations that will find volunteers to foster their pet(s).

·      If a service member is renting an apartment or home, he or she can break a lease if the deployment is at least 30 days long. This is only an option if the lease has a military clause stating the renter can give a 30-day notice before breaking the lease.

·      If a service member does not have a place for their vehicle, he or she can park on base, at the Langley Federal Credit Union or Bank of America parking lot, and leave the vehicle until they return.  

To help families better prepare for deployments, both the Airman and Family Readiness Center and the Army Community Service provide briefings and programs for service members and their families before, during and after a deployment.

Expeditionary Expectations

After finishing up the pre-deployment checklist, service members are, in essence, ready to deploy. During the breathing period before heading downrange, Airmen and Soldiers can take that time to mentally prepare to face warfare.

Along with the programs offered by the Airman Family and Readiness Center, the Fort Eustis Training Center offers a deployment cycle readiness training to provide tips, ideas and resources for military members and their families to “gear up” for the various stages of a deployment.

“The topics we cover in DCRT are more personal to demystify the deployment experience and give everyone realistic expectations of what goes on throughout a deployment,” said Laura Kirschner, Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness program master resilience trainer and performance expert. “One of the topics we cover is communication, like expectations for spouses and family members (on) what you can talk about. They’re just small topics like that, that may be overlooked, but it really helps the relationships you have thrive.” 

When it comes to deployments, Airmen and Soldiers can rely on the military to help them through the whole process, from taking care of things at home, completing the mission downrange, to ultimately coming home safely and reintegrating into their everyday life. 

Being deployed can be difficult enough; that’s why preparedness is so important,” said Ege. “Before you even enter another country you are properly equipped, informed and have everything you need to execute your part in the mission downrange.”