Military benefits do not change when one is deployed. Service members and their families continue to have benefits including medical, commissary, and exchange privileges. Pay entitlements do change when service members deploy. Service members should contact their local finance or disbursing office to learn more about these entitlements. Some of the available entitlements include:

• Hostile Fire Pay (HFP)/Imminent Danger Pay (IDP) - HFP/IDP may be payable when a service member is serving on official duty in an area designated by the Department of Defense as eligible for IDP/HFP.
• Combat Zone Tax Exclusion (CZTE) - A public law authorizes CZTE for all service members receiving HFP in Iraq and Afghanistan. All enlisted pay, allowances, and leave, earned in a temporary duty (TDY) location designated for CZTE are tax-free.
• Hardship Duty Pay-Location (HDP-L) - Indicated as Save Pay on the Leave and Earnings Statement (LES), HDP-L is payable to all service members on a monthly basis according to location and living conditions.
• Family Separation Allowance (FSA) - FSA is paid when a service member is involuntarily separated from his or her dependents or active duty spouse for more than thirty days.

Military benefits do not change when one is deployed. Service members and their families continue to have benefits including medical, commissary, and exchange privileges. Pay entitlements do change when service members deploy. Service members should contact their local finance or disbursing office to learn more about these entitlements. Some of the available entitlements include:

• Hostile Fire Pay (HFP)/Imminent Danger Pay (IDP) - HFP/IDP may be payable when a service member is serving on official duty in an area designated by the Department of Defense as eligible for IDP/HFP.
• Combat Zone Tax Exclusion (CZTE) - A public law authorizes CZTE for all service members receiving HFP in Iraq and Afghanistan. All enlisted pay, allowances, and leave, earned in a temporary duty (TDY) location designated for CZTE are tax-free.
• Hardship Duty Pay-Location (HDP-L) - Indicated as Save Pay on the Leave and Earnings Statement (LES), HDP-L is payable to all service members on a monthly basis according to location and living conditions.
• Family Separation Allowance (FSA) - FSA is paid when a service member is involuntarily separated from his or her dependents or active duty spouse for more than thirty days.

It is the responsibility of command leadership to ensure that service members are deployment ready.  Commands usually provide information and programming to help their members and families prepare. Some of the services that may be provided include the following:

• assistance in the preparation of wills, powers of attorney, and Family Care Plans
• programs for service members and families addressing practical, financial, and emotional preparation for deployment
• Family Readiness Groups for information, social activities, and support
• command newsletter, website, and/or information phone line
• key volunteer spouses or ombudsmen who serve as a communication link between the command and families

It is the responsibility of command leadership to ensure that service members are deployment ready.  Commands usually provide information and programming to help their members and families prepare. Some of the services that may be provided include the following:

• assistance in the preparation of wills, powers of attorney, and Family Care Plans
• programs for service members and families addressing practical, financial, and emotional preparation for deployment
• Family Readiness Groups for information, social activities, and support
• command newsletter, website, and/or information phone line
• key volunteer spouses or ombudsmen who serve as a communication link between the command and families

A command Family Readiness Group (FRG) exists to support families in the command. The FRG keeps the lines of communication open between the command and families, plans social events and activities, and may coordinate deployment farewells and homecomings.

Although the commanding officer determines who may join the FRG, most commands allow their service members to request that certain people be included. These may include spouses, children, parents, boyfriends, girlfriends, friends, and relatives.

A command Family Readiness Group (FRG) exists to support families in the command. The FRG keeps the lines of communication open between the command and families, plans social events and activities, and may coordinate deployment farewells and homecomings.

Although the commanding officer determines who may join the FRG, most commands allow their service members to request that certain people be included. These may include spouses, children, parents, boyfriends, girlfriends, friends, and relatives.

Although family members may want to return home or move to a locale where they have friends and family to support them during deployment, the military will not pay for this move. In general, the military only assists with moving costs for permanent change of duty station (PCS) moves.

Although family members may want to return home or move to a locale where they have friends and family to support them during deployment, the military will not pay for this move. In general, the military only assists with moving costs for permanent change of duty station (PCS) moves.