Your unit deployment starts at the end of next month, so it's important to get your personal affairs in order and prepare your family to take on any challenges that arise when you're not there. Get mission ready — take care of practical, financial, personal and emotional issues. These groups are ready and willing to help you and your family throughout the deployment cycle:
Deployments are part of military life, and preparing for the what-ifs means planning before you leave. Your first step in taking control of your deployment experience may be to visit Plan My Deployment, which is an online application that can help relieve some deployment-related stress.
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Practical preparation
Be sure your family members have what they need to cope with day-to-day life. Review and, if needed, update the practical what-ifs, such as:
- Medical coverage — your TRICARE benefits
- Family Care Plan
- Communication plan and staying connected
- Financial plan for staying on track
- Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance
- Legal affairs — power of attorney, living will, last will and testament, Servicemembers Civil Relief Act legal protections
- ID cards for your family
- Record of Emergency Data
- Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting or DEERS
- Absentee voting
If you're enrolled in an education program, contact your instructors to set up a plan to continue your studies while deployed, possibly by using military distance learning resources.
Your service's Family Readiness System programs can also help you with these practical issues.
Financial preparation
Contact
a personal financial counselor at your installation or through Military OneSource for free help creating a deployment budget.
Financial headaches are the last thing your family needs during deployment separation. A financial plan will help you stay on track and relieve financial what-if challenges like car breakdowns, a washing machine that springs a leak or just day-to-day bills. Consider these financial items in your planning:
- Updated allotments
- Savings — for any additional allowances and special pay
- Taxes
- Credit card limits
- Servicemembers Civil Relief Act financial protections
- Emergency savings for those unexpected expenses
Contact your installation's Personal Financial Management office for free help with ensuring financial stability when you deploy, or contact Military OneSource at 800-342-9647 to set up financial counseling.
Emotional preparation
Deployment readiness also includes emotional readiness for you and your family. Military and family life counselors are available for free, and they provide confidential non-medical counseling to help your family cope with separation stress and understand the emotional ups and downs that come with deployment. The MFLC counselors can help you manage issues to include the following:
- Family relationship counseling
- Stress management
- Crisis intervention
- Grief counseling
- Coping strategies
Find an MFLC in your area by contacting your installation's Military and Family Support Center coordinator or the coordinator assigned to your National Guard or Reserve Component unit.
You can also visit Military OneSource or call 800-342-9647 for free, face-to-face, online or live video confidential non-medical counseling sessions to help you and your family prepare for your deployment. The video counseling option allows service members to attend counseling with family members back home.
During your deployment, family support programs may partner with family readiness groups, counseling programs or other forms of support to help your family manage the potential challenges of deployment and meet basic family responsibilities. When you're ready to return, deployment support programs can assist your family in making a smooth transition. The programs can also identify any potential issues related to the deployment.
Get more information about deployment preparation and return, reunion and reintegration programs by contacting your installation's Military and Family Support Center or unit point of contact.