When Jim and I were facing our first deployment as a married couple, we didn’t have a Deployment Preparedness Plan. As luck would have it, I lost my ID card just after he left, and I had no idea how to get a new one. Fortunately, a fellow spouse pointed me in the right direction. If we would have prepared a contact list with such information prior to Jim leaving, it would have saved me much time and panic. Such a list would have been part of a Deployment Preparedness Plan. So, what exactly is a Deployment Preparedness Plan and what should go in it? A quick Google search turned up some helpful ideas.
A Deployment Preparedness Plan consists of essential information compiled and kept on hand at home in case a need or emergency arises while your Soldier or Airman is away. All Guard members, whether single, married, and especially with children, should have a Deployment Preparedness Plan. Ideally, you should create it well before a deployment or activation to help ensure a smooth separation.
So, what information should go into a Deployment Preparedness Plan? What conversations should you have with your Guard member to create one? Let’s explore some helpful answers to these questions.
What information should go into a Deployment Preparedness Plan?
Before you can create a Deployment Preparedness Plan you need an actual folder (yep, it’s better to have a real vs virtual one because you’ll need a place to store original copies of documents). Make sure it has lots of pockets, sort of like an “accordian’ folder. In it, put the following:
- a copy of your Guard member’s orders in case you lose your ID card, or have other military-related issues
- a list of contact information for the following:
- your Guard member’s unit (those left behind to answer questions)
- the Family Programs Office. Every National Guard unit has one. The 24/7 line for Florida’s Family Programs Office is 800-226-0360.
- your unit’s volunteer family support group. Click here to learn more about family support groups.
- your landlord; plumber; electrician; yard maintenance person; mechanic; handyman
- the Red Cross: 877-272-7337
- your spouse’s family members
- a list of banks, insurance companies and bills (be sure to include all passwords)
- your Guard member’s Social Security Number
- your Will; Living Will; Powers of Attorney; Marriage Certificate; Birth Certificates; and Passports
Put the folder in a safe, easy-to-access place. Make sure to tell your older children and a trusted neighbor or friend where it is and what is in it, just in case you need them to access it for you.
Compiling all of this information will take some time and conversation. Read below to learn about the types of conversations you should have with your Guard member as you create your Deployment Preparedness Plan.
What Conversations Should We Have As We Create A Deployment Preparedness Plan?
There are many important things you and your Guard member should talk about as you create your Deployment Preparedness Plan; for example, what is a Will, a Living Will, and a Power of Attorney? Where can we get them? How do I reach my Guard member in case there is an emergency at home? How do we talk to our kids about deployment? What is our budget? What bills need to paid and when? Who should we call in case either of us feel sad and need to talk to someone? Read below for ideas on each of these questions.
What Is A Will, A Living Will, and A Power of Attorney, And How Do We Get Them Prior To A Deployment?
According to Military OneSource, a Will is a legal document that lets you decide what happens to your property in the event of your death. Otherwise, the courts will decide for you, and will likely charge a fee for doing so. A Living Will allows you to declare ahead of time what medical treatment you want — or don’t want — should you suffer a serious injury or illness that leaves you unable to make such decisions for yourself. A Power of Attorney is a document that allows you to name a trusted person to act on your behalf on legal or money matters while you’re deployed or otherwise unable to represent yourself. It permits them to do your banking and buy or sell property, among other transactions. If you are married, both of you should have a Will and a Living Will.
Your Guard member can request these documents about 60-90 days prior to deploying, during their pre-deployment processing. As a family member, you can call the legal office at the nearest active duty base and make an appointment. If you have any difficulty, contact your unit representative or the Family Programs office (800-226-0360 in Florida) and they will point you in the right direction.
How Will We Handle Money During A Deployment?
Even without the stress of military separation, money is generally the most challenging aspect of family life. Make sure you and your Guard member create a budget. Agree on what you will spend at home and what s(he) can spend while away. Discuss how much money you would like to save during the deployment also.
MilitaryOneSource offers fantastic free tools to help you build a budget. They also provide confidential, short-term financial guidance on how to create a budget, manage money, and deal with debt. You can schedule an in-person, online or telephone session by calling 800-342-9647. If you’re in need of free tax software, Military OneSource has that, too! For something closer to home, the FLNG Family Programs office has financial professionals ready to help, in-person or virtually. Contact them directly at 904-352-9824 or 407-793-6247, or try the 24/7 phone number for Family Programs at 800-226-0360.
While you’re preparing your budget, make a list of all of your bills. For each bill, include contact information, passwords, account numbers, and payment schedules. Put this list in your Preparedness Folder. Also, take some time to become a joint holder on all accounts, including banks, cable, internet, insurance, rent, credit cards, pest control, etc. Make sure the bills go directly to your email address so you don’t miss them. For ease, set up automatic payments.
Finally, review your homeowner’s insurance and life insurance to ensure they’re up-to-date. Consider getting flood insurance. I personally needed this, as have people I know who didn’t live near a body of water.
How Should We Talk To Our Kids About Deployment?
There are tremendous resources to help you navigate this important conversation. As always, a great first stop is Military OneSource. They offer an exhaustive array of ideas and resources on how to Support Your Military Children Through the Deployment Cycle. For something closer to home, contact your unit’s Child and Youth Program – every National Guard unit has one. They offer camps, teen leadership opportunities, and lots of other great resources and support. In Florida, their number is 904-599-5472 or 904-814-1866. You can also find them on Facebook.
How Should We Handle Care Packages?
This is actually a fun conversation to have because it gives you and your family something to look forward to. Discuss how often you will send a care package; what kinds of things you are allowed to send; what kinds of things your spouse would like to receive (this might include subscribing to a favorite magazine and including it in the package once a month). Make sure you know your spouse’s mailing address. Also, send this address to friends and family and ask them to commit to sending at least one care package during the deployment; it will mean a lot.
What Other Conversations Should We Have Before A Deployment?
There are many other topics to discuss prior to a deployment. You should talk about what needs to be done to get the house ready for your Guard member’s absence. Commit an afternoon together to change all of the batteries in the smoke detector, all hard-to-reach lightbulbs and fixing minor things that are broken. Make an extra key and put it somewhere safe (e.g., an outdoor hide-a-key or with a neighbor) in case you ever get locked out. Create a list of helpers, like handymen, electricians, plumbers, mechanics in case something breaks while your Guard member is away. Put this list in your Deployment Preparedness Plan.
Discuss where you’d go in case of a natural disaster. I can’t even count the number of times the kids and I had to evacuate during the approach of a hurricane while Jim was activated. Make sure your Hurricane Preparedness Plan is up-to-date, and put it with your Deployment Preparedness Plan. Create a list of items you will take with you so you can grab them quickly. Make sure you have pet leashes and tags. Know which hotels accept pets (all Starwood hotels, for example, do).
If you have no family nearby, create a plan for who will watch your children if there is an emergency and you have to go to hospital, get stuck at work, go into labor if you’re pregnant, or get stuck on a flooded street (it’s happened to me). Talk to your neighbors, babysitters and fellow spouses to compile a list of who to call for what situations. Put this list in your plan folder.
Talk about how communication will flow during the deployment. Will you be able to text? Make phone calls? Keep in mind that your Guard member will likely be on a different time zone and focused on a mission, meaning they will be kept very busy. With this in mind, what is the best way to stay connected? Yet again, Military OneSource is a treasure trove for ideas on staying in touch during a deployment: click here for 10 Tips for Keeping a Relationship Strong During Deployment and Separation; click here for what to do When a Son or Daughter Deploys.
Don’t shy away from having the tough conversations. While it’s not easy, make sure you discuss worst-case scenarios. What kind of funeral do you each want? What are the amounts of life insurance policies, and are they sufficient? Is there a trust for your children? What do you each envision for each other’s future? Ideally, these ideas should be logged in your Deployment Preparedness Plan. Keep in mind that if there’s a family emergency while your Guard member is deployed, the Red Cross can contact your him/her on deployment even when there is no internet access. Their number is 1-877-272-7337. Make sure to add it to your Deployment Preparedness Plan and to your phone.
Finally, make sure to discuss who to call should one or the other of you need someone to talk to. Mental health is as important as physical health. A little up-front planning, and the courage to ‘make the call,’, are the healthy and wise things to do for you and your loved ones. Some ideas for who to call include a trusted friend; your unit’s family support group leader; the commander’s spouse; your clergy; Military One Source for one of their free counselors; or your insurance for a list of counselors. Add add these contacts to your plan folder. Remember, you are NOT alone in this – we all get lonely without our servicemember or loved ones. There is nothing shameful about finding someone to talk to about how you’re feeling and what you’re going through.
As you can see, having a Deployment Preparedness Plan can help with nearly any issue that might come along while your Guard member is deployed or activated. Having a plan can help to prevent problems before they occur, or at least make them more manageable. In the words of Ben Franklin, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”