To the families and friends preparing for deployment,
With COVID-19 restrictions loosening some troops are gearing up to deploy. I’ve gotten a lot of questions about deployment lately and I wanted to have a place with FAQs to direct everyone. So here it is: the most frequently asked questions about deployments.
****This is my experience with deployments and separations, remember that specifics will change unit to unit and branch to branch – for the most up to date information ask your service member directly.
When does my service member leave?
It can be hard to pin down exactly when your soldier is leaving – that’s a great thing! We don’t want any of our enemies to know details about troop movements. That being said, there are things that your soldier can tell you about when they leave (aka you can plan to see them prior to their departure). They should have a timeframe of when they will be allowed leave prior to deployment. If they are not allowed leave they should still know enough information that you could make a weekend trip to see them a few weeks before they leave.
Note: This information is completely different if you are on any kind of quick response duty or are involved in a special operations community. Units in those situations will have their own guidelines for deployments. If you are trying to get better information in this situation, I urge you (or I urge you to urge your soldier) to attend any family briefings that the unit puts on to get the most up to date information.
What is a family briefing?
A family briefing is something that a unit should put on prior to any deployment/unit level training exercise such as JRTC. They are conducted on post and if any identifying information is used they cannot be put online for security reasons. Family briefings (sometimes called deployment briefings) are where your best information will come from. My husband is pretty involved at work, but I still have to pressure him to make sure that he keeps his eye out for these meetings and tells me about them. If you are a parent and live far away, urge your soldier to go to the meeting and send you any pertinent contents. These meetings will also have great resources available that are not just for soldiers with families. Did you know that in the Army you can open an account with the Savings Deposit Program while deployed and earn up to 10% interest on up to $10,000 over the course of 12 months? Yup. Go to the briefing and ask the finance guy about it. Or check out this article for more info.
How can i communicate with my soldier during deployment?
This question can also breed different answers depending on your particular situation, so I will give you the “normal” answer. When your soldier gets where they are going*, they will have a few ways to access the internet. Some places allow soldiers to buy wifi at a monthly rate. Others will have wifi in a designated area such as the USO or MWR locations. I would suggest using WhatsApp to communicate as these are encrypted messages, unliked Facebook messenger and iMessage. WhatsApp is a cell phone application and can be used on the computer via a website. It works just like any other messaging service. Just be sure to turn notifications on so that it alerts you when your soldier texts/calls.
*Keep in mind that your soldier could be gone for weeks before they get to their final destination. So do not plan to be able to easily communicate with them right after they are gone. Which stinks because you won’t be able to find that thing that they used last week and you’ll be so mad they put it away in the wrong spot. But on the plus side, you get a break to focus on yourself.
How often will I be able to communicate with my soldier?
The answer to this question is also dependent on your soldier’s duty station and mission set. If they do not have wifi in their rooms you will probably hear from them less, as they would have to go to a different place on post to talk to you. If they do have wifi the factors that most effect how often you will be able to communicate are as follows: their work schedule, time differences, their desire to spend their free time talking to you. That last one may seem harsh but I have seen it in action time and time again. Some soldiers are very good communicators and want to call home, others do not take the time and energy to communicate consistently with family back home. It can be hard for some as calling home reminds them of everything they are missing, so be understand, but also have a plan. Check out my tips on creating a communication plan.
Will my soldier have an address to send letters to?
Your soldier will most likely not get an address until he/she arrives at their end destination. At this point they can send you their address via wifi messaging. Overseas addresses look a bit different than US addresses. Check out this FAQ from USPS about addressing military mail overseas.
Note that it takes a looonnnggg time to get mail overseas. Think 2-3 months. This means that Christmas cards/presents need to be sent by mid-October to make it on time – which means I need to start shopping now at the rate I move LOL
Where should care packages be sent to?
Care packages should be sent directly to the address your soldier provides once they are overseas. Do not send packages to the base they were at. Most places require that deployed soldiers vacate their barracks room – so your care package could end up going to the next owner of the room rather than your deployed soldier.
What should be included in a care package?
Care packages are a great way to be creative and spread some smiles. When I asked my husband what he would want in a care package he immediately said candy! Deodorant, sunscreen, anti-chafing powder, protein powder/bars, and other small items like a book or artwork from kids is always nice. Remember that a lot of places we have troops deployed are HOT. So think about what you are putting in the package and if it will withstand 120 degree heat without melting. AKA chocolate could get a little messy so make sure it’s sealed!
What should not be included in a care package?
Say it with me: I will not send perishable foods in a care package. It can be tempting to send your soldier a piece of home – but no one wants to open a rotting package three months after it was sent. Steer clear of fresh fruits/veggies, cooked foods, refrigerated foods, etc. My mom has made her homemade chocolate chip cookies, fudge, Chex-mix, and jerky to send to my brother while deployed. She baked the day of or before she sent the package and vacuum sealed all the food in individual packaging. My brother thought they were okay but the cookies get stale pretty fast. So take that into account. Also if you are sending food that you made, try vacuum sealing in smaller packages so they can open them as they eat it, if not my brother claims that the food will get stale before you can finish it.
what will my soldier be able to buy overseas?
Depending on their location, your soldier may be able to spend money in a variety of ways while deployed. Yeah, crap. I had to rewrite my deployment budget to give my husband a line item (sigh). If they are able to purchase wifi, plan to spend about $100-200 a month on wifi service. From everything I have heard, the more expensive packages are NOT worth it. So urge them to pay the minimum. Some FOBs overseas have fast food restaurants and stores on them. So they will be able to buy new shoes, gear, toothpaste, razors, etc. Just be sure to plan for them to spend money! From a budget point of view: be realistic about what you are sending. Care packages are great but they may be able to buy a lot of necessities there for cheaper than you can send them.
I hope this helps you wrap your head around deployment a little better. If you have any other questions comment them below or DM them to me on Instagram! As I get more questions I will update this post!