- Pre-Deployment Checklist
*You will need a power of attorney (POA) to do many things on behalf of your spouse while he’s deployed. There is a general power of attorney and special power of attorney. Make sure your husband gets you the “special” or general power of attorney before he deploys. You will need the power of attorney to accept a place in base housing or in military childcare, to renew your ID card, to buy or sell a vehicle/property, to access financial accounts, resolve pay issues, etc.
*Get Life Insurance coverage for you and your spouse through the SGLI and FSGLI programs. Get a copy of this form to keep for your records.
*Deployed servicemembers can get a tax filing extension. If you file taxes you will need the POA.
*Talk to your kids about changes and try to implement major routine adjustments before your spouse deploys.
*Get a voice recorder and have your husband record a personal message for you (and a separate one for each child) so when you feel alone or want to hear his voice you can always have that with you to remind you how much he loves and misses you. In addition, you can also do the same for him and send it in a care package.
*Get a daddy doll and make other deployment aids for your kids before dad deploys. You can go to daddydolls.com to order your daddy dolls. Take a picture of your husband in uniform against a white wall and send it in to get your daddy doll. They also have 10 second voice recorders to put inside so your husband can record a message for each child before he deploys. Order these ATLEAST 2 weeks in advance so the dolls have time to arrive at your home and for your husband to record a message before he leaves.
*Attend the pre-deployment brief
*An online secure document storage service is a great option for your mobile military family. You can upload all your important documents, paperwork, photos, videos, and voice messages and provide different levels of access to your spouse, family members, friends, and even financial advisors. Go to http://executorsresource.com
*Organize your financial records into one place using an organizing system, such as three ring binder, or file folders. Include important contact information of financial, legal, tax advisors, emergency contacts, babysitters, neighbors, teachers, etc. Include official documents such as legal, birth certificates, marriage certificate, copies of your husbands military id card, social security cards and passports, tax returns, medical and dental records, net worth statement, credit report, warranties, les, etc. Assets include car titles, registration forms, proof of insurance, and maintenance records.
*Make a list of all your required monthly expenses. List all your periodic and annual expenses. Set up autopay for monthly expenses. Talk with your spouse about budgets and set one up for your family. Talk about how much each of you will get to spend each month so you don’t have to worry about not being able to pay bills.
*Set up an allotment for a certain amount of each pay check to go to savings, that way you save money and have a backup account in case anything unexpected comes up.
*Attend a L.I.N.K.S for spouses class to learn about tools, tips, and strategies to help prepare for and thrive during separations. The Camp Pendleton LINKS # is 760-725-9052.
*Freeze Passes (Disneyland, gym, etc.)
*Have your husband write a hand written letter to you, to keep and remind you how much he loves and misses you.
*Get family and photo shoots taken together before he deploys and put a few pictures in his bag before he deploys.
*Videotape your husband spending time with the kids or reading to them.
*Get a recordable book, and have your husband record his voice reading it. So the children can open the books anytime and hear their dad reading to them.
*You can make a "photo pillowcase" with your husbands picture on it at Walmart.com, that way you can sleep next to him everynight.
*Have your husband fill out a pre-authorization form for the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society which assists eligible family members with immediate emergency needs such as transportation, rent, food, daycare, utility bills, car repairs, payments, insurance, gas, medical, dental, funeral, cable, internet, etc.
*Make sure you have all the important phone numbers you may need such as your FRO, Chaplain, counseling services, financial counseling, etc.
*Cook your husbands favorite foods before he deploys cause he wont have a real good meal till he returns. Try to avoid any arguments before he leaves and just enjoy your time together.
*Get a copy of your husbands will for your records.
*Sit down together and write a list of things he would like to receive in care packages while he is gone.
*Make sure you have all the proper documents you need to file your taxes if your husband is deployed.
*If you have an extra vehicle that will not be used, you will need to store it in the PMO impound lot or community vehicle storage facility. You will need proof of insurance and your registration will have to be current. Also call your insurance company and let them know that the vehicle has been stored so you can save money!
*Go on a nice date together and just enjoy your time together.
*Most likely your husband will not be able to talk on his cell phone, so you can call your cell phone company and put a suspension on his phone till a specified day.
*Remember that you and your husband wont have sex for a while so make love a lot before he leaves!
*Get the passwords and logins for all bank accounts/bills
*Write him a handwritten letter and stick it in his sea bag
*If you plan on moving back home while your husband is deployed, TMO will NOT pay for your move. Make sure you plan ahead on where you will store your belongings and how much it will cost to move.
*Don’t wait till the last week or month to get everything done. Be prepared in advance so you can enjoy your last time together before he leaves instead of running errands and trying to get everything done.
*Make sure you have a good support group to help you while your husband is deployed. Neighbors, church, support groups, friends, etc.
*As you communicate from home, it is crucial that you remember the importance of Operational Security (OPSEC). Do not post deployment areas and times, port call dates and special shore deployments through any source of internet (facebook, myspace, other internet areas, etc.) Avoid discussing operational information in public places, over the phone or with members of the media. Remember that the information contained in various sites such as Yahoo! Groups, chat rooms, facebook, myspace, is NOT official Command Information. Any information you put on the internet is accessible to anyone, so though you might think it is safe and secure, terrorist can access that information and use it.
*Make sure you have the correct unit address information for mailing letters via the United States Postal Service. A great method of communication during deployment is letters or email (if available). Long distance telephone calls can get VERY expensive (even thousands per month) and letters can be re-read during lonely moments or times when phone and email are not available. Mail will take ATLEAST a week-1 month to get there. When writing letters be informative and cheerful. Use sarcasm and humor with great care. Remember that in writing, no one can hear the tone of your voice or see the expression on your face. Write often. Sometimes the best letters are simply about the events happening in the day. Explain the details and don’t assume they know what you are talking about. Try numbering letters on the envelope so that if more than one letter is received they know which one was written first. Try avoiding troubling your Marine with problems that he cannot solve as this can affect their mission readiness. Seek assistance with some of the many agencies and people in the local area. Military One Source, Chaplain, MCCS, NMCRS, and friends. If you are angry, record everything you’re feeling on paper or in a journal. Sometimes after you have vented the frustration, you will feel better and can better handle the situation. DO NOT SEND THESE TO THE MARINE. Written words are far more permanent than spoken ones.
*Pre-order flat rate boxes from USPS. USPS provides free priority mail shipping supplies for military families sending packages to U.S. military personnel over seas. If you call 1-800-610-8734 and select option #1 and ask for the military pack. They will send you boxes, tape, packing materials, and labels. They will also give you an ID number so if your supply runs low, just call and they will send you some more!
*Go to oplove.com and schedule an appointment. oplove.com provides military families with the chance to get professional photos taken before, during, or after a deployment. The last thing on your mind when your wife or husband arrives home after a 4 to 18 month tour, is capturing all this love on film. Now you can with oplove and get photos taken for free to keep a memory forever.
*Set up all outstanding bills on Auto pay so you dont worry about getting the bills un-paid.
*Create a skype account. Its free so if theres ever a chance for video chat if possible and o to the exchange and buy prepaid Calling cards he can take with him ahead of time...when my husband at that time..was deployed in Iraq they would run out of calling cards all the time!!
*Get a subscription to all his favorite magazines and send them in his care packages.
*Send him off with a goody bag of stuff you know wont make it in a package because of the 1000 degree weather like chocolate. Stick the goodie bag in his sea bag.
*Send him off with a PSP for movies and internet, and a camera.
*Make him a CD or a playlist of songs & put it on his ipod.
*Record him wishing the kids Happy Birthday, Merry Christmas.....and other holidays he might miss. You can keep it tucked away. Also have him write a few cards to the kids and keep them tucked away for emergency use when a child is having an extra rough day or week.
*Sit down and talk with your children and let them know they are loved unconditionally. Have them talk about their feelings. Assure the children that they have to say goodbye, but that daddy will be home again. Let your children write letters and draw pictures for their dad and send it to them.
*Stay positive. Write a list of things you will do to keep yourself busy. Take good care of yourself, exercise regularly, eat balanced meals, get plenty of sleep, go to a stress management class, set aside time for yourself every, find projects to do, hire a babysitter and go out for the evening with friends, spend time reading a book, ask for help, take college courses, learn new job skills, attend classes, volunteer, take up a hobby, go to a library, see a movie, spend time with uplifting friends, learn new things to impress your husband with when he comes home.
*Motomail: for secure, reliable, and fast mail sent to your deployed spouse, go to www.motomail.us. to create a letter. The letter is securely sent to the MotoMail server. The designated USMC post office, in theater downloads the letter to a special machine which prints, folds, and seals it. The letter is delivered through until mail call. Marine then reads and re-reads letter. This is completely free to use. You can call 1-877-507-9673 ext:702 for customer care.
Cake In A Jar (Great to send to deployed Marines)
Servings Original Recipe Yield 8 pint straight-sided wide-mouth canning jars
Ingredients
- 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
- 8 straight-sided wide-mouth pint canning jars with lids and rings
Directions
- Prepare the cake according to package instructions, or use any cake recipe.
- In pint size, straight-sided wide-mouth jars, put 1 cup of batter in each greased jar. Make sure to keep the rims of the jars clean. Put in preheated oven 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place jars on a cookie sheet to keep from tipping over while baking.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean.
- While they are baking, have your jar lids boiling in a pan of water. When the cake is done, take one jar out at a time and add the hot lid and screw on your jar ring and let set and cool.
- It will seal as it cools. Place the jars on the counter and listen for them to 'ping' as they seal. If you miss the 'ping', wait until they are completely cool and press on the top of the lid. If it doesn't move at all, it's sealed.
- After it cools it will pull away from the jar and when you are ready to eat, open and pop out the cake and enjoy.
- Unsealed jars should be stored in the refrigerator and eaten within 2 weeks. Sealed jars may be stored in a freezer.
