Be Prepared For Deployment: Make A Plan

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If you have a deployment looming ahead of you it's nice to put down the worrying and actually have some tasks to work on that burn up some of that anxious energy. Here are a few things you can do to keep your mind off sadness and other thoughts that don't help you much.

1) Make a list of fun things you want to do during deployment. Make it long. Classes you want to take, projects you want to tackle, people you want to spend time with, goals you want to achieve, things you could work on that will strengthen your marriage and help you be a happier you.

2) Read the deployment books & military literature. Read the great books & resources that have been written on surviving deployment.

3) Find some military spouse blogs that you enjoy and can connect with. They are a great resource and this is a great place to make some friends.

4) Figure out where you might live. Look at several options.

5) Get your paperwork in order. Power of attorney, wills, etc. Make your "Worst Case Scenarios" plan. Talk about it and write it all down. They you won't have to be making decisions or trying to remember conversations if something does happen.

6) Talk to other MILSOs, a range of different people and get their ideas and suggestions. People who have been through it have a lot of great ideas and offer fantastic support.

7) Figure out who can be your backup people. Who can drive or pick up your kids from school in an emergency? Who could take them overnight? Who can come over if you're sick?

8) Study up on what financial & legal protections & benefits are available to deployed service members.

9) Get finances in order. Plan how you will manage finances, bills, etc.Make a list of organizations you'll need to notify he's deploying: banks, credit cards, etc.

10) Calendar out the time he'll be gone. Schedule in important dates, fun activities, breaks, etc. and look forward to checking each day off as you go. We actually got countdown calendars from the military. One for kids & one for adults. You can calendar in things like "send Christmas care packages", holidays, birthdays, etc. Seeing that there are things to look forward to and do makes it a little more bite-size and seemingly manageable.

11) Always remind yourself that the majority of soldiers come home in one piece. Don't obsess too much about what could happen. Save your energy to deal with things that really do come up during deployment that you'll need to handle. There will be some challenging situations so keep yourself strong and well with a good support system.

How about you? What action/task items helped empower you as you looked forward to deployment? Please share in the comments below. Your shared ideas and suggestions help so many.