MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, FL-- You could be given as little as 48 hours’ notice before you have to board a plane to your next duty location for an undisclosed amount of time.
Regardless of when you are tasked with a deployment, the goal remains the same, stay mission ready at all times.
The Air Force Reserve is comprised of nearly 70,000 Airmen, many of whom have several deployments under their belts. New members however, may not have a contingency plan set in place for a deployment. Luckily, there are resources available to help prepare them at any given time.
In order to ease the transition, servicemembers and their families are provided with information pertaining to how to prepare for a deployment. Supporting agencies such as the Airman and Family Readiness Center, compile a checklist of numerous tasks for members to complete before departing.
“We love having these supporting agencies in attendance to assist our Airmen with getting prepped for their upcoming deployment,” said U.S. Air Force Colonel Douglas Stouffer, 927th Air Refueling Wing commander. “All of these resources are available to the Airmen and we would love for them to take advantage of getting their affairs in order prior to leaving so their minds can be focused for the success of the mission.”
When it comes to deployments, Airmen can depend on their military family to help guide them through the whole process, from taking care of things at home, completing the mission downrange, to ultimately coming home safely and reintegrating into their everyday life.
“These agencies are here for all the servicemembers,” said Tijuana Odom 927th ARW Director of Psychological Health. “We want our people in good shape in all realms of life when they return from the deployment as well as when they leave, and that’s what our supporting agencies assist with.”