How to thrive: What helps make a deployment successful

What you need to know about deployment and law enforcement

The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) undertook and completed a project to support law enforcement military veterans, their families, and their agencies. With the support of many combat veterans in law enforcement, they were able to identify transitional challenges facing these veterans who were returning to or starting a career in law enforcement.

The following are guidebooks that serve as fundamental tools in supporting veterans, whether overseas or in their communities in law enforcement careers:

Since September 2011, the United States military’s deployment tempo has significantly increased, relying on the National Guard and Reserve components as a total force model. Today, deployment chances are greater for a law enforcement officer who also serves in the military.

Training up for the possibility of deployment, including planned exercises or missions (non-combat deployment), might distress officers and their families despite having a clear deployment plan, location, and duration. Combat deployments (combat support or combat missions) can present more uncertainty. Being away from home might be difficult, whether you’re participating in a non-combat or combat-related deployment.

Deployment is a process that usually involves training up, preparing to leave, leaving, working, spending time away from home, returning home, and then reestablishing daily routines. Different military branches label phases of the process differently. Regardless of the branch, service members seem to go through four general phases:

Predeployment
Deployment
Postdeployment
Reintegration

Demobilization for the National Guard and Reserve components is another identified phase. It seems to be a part of the postdeployment phase. However, it can be unclear sometimes when a deployment phase begins and ends.

Throughout the deployment cycle, you and your family might experience a range of thoughts and feelings that might differ from other service members. While no two people or their families are alike, they might share some experiences.

Here is a link to the Air Force Readiness Edge. It provides checklists identifying possible personal and family challenges or stressors, tailored recommendations, and support related to the deployment phases. Having reasonable expectations and communicating throughout the deployment process is essential.

Resources for how to manage the deployment cycle effectively

Predeployment

Unique characteristics of the predeployment phase include:

Living your civilian life. Living your family life. Participating in required unit training. Maintaining your personal readiness. Maintaining unit readiness. Receiving orders for active duty (activation). Receiving a mobilization alert for possible deployment (mobilization). Preparing for deployment, such as participating in required briefings, training, medical and dental evaluations, and possibly counseling to help you and others determine whether you’re ready to deploy now. Reporting to your home installation and/or to a mobilization station for processing, organizing, equipping, and training.

The predeployment phase ends when you physically leave your home installation for the theater of operations.

Websites

Department of Defense (DoD) Yellow Ribbon Program is a DoD-wide effort to promote the well-being of National Guard and Reserve members and their families and communities. It connects them to resources throughout the deployment cycle.

Military One Source provides service members and their families with free, non-medical counseling sessions. Military One Source consultants are available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week by phone, online, or by email. They offer personalized support to any service member or family member.

TRICARE is available to eligible U.S. beneficiaries and provides access to a wide range of programs and services. Qualified beneficiaries include active duty service members, active duty family members, selected reserve service members and their family members enrolled in TRICARE Select, and those covered under the Transitional Assistance Management Program (TAMP).

Armed Services Young Men’s Christian Association (ASYMCA) works with the DoD to provide programs and services to

Deployment

This phase begins with your physical movement from the home installation to the designated theater of operations. The remainder of the deployment phase involves your performing military duties supporting the mission. Near the end of the deployment, you will begin preparing for your return to the demobilization station.

Websites

Department of Defense (DoD) Yellow Ribbon Program is a DoD-wide effort to promote the well-being of National Guard and Reserve members and their families and communities. It connects them to resources throughout the deployment cycle.

Military One Source provides service members and their families with free, non-medical counseling sessions. Military One Source consultants are available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week by phone, online, or by email. They offer personalized support to any service member or family member.

TRICARE is available to eligible U.S. beneficiaries and provides access to a wide range of programs and services. Qualified beneficiaries include active duty service members, active duty family members, selected reserve service members and their family members enrolled in TRICARE Select, and those covered under the Transitional Assistance Management Program (TAMP).

The Blue Star Mothers of America is a nonprofit organization of mothers who have or have had children honorably serving in the military. It provides support for other mothers of service members in times of need.

ZERO TO THREE is a national, nonprofit organization that provides parents, professionals, and policymakers the knowledge and know-how to nurture early development. Its mission is to ensure that all babies and toddlers have a strong start in life.

Military Child Education Coalition is focused on ensuring quality educational opportunities for all military-connected children affected by mobility, family separation, and transition.

Families Overcoming Stress (FOCUS) provides resiliency training to military children and families. It teaches practical skills to meet deployment and reintegration challenges, communicate and solve problems effectively, and successfully set goals together and create a shared family story.

Tutor.com for U.S. Military Families is a DoD-funded program. It allows eligible students in U.S. military families to connect to a live tutor online for one-to-one help with homework, studying, test preparation, proofreading, and more. The service is available at no charge to K-12 students and some adults in active duty Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps families.

sesameworkshop is a military outreach program that provides resources for military families with young children experiencing the effects of deployment.

Postdeployment

Returning to the demobilization station begins the postdeployment phase. During post-deployment, you’ll return equipment, attend briefings, train, and participate in medical evaluations. Other activities are available, such as counseling services, to assist you with integrating back into your home life.

Websites

Department of Defense (DoD) Yellow Ribbon Program is a DoD-wide effort to promote the well-being of National Guard and Reserve members and their families and communities. It connects them to resources throughout the deployment cycle.

Military One Source provides service members and their families with free, non-medical counseling sessions. Military One Source consultants are available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week by phone, online, or by email. They offer personalized support to any service member or family member.

TRICARE Reserve Select is a premium-based health plan that qualified National Guard and Reserve service members may purchase. TRICARE Reserve Select requires a monthly premium and offers coverage similar to TRICARE Standard and Extra. TRICARE Reserve Select applies to National Guard and Reserve service members and their families when not on active duty.

Transitional Assistance Management Program (TAMP) provides 180 days of transitional health care benefits to military members and their families when they meet specific eligibility requirements.

Veterans Health Administration (VA) provides information on the various healthcare programs the VA administers, such as program descriptions, eligibility requirements, family benefits, and co-pay information.

Families Overcoming Stress (FOCUS) provides resiliency training to military children and families. It teaches practical skills to meet the challenges of deployment and reintegration, communicate and solve problems effectively, and successfully set goals together and create a shared family story.

Armed Services Young Men’s Christian Association (ASYMCA) works with the DoD to provide programs and services to young men and women of all five armed services: Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard.

The United Service Organizations (USO) is a private, nonprofit organization supporting service members and their families by providing morale, welfare, and recreation-type services.
Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) assists men and women of the Military Services severely injured during the conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other locations worldwide. The WWP website provides advocacy, coping services, family support, and other programs and services to assist wounded warriors returning to civilian life.

Armed Forces Families Foundation provides assistance programs, awareness, and advocacy campaigns for service members to improve military-to-civilian reintegration efforts and preserve our future fighting forces.

Comfort Zone Camp is a bereavement camp for children started by West Point alumni. The camp’s program is designed to mirror the way a child grieves.

Military Families United is a national coalition of Gold Star and Blue Star families, veterans, and patriotic Americans whose mission is to honor the fallen, support those who fight, and serve their families.

Gold Star Wives of America (GSW) is an organization of widows and widowers whose spouses died while on active duty in the military or as the result of a military service-connected cause. The primary mission of GSW is to provide service, support, and friendship to others who have suffered a similar loss.

Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) is a national, nonprofit organization made up of and providing services to all those who have lost a service member. TAPS provides surviving family members with assistance through peer support, crisis intervention, casework, grief and trauma resources, and other services through the TAPS support network.

Reintegration

After you complete the required postdeployment activities, the reintegration phase begins. It involves you and your family reassembling your lives after experiencing a significant change. The hallmark of the reintegration phase is re-entry into your daily life as experienced before deployment.

Reintegration can last from several months to years. It can be different for different service members and their families. For many, the reintegration phase typically lasts three to six months. It can be a smooth and joyful reunion. It might be a rocky road for others to re-form into a functioning unit.

Websites

Department of Defense (DoD) Yellow Ribbon Program is a DoD-wide effort to promote the well-being of National Guard and Reserve members and their families and communities. It connects them to resources throughout the deployment cycle.

Military One Source provides service members and their families with free, non-medical counseling sessions. Military One Source consultants are available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week by phone, online, or by email. They offer personalized support to any service member or family member.

TRICARE Reserve Select is a premium-based health plan that qualified National Guard and Reserve service members may purchase. TRICARE Reserve Select requires a monthly premium and offers coverage similar to TRICARE Standard and Extra. TRICARE Reserve Select applies to National Guard and Reserve service members and their families when not on active duty.

Transitional Assistance Management Program (TAMP) provides 180 days of transitional health care benefits to military members and their families when they meet specific eligibility requirements.

Veterans Health Administration (VA) provides information on the various healthcare programs the VA administers, such as program descriptions, eligibility requirements, family benefits, and co-pay information.

Families Overcoming Stress (FOCUS) provides resiliency training to military children and families. It teaches practical skills to meet deployment and reintegration challenges, communicate and solve problems effectively, and successfully set goals together and create a shared family story.

Armed Services Young Men’s Christian Association (ASYMCA) works with the DoD to provide programs and services to young men and women of all five armed services: Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard.