As part of CityView’s commitment to filling gaps by providing reporting and information for the Fort Liberty community, our HomeFront initiative has added two columnists who will write regularly about issues military families face. In this installment, Jaylin Kremer, who lives at Fort Liberty with her active-duty spouse, talks about deployment resources. If there’s a topic you’d like for our columnists address, let us know at talk@cityviewnc.com.

While soldiers prepare to deploy, it can be overwhelming to determine what you should do to help prepare on the homefront. As spouses, we too have tasks to complete to ensure things will run as smoothly as possible while our soldiers are away. 

Keeping everything together is key, so I recommend starting off with a trip to the store for a binder or organizer for all resources and necessary documents — including the resources in this article. 

As a new spouse, I initially had no idea what my husband and I needed to do, which created additional stress and anxiety. A seasoned spouse helped me transform the worry into a plan to succeed and, hopefully, this guide will do the same for you. [cqmedia layout=”panel” content=”eyJwaG90byI6W3sibWVkaWFfdHlwZSI6InBob3RvIiwicGhvdG9faWQiOiI2OTY5MiIsInBob3RvX2NhcHRpb24iOiIiLCJwaG90b19jcmVkaXQiOiJDb3VydGVzeSBvZiBNaWxpdGFyeS5jb20ifV0sInZpZGVvIjpbXSwiZmlsZSI6W119″]

Resources for spouses, children and service members

Your first step should be creating a Deployment Binder with everything you’ll need. Military wife and mom Lauren Tamm created the free, printable and easy-to-use checklist to properly prepare — complete with a timeline to organize tasks. Tamm also shares a must-have book list for military kids dealing with deployment:

United Services Automobile Association (USAA) also provides a user-friendly checklist to prepare for deployment. This version is directed toward the service member and is another excellent resource for your family. “His” and “hers” checklists are a great way for service members and spouses to ensure nothing slips through the cracks. Find it here: 

Military OneSource offers an interactive guide, giving users access to all things deployment. The deployment page is broken down into an overview, guides, benefits, resources, products and articles. OneSource should always be at your fingertips, as it is home to an array of resources in one convenient location. Should you need someone to talk to, please keep in mind free counseling is available to you, and there’s no shame in using it! 

OneSource resources:

Deployment fairs for your soldier’s unit, put together through Army Community Service (ACS), are an excellent way to get everything in order. Don’t worry, the fair is not the only way to obtain all the information you need! 

ACS offers a variety of programs to suit your family’s needs, such as:

  • Relocation Readiness
  • Mobilization and Deployment
  • Employment Readiness
  • Army Emergency Relief (AER) Loans
  • Financial Readiness
  • Army Family Team Building (AFTB)
  • Family Advocacy Program (FAP)
  • Volunteer Corp

Visit the site here for more information: 

The American Red Cross provides a lot of support for the military community, including global emergency communication services. To contact, text GETHEROCARE to 90999, download the Hero Care App, and save their site for easy access should you need it.  

U.S. Army Family and Morale Welfare and Recreation (FMWR) has resources such as the “Family Toolbox” and “My Installation” to help you navigate life as a military family. The site also provides access to a number of programs able to assist you and your family, including, but not limited to, Child and Youth Services (CYS) for aid with childcare-related needs, and information about recreational opportunities near you. In our home, we stay as busy as we can, especially when my husband is away. 

The Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA) is yet another exceptional resource for military family needs. Operation Ride Home, emergency food assistance, Operation Kid Comfort, holiday assistance, and much more can be located on their site.

While they may be small, military children cope with big feelings, especially during deployments. The Comfort Crew for Military Kids and Operation Gratitude are wonderful resources for children, providing complimentary care packages and kits to our smallest heroes. 

Operation Gratitude doubles as a resource for our soldiers, sending care packages to active-duty soldiers overseas, containing handwritten letters and other morale-boosting items. If you’d like to send your soldier a care package by your own design, USPS provides a free “Military Care Kit” — you just have to pay shipping! 

As you can see, there is no shortage of support out there for you, you just have to know where to look, utilize your resources, and ask for help when you need it! Keep your binder close and your head held high.

Jaylin Kremer and her husband are natives of Pittsburgh. She is studying psychology and plans to go to law school and works as an advocate for mental health and victims of sexual violence. Jaylin is a member of the Fort Liberty school board and first vice president of the Fort Liberty Spouses Club. She believes that small acts of kindness go a long way.

Jaylin Kremer is a HomeFront columnist for CityView. She is a Pittsburgh native and a military spouse. She writes about the lives of military families, is studying psychology and plans to go to law school, and currently works a legal aid. Jaylin is first vice president of the Fort Liberty Spouses Club. She believes that small acts of kindness go a long way.