What do I need to do before I go on a combat deployment? What should I take to make it more bearable?

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 09 Feb 2020 22:46:51 -0500

I was just told that my unit is going to be deploying to the Middle East by the end of the year. I can’t say where yet, but it’s an actual combat deployment. I graduated basic in July, and this is my first go around. What do I need to do before I go, what should I take to make it more bearable, and any advice you guys have for me.

Response by Capt Dwayne Conyers made Feb 9 at 2020 10:47 PM

Capt Dwayne Conyers — Sun, 09 Feb 2020 22:47:38 -0500

Pray. A lot...

Response by SFC James Cameron made Feb 9 at 2020 11:01 PM

SFC James Cameron — Sun, 09 Feb 2020 23:01:30 -0500

Listen to your Team Leader. Trust your team and tour Team Leader. Train like your life depends on it because it actually does. Take all your training seriously, no matter how repetitive it gets. If you didn’t drop it, don’t pick it up.

Response by SFC Melvin Brandenburg made Feb 9 at 2020 11:07 PM

SFC Melvin Brandenburg — Sun, 09 Feb 2020 23:07:41 -0500

First of all, be ready to work and not complain about anything. There will be plenty of things that suck, but it's more a matter of your attitude than anything. Focus on the mission at hand, and the daily tasking, and trust your training and team. Second, pogie bait never hurt. But, I'd rather have baby wipes with me most of all. After that take some Immodium AD with you. Just do your job and you will be fine. Prayer is helpful too.

Response by SFC James Cameron made Feb 9 at 2020 11:10 PM

SFC James Cameron — Sun, 09 Feb 2020 23:10:13 -0500

On a side note, practice good OPSEC. Don’t talk in depth about locations, troop movements, timelines and the like.

Response by SCPO Morris Ramsey made Feb 9 at 2020 11:10 PM

SCPO Morris Ramsey — Sun, 09 Feb 2020 23:10:54 -0500

Attend all the predeployment briefings. Get Your will updated or created.

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Feb 9 at 2020 11:53 PM

SGM Bill Frazer — Sun, 09 Feb 2020 23:53:59 -0500

Listen to your vets in the chain.Extra wpn cleaning gear, sunscreen, lots of baby wipes. Pocjo liner, jacket liner, sleeping bag. a handbook of the area, ranger handbook. flameless stove, spices,If desert when temp goes for 120-130 to 70, you will feel like being in the arctic. Keep wpn clean consonantly, lube lightly, very lightly or it will jam. extra water carriers, salt tabs, socks. Pray a lot but with you eyes open. Smile at all, but have plans to kill 90% of them at the drop of a hat. Sunglasses, and spare regular glasses.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 9 at 2020 11:59 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 09 Feb 2020 23:59:06 -0500

Listen to your section leader. Everything you do.....do it like your life and your team’s life depends on it. Tie your boots like your life depends on it. Take care of your feet like your life depends on it. Clean your weapon like your life depends on it. Pack your tuck like your life depends on it. Make your bunk like your life depends on it. If you treat everything you do like your life depends on it you will never have to determine if your life depends on it.

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Feb 10 at 2020 12:12 AM

LTC Jason Mackay — Mon, 10 Feb 2020 00:12:02 -0500

Your unit will go through predeployment and mobilization training before you go. When you mobilize, you'll be issued your remaining deployment gear. Your unit will go through Soldier Readiness Processing (SRP) where you'll be screened for personnel and medical issues which they will attempt to fix on the spot with the aim of making you all deployable. This includes dental and legal. You'll do a will, any powers of attorney you need, and SGLI/DD93.

Your chain of command will provide more information as you move forward. Get with your Platoon leadership before you lug a bunch of crap.

What you can bring with you depends on where you are going and how austere it is. It also depends on what your unit lets you bring. Some are just going Ruck, Assault Bag, a bag, b bag, CTA-50, mOPP gear,, and your shootin' iron. Others allow a footlocker or C Bag in a shipping container. You'll launch containers 6-8 weeks in advance If they are moving containers forward.
- hygiene items like a 3 gallon bucket shower
- something to sit n
- a piece of Astro turf or indoor/outdoor carpet so you have some place dry to stand when you get out of your cot.
- pillow of some sort
- woobie to sleep on, woobie to put over you.
- 2-3 months of toiletries.
- 1-2 novels of something you like. Smaller is better.

The best things you can do:
- put your personal Affairs in order including financial and your family
- figure out how you are going to pay bills
- upon receipt of orders you may provide notice to a landlord to vacate a rental property. You'll need to coordinate your move.
- if you're a parent spend more time with your kids. Record videos of you reading their favorite stories and books for bed time.
- get your family plugged into the family readiness group and rear detachment
- make sure your are taking care of your fitness, medical health, dental health, and mental health.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 10 at 2020 4:00 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 10 Feb 2020 04:00:24 -0500

Hanging closet organizers, pillow, blanket, sheets,

Response by Lt Col Charlie Brown made Feb 10 at 2020 6:21 AM

Lt Col Charlie Brown — Mon, 10 Feb 2020 06:21:36 -0500

Keep the lines of communication open with your family. Explain there are times when the communication system will be down and that doesn't mean you have been hurt or injured but to stay calm and that you will be back in touch.

Response by 1SG John Highfill made Feb 10 at 2020 6:49 AM

1SG John Highfill — Mon, 10 Feb 2020 06:49:00 -0500

If your a grunt, good socks and boots

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 10 at 2020 8:47 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 10 Feb 2020 08:47:09 -0500

You can start by ignoring most of the generic “embrace the suck” style comments below. Which are nothing but a waste of time reading.

- Get a limited poa (someone you trust) to act on your behalf in regards to automatic payments for bills and banking
- provide a copy of your orders to your gym, cell phone provider, etc to suspend your services
- notify your credit card company or bank of your deployment, they will reduce your interest rate over the length of your tour to 4.2% (SCRA federal law)
- if you are NG or USAR give your employer reasonable notice of deployment and know your rights for Re-employment (visit ESGR website)
- Volunteer to attend CLS or TCCC training, both of my tours it was a command requirement for 100% of the company. It is invaluable training that can save a life
- it’s tough to say what equipment you should bring knowing nothing of your mission. I would reccomend buying yourself a good comfortable pair of boots since you’ll be in them every day. I have Rocky Sv2 which go around $200. If you don’t already use it US Standard Issue website offers up to 40% off of military equipment like eye protection, gloves, and boots.

Best of luck to you Soldier, proud of you and thanks for what you do

Response by LCpl Mike Niemeyer made Feb 10 at 2020 9:35 AM

LCpl Mike Niemeyer — Mon, 10 Feb 2020 09:35:51 -0500

Talk to one of your E4 or E5 paygrade they will tell you most of the time what they take or have taken.

Response by Patricia Overmeyer made Feb 10 at 2020 1:10 PM

Patricia Overmeyer — Mon, 10 Feb 2020 13:10:16 -0500

PFC (Anonymous): The adult stuff most people don't want to talk about but every attorney will tell you to do:
1. Make sure that you have updated your will. You need to make sure that your will complies with any tribal or federal requirements if you are a member of a tribal nation. Also, make sure you have set out your final wishes (cremation, viewing, services, etc.)
2. Make sure that you have the correct dependents listed on your SGLI/FSGLI. If you have children under the age of 18 and they are listed on the SGLI/FSGLI, then get a pour over trust set up so that the insurance proceeds go into a trust. Select your trustees (at least 2, preferably 3) very carefully. This helps to avoid various issues which arise when there is no trust set up but the kids are the beneficiaries. And believe me, this is a real legal rat's nest when there are minor children who inherit but no trust fund set up.
3. Set up a limited power of attorney to handle banking/debt payments, etc. Make sure that you notify all of your banks and debtors of the limited power of attorney. Also, make sure you ahve the latest updated version of the SCRA so that you can ensure the various debtors will honor the reduction in interest at the correct percent. Choose your power of attorney very carefully.
4. Set up a medical power of attorney. Sit down with your family and discuss exactly what you want done in as many different types of situations as possible. Talk with your doctor regarding what needs to be in a medical power of attorney from a physician's point of view (if you have a heart attack but can be quickly resuscitated, do you still want DNR?). Pick your medical power of attorney very carefully. Our nephew chose my husband and me because he didn't want his parents to be the ones to make that final decision if it was necessary. Make sure that the Medical Power of Attorney is in your medical records, as well as take several copies with you. Our nephew made sure he had two copies, one with his commanding officers and one on file at the nearest medical facility. Thankfully he never needed it but the medical facility was quite happy they had it because it meant they knew what his wishes were.
5. Make a folder/notebook/file system with all of these documents, as well as any other documents necessary (copies of birth certificates, social security cards, bank records, etc.) and label it "I'm Gone, Now what?" It saves a ton of time for the family when all of that is put together. They have the ability to immediately access the required information necessary in case you don't come back alive. Not a pleasant thought, I know, but vitally necessary.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 10 at 2020 1:28 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 10 Feb 2020 13:28:41 -0500

A laptop and a huge hard drive filled with movies and TV shows.

Response by LCpl Russell Wallace made Feb 10 at 2020 6:10 PM

LCpl Russell Wallace — Mon, 10 Feb 2020 18:10:25 -0500

1 terabyte of porn and possibly a fleshlight or similar pocket pussy with lots of lube to ensure you don’t tear your pecker apart with how much you’re going to be punching the clown out there.

Response by LCpl Russell Wallace made Feb 10 at 2020 6:12 PM

LCpl Russell Wallace — Mon, 10 Feb 2020 18:12:01 -0500

Also go watch VetTV’s “A Grunts Life” it will help you understand how things work down range.

Response by 1LT Vance Titus made Feb 10 at 2020 6:19 PM

1LT Vance Titus — Mon, 10 Feb 2020 18:19:29 -0500

"Extra socks and crotch rot cream," is what my platoon sergeant told me before I went to Vietnam. He could not have been more right. I spent my entire tour in the field and never had enough clean, dry socks. OD boxers helped but the cream kept me from being miserable.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Feb 10 at 2020 8:17 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Mon, 10 Feb 2020 20:17:09 -0500

This might sound silly, but you might be able to google where you are going. That might be a starting point to determine what is needed and available.

Response by SSG John Jensen made Feb 10 at 2020 11:28 PM

SSG John Jensen — Mon, 10 Feb 2020 23:28:01 -0500

go off the wall - when someone asks how you're doing, put a BIG Smile on your face and shout Miserable!, you gotta play with their heads. Giant books - I read Joyce's Ulysses, and War and Peace, and I needed more

Response by GySgt Kenneth Pepper made Feb 11 at 2020 10:40 AM

GySgt Kenneth Pepper — Tue, 11 Feb 2020 10:40:58 -0500

Talk to your NCOs about what to bring. The environment will dictate what you will need most. On top of that I repeat baby wipes, Beudroax's butt paste, powder gatorade, a few good paperback books (check your reading list), and be sure to have actual mailing addresses & paper/envelopes for people you want to keep in touch with.
Put together a care package that can be sent to you once you get there so you aren't carrying to much with you.
God gave you 2 ears and 1 mouth. Listen twice as much as you speak.
There will be a contingent of SMs that will find fault in everything, the dreaded 10%. Stay away from them.
God's speed Josh. Get some.

Response by CPL Gary Pifer made Feb 11 at 2020 5:34 PM

CPL Gary Pifer — Tue, 11 Feb 2020 17:34:09 -0500

Know all equipment and vehicles.. now all weapons systems.. Understand threats..IED's Vector.. Chemicals. Learn some native language and customs.. Learn combat life saving.. buy upgraded gear... Pass ACFT
.100% score... learn to do higher up jobs... get affairs in order... Start Huge Thrift Savings plan. DON'T GET Married. Pratice marksmanship plus Mixed Martial arts. Learn you enemies. Carry multiple weapons... Learn Learn Learn..
Keep clean..