Deployment readiness more than training, TDY paperwork

Master Sgt. Robert Sobush

We talk all the time about military readiness and the ability to deploy. We talk of how we need to be ready at a moment’s notice. With Aerospace Expeditionary Force 3/4 ramp up beginning at Cannon I would like you to stop, think and ask yourself if you are ready.

Readiness should always be on your mind as a professional military member. It is your responsibility to ensure you have all your training, equipment and bags packed ready to deploy.

Are you ready for the unthinkable? If you are married, do both you and your spouse have wills? Perhaps someone will die in combat or perhaps at the hand of a drunk driver right here in New Mexico. Does the will state who you would like to care for your children should the unthinkable happen? If you are single, who will get any investments and savings or any pay due? Does your spouse or family member know you have a will and where it is? Does the person you chose to execute your will know they have been chosen and have a copy of your will? Does someone know if you have extra life insurance in addition to what is provided by the military? I’m sure some of you reading this are thinking, “Does the shirt think we are idiots?” I don’t but as a shirt who has seen this stuff, it’s import to remind everyone.

Are you ready for a cash emergency? Most financial experts say you should have three to six months of full pay set aside for an emergency. You should start saving for your cash emergencies before they happen. A frustrating thing for Airmen to hear is family members left behind who have a house maintenance issue they can’t resolve due to financial pressures. I know you didn’t join the Air Force to get rich, so set aside a little each month for an emergency fund.

Are you ready for a fire or a flood in your home caused by a water pipe leak or break? You should have renter’s insurance if you are renting or are living in government quarters. If a disaster happens and you do not have insurance you could have a tough time replacing your lost personal items. Renter’s insurance does not cost a great deal and depends on how much you wish to insure. Think about your DVDs, CDs, TVs, PCs, and MP3 players (okay enough initials my head hurts but you get the idea) and how much it would cost you to replace it all if the house burnt down, or you were robbed.

Are you ready to deploy? Who is going to pay your bills while you are gone? While electronic banking has made paying your bills anywhere in the world easier, it is only easier if you are somewhere with a computer. Does your spouse know what bills must be paid and when they are due? Does your friend left behind pay bills on time? I have had instances where both family members and friends have not shown the proper level of responsibility in bill paying while the Airman was deployed.

We must be ready to deploy, but being ready to deploy is more than simply having your training down and your TDY out processing sheet signed off. As we start to ramp up for the AEF 3/4 commitment, we have to make sure you are ramping up and looking at the other areas of our lives and asking, “Am I ready?”