Pre-Deployment Training

The key to a successful deployment is advance preparation and candid communication. Planning ahead can help you to have access to all the information you need and give you the peace of mind that you will have the resources and support needed during the deployment.

Honest and open communication with everyone who may be affected by your Service Member’s deployment is essential to the planning process. Actively involve the Service Member with the family planning and preparation for the deployment.

Your Service Member will go through numerous Soldier Readiness Processing events with their unit to ensure that they and their families are ready for deployment. Service Members should direct their questions to their unit chain of command.

Family members should direct their questions to the nearest Family Assistance Center (FAC).

Family Preparation Academy

The Family Preparation Academy is a one day program designed to empower and resource Service Members, their spouses, parents, significant others and children to address the effects of combat operational stress and general issues prior to deploying. Utilizing subject matter experts, previously deployed soldiers and representatives from military, government, and civilian agencies; participants will have an opportunity to connect with service providers and dialogue about the challenges of deployment and understand what resources are available to them by various agencies in the state. Some of the issues addressed will be:

• Coping successfully during wartime deployments
• Growing a marriage while separated by deployment
• Raising children as a single parent
• How parents of a single Soldier can cope during deployment
• What children need from their Soldier and parent during deployment
• Handling finances during the deployment

Your Service Member’s unit will provide information to you on the Family Preparation Academy dates and details. There are also monthly Family Preparation Academies held at Monthly Individual Reintegration Training.

See our Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Calendar of events for more information.

Ensure these tasks are completed prior to deployment:

1. Obtain family member ID card(s) and register in DEERS
Service Members and their family members need to have ID cards in order to receive all the benefits entitled to you and your family. A dependent who is not accompanied by a Service Member should call ahead to verify documentation needed to receive an ID card.

Be prepared to bring the following items:

1. Photo ID and signed DD Form 1172 (signed within 90 days by deployed service member)
2. Marriage certificate
3. Birth Certificate(s) for all dependent children
4. Adoption papers
5. Social Security card(s)

2. Familiarize yourself with TRICARE (medical and dental) Insurance

TRICARE is the health care program serving active duty Service Members, National Guard and Reserve members, retirees, their families, survivors and certain former spouses worldwide. As a major component of the Military Health System, TRICARE brings together the health care resources of the uniformed services and supplements them with networks of civilian health care professionals, institutions, pharmacies and suppliers to provide access to high-quality health care services while maintaining the capability to support military operations.

To be eligible for TRICARE benefits, you must be registered in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System. TRICARE offers several health plan options to meet the needs of it's beneficiary population. Additionally, TRICARE offers two dental plans and several additional special programs.



ID card locations can be found at:

13865 S. Robert Trail Rosemount, MN 55068 651-282-4917	5500 85th Ave N. Brooklyn Park, MN 55443 651-282-4688
100 Martin Luther King Dr. Mankato, MN 56001 651-268-8413	711 S 17th St. Montevideo, MN 56265 651-268-8460
Rm 1153 Pst HQs CRTC 15000 Hwy 115 Little Falls, MN 56345 320-616-2728	148th Air Guard Base 4600 Hanes Rd Duluth, MN 55811 218-788-7212
367th Engineer Battalion 1710 Veterans Dr. St. Cloud, MN 56303 320-251-7942	88th RSG U.S. Army Reserve Rm. 1105 506 Roeder Cr. Fort Snelling, MN 55111 612-713-3202
DET 1, HHC 32nd IN BDE 833 S. 17th Ave Wausau, WI 54401 715-845-1011	Military ID Cards Bldg 2187 Fort McCoy, WI 54656 608-388-4563
133rd Air Wing Rm. 131 631 Minuteman Dr. St. Paul, MN 55111 612-713-2044	Veteran's Service Building 20 W. 12th St. St. Paul, Mn 55125 651-282-4579

Military Pay and Allowances

The military finance system is complex and multi-faceted. Your military unit and finance office are able to assist you with any questions about pay and allowances. “Taking Care of the families of America’s Armed Forces” The is an excellent reference and can be downloaded from http://www.defenselink.mil/ra/.

Basic Pay

There are many resources available to determine amounts of basic pay, rates of pay are determined by rank and time of service:

• Basic Pay and Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS), Inactive Duty Training (IDT) Pay
• Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) and BAH-II
• Incentive or Special Pay, Family Separation Allowance and Other Allowances may also apply to your service member's specific individual status.

Direct Deposit of Pay and Allowances

Direct deposit is mandatory. Pay and allowances will be sent to the service member’s designated financial institution account via electronic funds transfer on a regular basis (1st and 15th of each month) if on active duty, and within a reasonable time after orders and/or travel claims are submitted to your unit’s administrative personnel or Reserve Pay Office.

Income Taxes

Federal income and social security taxes are automatically withheld from basic, and special and incentive pays, inactive training pay and funeral honors duty stipend. Allowances such as BAS and BAH are exempt. Service Members on active duty pay state income tax only to their state of legal residence regardless of where they are serving.

Special Tax Exemptions

Your military service may cause you to incur expenses for which law does not allow direct reimbursement. You are, however, allowed to deduct some of these expenses from your personal income tax filing.

Tax benefits from Military OneSource

• Free tax consultations and free e-filing for service members and their family members
• Free financial planning and counseling

Legal Affairs

Whether you’re married or single, have children or not, Legal Affairs and planning should be considered an essential task to be completed prior to mobilization and deployment. Preparing for this possibility is critical to avoid unnecessary hardship and legal difficulty on those loved ones left at home if your Service Member is injured.

Will, Living Will and Medical Directives

Although there are many ways to write a will, it is critical that your will be within the laws of the state in which you reside. Licensed legal counsel is the best alternative to formulate a will. The Judge Advocate General (JAG) is the best resource to help you. The Service Member’s unit will provide an opportunity to meet with JAG prior to deployment.

Power of Attorney

A Power of Attorney (POA) is a document that allows a person you designate as the legal authority to act on your behalf when you are unavailable. Most Powers of Attorney have a beginning and an ending date. Many Service Members set the length of their POA based on when they are due to return from deployment or training. If a Power of Attorney is desired, it should be effective for no more than the period necessary to accomplish the purpose and it is not recommended to be given for more than a period of one year.There are two primary types of Powers of Attorney:

• General: A general POA gives your designated representative the authority to conduct any transaction on your behalf.
• Limited/Special: A limited or special POA grants your representative the right to act on your behalf for a specific transaction.

The Judge Advocate General (JAG) will help you set up a Will and a Power of Attorney. Your service member’s unit will provide an opportunity to meet with JAG prior to deployment.

Service Member Civil Relief Act (SCRA)

The Service Member Civil Relief Act (SCRA) was passed by Congress to provide protection to persons entering or called to active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces. The protection begins on the date the Service Member enters active duty service and terminates upon release from active duty. However, some protections under the act extend for a limited time beyond discharge but are tied to the discharge date. Additionally, some of the protections provided by the Act extend to the service member’s family.

A common benefit of the Act is the management of credit card debt. The SCRA unambiguously states that no interest above 6% can accrue for prior credit obligations. Examples of obligations you may be protected against:

• Outstanding debt
• Mortgage payments
• Taxes
• Terminations of Lease agreements

For a sample Service Member Civil Relief Act request letter, click here:
Service Member Civil Relief Act creditor request letter template



More "Family and Service Member" pages:
For Families and Service Members
Deployment Training
Reintregation Training
Family Readiness Group
Family Assistance Center
Strong Bonds
Family Events

Please contact the Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Family programs office with any questions at: familyprograms.mn@ng.army.mil.

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