So after 4 years of medical school, 3 years of emergency medicine residency training, board certification, 2 years assigned to an infantry brigade and now working full-time as an attending physician, I am deploying in support of Operation Enduring Freedom next month.
Probably.
What It's Like To Prepare For Deployment
The first thing one has to understand about the Army and military units in general, is that they're a bit like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. On one side of the coin is the orderly, well-groomed and totally prepared representation that has every contingency planned for, including what to do if the commander's mother passes out during an outdoor ceremony on a hot summer's day.
The other side of the twisted, rusted and unrecognizable coin is a face that is a more common sight to those working through it everyday: last-minute changes, new requirements, miscommunication and scrambling. Lots of scrambling.
Not many people understand these idiosyncrasies better than an ER doctor. After all, making critical decisions with incomplete information on a tight timeline? All in a day's work. Still, that skill set doesn't make short-notice adjustments significantly more enjoyable.
Here are just a few of the items one must address prior to departing for your all-expenses paid vacation to the most popular skiing destination of 2075.
-SRP (Soldier Readiness Program)
-packing and knowing what to pack
-online Army trainings
-contacting your future unit (when PROFIS)
-preparing home needs
-taking care of spouse, family; aka spending time/taking leave
-will, Power of Attorney
-car, vehicle storage
-financial arrangements
-loan payments in deferment or autopay
-have trusted agent periodically check account status
-cancel or suspend cell phone, utilities, newspaper/mail service
-ending lease early & move belongings into storage (if renting & living alone)
I will compose a follow-on entry after I've gone thru the rigamarole of finishing preparations, attending my week of pre-deployment screenings at the CONUS (continental US) Replacement Center in El Paso, TX, and made the long journey to Afghanistan. I'm sure there will be many things that I thought I needed that I'll find out were useless and vice versa.
My hope is that this information will be helpful for my fellow providers who will deploy in the future. Use the suggestions to avoid the mistakes I made and tailor the knowledge to fit your needs. Good luck!
