What happens when you receive Deployment Orders

The sequence of events on September 11, 2001 changed America forever. On this day, The United States of America lost its innocence. The land of the free was no longer as free as it once was. Open and free travel no longer seemed as open and free following the September 11 terrorist attacks. Subsequently, America soon found itself at war with Iraq and Afghanistan. The number of service members needed to adequately fight this war was tremendous. The number of service members on active duty was not enough to engage in effective combat. As such, the burden to pick up the slack fell upon the Reserve and National Guard forces of our military. Not in recent memory has there been a greater number of service members deployed conus or oconus. From a military development standpoint, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan provoked the number of deployments to grow substantially. Since September 11, 2001, over 1.7 million service members have been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). Operation Enduring Freedom’s military focus is on securing the nation of Afghanistan, while as its name suggest, Operation Iraqi Freedom is concerned with securing the nation of Iraq. In addition to the service members deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, thousands of service members were deployed to Kuwait and Qatar in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Moreover, tens of thousands service members were deployed in support of contingency operations around the world.

So what happens when you receive your "orders" to go? Generally speaking your Unit, if you are deploying as a unit, will receive unit orders informing the Command that their unit will be deploying. If on the other hand you are an individual deployer as I was, you could receive your initial order via a phone call followed by orders requesting that you report for active duty. The amount of notice given to a service member ranges anywhere from several months in advance to only several days prior to the date ordered to active duty. I received my orders only three weeks before my scheduled day to report for duty.

There have been millions of Americans deployed to war zones around the world since this great country was founded over 230 years ago, however, recently it appears that many soldiers are deploying in greater frequency then ever before. In addition, some of those deployed are on their 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th deployment. In many cases, the deployment is involuntary and not knowing all of the information that will make the deployment less stressful creates a tremendous burden not only for the deploying service member but the family of that service member as well.
Deployment is much like a roller coaster ride at an amusement park. You first have the uncertainty of the entire event much like what you feel as you enter the gate to a roller coaster that you have never ridden before. You are unsure if you will make it. You may even attempt to get out of it at the very last minute. The roller coaster makes its climb and just as you begin the process of family planning and the actual deployment, you become anxious and nervous. After you’ve made it to the top of the roller coaster, you brace yourself for your quick decent, and at this point you realize there is no turning back. This is a similar feeling to what you may experience upon reaching your mobilization site but you brace yourself anyway and prepare for the many highs and lows this ride will offer.

Over the next several post, I will attempt to share some insights for service members and their families as to of what to expect during the time of deployment and the best way to minimize many difficulties sure to occur...

Deployment to the Iraq War Theater of Operations

I have been serving in the Iraq war theater of operations for nearly two years now. During that time I have received hundreds of e-mails from folks all around the world wondering what it was like and expressing their concern and well wishes. I also received many questions from service members on what to expect during a deployment. It became clear to me from the questions asked by other service members that they are unaware of what to expect during their deployment.

For those of you that have visited my Blog in the past and enjoyed the many photos I hope you continue to check in from time to time. However, my focus for the duration of my deployment will be to share with others tips and suggestions to make their time less stressful not only for them but their family members on the home front.

I will be making future postings of things I wish someone had told me prior to being deployed. So feel free to check back often.

The Redding Brothers

"Three guys who grew up listening to their dad play Johnny Cash tunes on an acoustic guitar have embraced the spirit of independent rock & roll. From the backwoods of West Virginia, the dust of Oklahoma, and the pouring rain of Seattle, they've created their own brand of scruffy, intelligent rock.

It all began while cruising around small-town Oklahoma in an old LeBaron convertible, the mid-nineties mix of country music and alternative rock scratching through their FM radio. There the guys beat together their idea of what real music was, and what a band should be.

But their lives were about to take several twists and turns. Through the earliest years of the 21st century, they would move from Oklahoma to Seattle, from Seattle to living on the road, and from living on the road back to their original home of West Virginia.

It was while in WV, in a town with few venues and a sparse music scene, that they would first buckle down and do the one thing most bands fail to do - grow a huge, loyal audience. Where there had been no venues, they took a local movie theater, and made it one of the most popular ones around. Where there had been a sparse music scene, they helped grow a network of musicians and bands that captivated the area. And then, they started aiming for the biggest goal they could find: to fill Charleston, WV's Civic Center.

Riding a wave of anticipation, and looking for a way to grow geographically and musically, they made one final move, and headed for Nashville, TN.

From Nashville, the brothers have struck out into the college circuit, traveling as far as Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Clarion, Pennsylvania. They've been selected to play alongside performers like Sister Hazel, Gin Blossoms, and Joan Jett & The Blackhearts. And they've started doing what they do best - growing a huge, loyal audience."

http://www.reddingbrothers.com/content/view/16/183/

Camp Arifjan, Kuwait

"Camp Arifjan is a United States Army installation located in the State of Kuwait which accommodates elements of the US Air Force, US Navy, US Marine Corps and US Coast Guard. Military personnel from the United Kingdom, Australia, Romania and Poland are also forward deployed there. Camp Arifjan is located south of Kuwait City and Ali Al Salem Airbase, and west of the Shuaiba Port (Military Sea Port of Debarkation/Embarkation, or SPOD) and Kuwait Naval Base (KNB).
Camp Arifjan is a US military installation utilized as a forward logistics base, Aviation Classification and Repair Activity Depot (Task Force AVCRAD) for the entire Southwest Asian Theater (through Patton Army Air Field), helicopter ground support base, and as a motor pool for armored and unarmored vehicles. U.S. military vehicles that did not receive new additional armor plating in the United States prior to deployment to U.S. Central Command -- tens of thousands -- received their "up-armoring" at Camp Arifjan. Additionally, many thousands of soldiers pass through Camp Arifjan either on their way to Iraq or returning from Iraq."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camp_Arifjan

Janet Weir Creighton, Deputy Assistant to President Bush and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs

"Ms. Creighton previously served as the Mayor of the City of Canton, Ohio. Prior to this, she served as Stark County Auditor and Stark County Recorder. She also served as President of the Ohio County Auditors and Public Director of the Federal Home Loan Bank Board for the 5th District. Ms. Creighton attended Ohio University. "

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/04/20070404-4.html

State of Navada Governor Jim Gibbons (R)

“Through his years representing Nevadans in Congress, Jim has served as chairman of several key subcommittees dealing with our nation’s intelligence capabilities, our homeland security, our military and our natural resources.

Jim Gibbons also served on several Congressional Caucuses.

He was a founding member and Co-Chairman of the Congressional Mining Caucus and Co-Chairman of the House Gaming Caucus. He also served as an active member on: Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus, the Western Caucus, Rural Caucus, Air Force Caucus, National Guard and Reserve Components Caucus, Travel and Tourism Caucus, Caucus on Community Health Centers, Cancer Caucus, the Caucus to Fight and Control Methamphetamine, and the Automotive Performance and Motorsports Caucus.

Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Jim Gibbons has also taken a leading role in securing America’s homeland. Just one month after the horrific attacks of 9-11, Jim authored and introduced bi-partisan legislation which would become the basis for the Homeland Security Act which created the Department of Homeland Security.

Jim is a former combat pilot and decorated veteran of both the Vietnam and Persian Gulf Wars. He served in the United States Air Force from 1967 to 1971 and graduated from the USAF Air Command and Staff College as well as the Air War College. Gibbons joined the Air Guard in 1975, attaining the rank of Colonel, and served as the group's Vice Commander from 1990 through 1996. Jim transferred from the Nevada Air Guard to the Air Force Reserves, where he served until 1998.

Throughout his military service, Gibbons received 19 service medals, including the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with Two Oak Leaf Clusters, Aerial Achievement Medal and Air Force Commendation Medal with One Oak Leaf Cluster. He was also awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his extraordinary achievement while participating as an RF-4C Flight Leader in the Gulf War.

His experience in the military makes him a knowledgeable and effective advocate for Nevada's premier military training bases, NAS Fallon in Churchill County and Nellis AFB just outside Las Vegas in Clark County.

Jim also spent many years working in the private section as a commercial airline pilot, as a hydrologist for the Federal Water Master, as a mining and exploration geologist, and as a mining and water rights attorney in Nevada.

Jim Gibbons has received many awards during his years of public life, and counts among his supporters taxpayer advocacy groups, senior groups, outdoor/recreation groups, and numerous business associations.

Gibbons also introduced the Education First Initiative, which was passed by the voters in 2004 and again in 2006. This Amendment requires that education be funded before any other budgets for the ensuing biennium. Education First will protect our schools from the harm caused by last-minute funding and will also protect the Gibbons Tax Restraint Initiative from another assault to our state’s constitution like the one handed down by the Nevada Supreme Court during the 2003 special legislative session.Governor Jim Gibbons and his wife Dawn have three children, Christopher, Jennifer and Jimmy, as well as three grandchildren. Their youngest son, Jimmy, is attending the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in New York.”

http://gov.state.nv.us/Govbio.htm

Racing Heroes Tour with Jeremy Mayfield, Erica Enders, Clay Millican and Phil Burkart

After hanging with these heroes, if I was not a racing fan before I certainly am one now! These guys know how to have some fun. I also learned that Disney made a movie about Erica Enders. She after all is one of only a handful of female race car drivers. She drives dragsters!

The Saloonatics!

"The Saloonatics are a well-seasoned, classic to current rock and roll tribute act that plays various venues throughout Southern California. Fronted by a female vocalist who can belt out any female or male vocalist's style from Alanis Morissette, Steve Perry, Steven Tyler, James Hetfield to Brad Delp, the powerhouse musicians behind her are jaw dropping spectacular. Three part harmonies and note on playing are this bands specialty. If you want Aerosmith, Journey, Rush, Queen, No Doubt, its all there for you, played with a fury. Featuring members from the highly touted Los Angeles Rush tribute "Caress of Steel", as well as the Alanis Morissette tribute "More Or Less", this band consistently delivers the goods. Having toured Asia's Naval bases on more than one occasion, they are proven show-stoppers at any venue they play. If you like rock and roll played from the gut, as you heard it growing up, then The Saloonatics are a must see!"

http://www.thesaloonatics.com/

The Unit

Today I got to hang out with some of the cast from one of television's best show "The Unit". The guys were great. The key cast include:

Dennis Haysbert (24 and Allstate Commercials)

Michael Irby

Max Martini

Robert Patrick (Terminator and other great movies

http://robertpatrick-johndogget.spaces.live.com/

The Kuwait Towers

The Kuwait Towers are one of Kuwait's most famous landmarks. Heavily damaged during the first Gulf War, the Kuwait Towers have been rebuilt to all their former glory.

They also have a great restaurant and observation deck on top. This is a must see attraction if you ever find yourself in Kuwait.