Pre-Deployment Checklist

SPECIFIC SITUATIONS
BEHAVIOR/SIGNS
TAILORED SUPPORT
Issues pertaining to leaders at the home front
THE REMAINING SPOUSE/LOVED ONES MAY DISPLAY:
  • Concerns over parenting issues
  • Anger
  • Sadness
  • Anxiety/fears relating to the deployed spouse
  • Feelings of loneliness
  • Concerns over problems with communicating with the Sailor
  • Concerns over financial or legal issues
  • Concerns over rumors and misinformation
  • Stay visible to lend support to your deploying personnel and their families
  • Encourage participation in spouse support groups
  • Follow-up with family members who have had problems
  • Foster ongoing communication between family and deployed member
  • Encourage use of helping agency resources during family emergencies
  • Keep families posted regarding deployed conditions whenever possible
  • When appropriate, link with a member who has had a similar situation
  • Host family recreational activities
  • Keep family informed if possible about return date
Issues pertaining to leaders at the deployed location:

  • Working in harsh climates
  • Living conditions
  • Long duty days
  • Ambiguous roles
  • Problems with supervisors
  • Threat from Nuclear, Biological, Chemical and Conventional weapons
  • Lack of time to assimilate
  • Limited leisure time
  • Boredom
  • Lack of mobility
  • Lack of information
  • Limited supplies
LEADERS AT THE DEPLOYED LOCATIONS MAY OBSERVE THE FOLLOWING SIGNS AND BEHAVIORS IN UNIT MEMBERS:
  • Irritability
  • Fatigue
  • Withdrawal--tiredness
  • Change in duty performance
  • Boredom
  • Interpersonal conflict
  • Decreased humor/inappropriate humor
  • Increased negativity
  • Use of sarcasm
  • Increased negativity
  • Tearfulness
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Alcohol abuse
  • Expressed concern over domestic issues
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Expresses disappointment when others fail to meet expectations
  • Expresses concerns over sexual harassment
  • Reckless/risk taking behavior
  • Hold frequent command briefings
  • Plan cohesion building activities
  • Make sure your Sailors have adequate housing, food and sanitary conditions
  • Establish communication line with home so personnel can get family information
  • Set up recreational activities for your personnel at the deployed location--that can help relieve stress
  • Strive to keep things at a normal pace (i.e. C.O.'s call, promotions), celebrate holidays
  • Encourage constructive activities for members--such as learning a new language/study of local culture
  • Leaders should take the initiative to discuss self--care measures to include stress control
  • Keep the Sailors well informed--what is their current situation, how they are doing and what are their goals
  • Share burdens with Sailors such as austere living conditions or physically demanding tasks
  • Learn each Sailor's strengths and weaknesses. Identify the best qualified individuals to perform certain key tasks.
  • Ensure that new arrivals are welcomed into the group
  • Consider working with chaplains as the first link in the chain of referral for managing Sailors in distress
  • Encourage time management, with focus on the here and now and setting priorities
  • Get each new Sailor linked up with an appropriate buddy
  • Encourage and allow for adequate rest, train junior leaders to take over when senior leaders need sleep
  • Have a clear policy about expectations and consequences of alcohol misuse and abuse
  • Take action to provide basic amenities such as showers or better living conditions
  • Conduct small team "debriefings" after difficult actions (in training and in combat)--bring the troops together to talk about what happened when the situation permits
  • Directly communicate your expectations and policy regarding sexual harassment; enforce policies consistently