Joint Base Charleston  Military and Family Support Center

Deployments are a way of life for military families and it is one of the most difficult aspects of military life. Our Deployment Support Program is designed to help the military member (single or married), as well as family members,  understand and anticipate the physical & emotional demands associated with deployment.

Deployment Support offers education to help the military members and family members understand the deployment assignment; help military members and family members understand the emotions they will undergo before, during, and after deployment, provide financial, emotional and emergency support to family members coping with the separation.

Pre-deployment preparation is a key factor in making your deployment less stressful for you and your family. To be deployment ready is a personal responsibility and should not be something you wait to do until you hear you are being deployed - by then it is too late to be fully prepared.

The JB Charleston Airman and Family Readiness Center at the Air Base gather family contact information at the mandatory pre-deployment briefing. The information is used to stay in contact with family members during the service member's deployment. An information packet is also given to the deploying member that includes information on the services listed below:

• Website resources and information on dealing with deployment and reunion/reintegration.
• Little Heroes Ceremony
• Family Deployment Line
• Quarterly Spouse Deployment Dinner
• Car Care Because We Care - Oil change and safety check for primary vehicle, paid for by the Air Force Aid Society (AF only)
• Operation R.E.A.D (Reading Enjoyed Although Deployed) - Allows member to be videotaped reading books to their children prior to deployment
• Hearts Apart / Morale Calls - Families utilize DSN to call deployed member once a week for 15 minutes during designated hours (6 pm - 6 am weekdays and anytime on weekends and holidays)
• Heart Link - A program designed to introduce new spouses to the military lifestyle.
• Financial - Obtain information and guidance on just about any financial issue; budgeting, reading a Leave and Earning Statement, balancing a checkbook, consumer issues such as car buying and much, much more.
• Pre-Deployment Briefings
• Reintegration Briefings

Each unit also has a Key Spouse/Ombudsman. Which are formal liaisons between unit spouses and leadership? They are trained volunteers that provide a vital link to families during deployments. Contact your unit or the A&FRC to get contact information for your squadron.

The JB Charleston Fleet and Family Support Center at the Naval Weapons Station offers pre-deployment, Combat Deployment Readiness, Mid-Deployment, Return & Reunion, and Reintegration briefs to single, married Navy personnel and family members in a one-on-one, walk-in basis, or as a command brief. All of our programs are tailored to fit the needs of the active duty and family members needs. Due to no ships at NWS Charleston, deployment support addresses the needs of installation Individual Augmentees (IA) and family members who have relocated to the Charleston area. The IA coordinator at the NWS knows of all families via NFAAS. The IA coordinator keeps families informed of briefs, family events, and new resources via email, telephone calls, and mailings. Monthly family events act as a support group as well as a fun event that always includes activities for the children.

A variety of brochures and booklets, geared toward military children (age appropriate), deploying personnel, and family members are also offered. Services are available for service members or their eligible family members for topics, but not all-inclusive, such as Budgeting, Legal Preparation, Disaster Preparedness while Deployed, and Clinical Counseling. For more information please call the Fleet and Family Support Center at 843-794-7480.

Several websites, such as Military OneSource have been established to support Military deployment.