Deployment Support

Pre-deployment preparation is a key factor in making your deployment less stressful overall for yourself, your family and your friends.

The Fleet and Family Support Center has appointed command representatives as a point of contact between the unit and the FFSC. These POCs should maintain frequent contact with the deploying command/unit and be available to assist with scheduling pre-deployment briefings to their personnel and family members. A Deployment Handbook is available for Service Members and families to provide additional information regarding deployment. Mid-deployment and return and reunion briefings are available, as requested by the deploying unit or their designated representatives. These services are just as applicable for family members of service members who have been assigned duty as individual augmentees. Counseling services are available for service members or their eligible family members for topics such as personal financial management, and child clinical counseling.

Additional resources for deployment support can be found on the Military OneSource website.

Deployments are a way of life for military families and one of the most difficult aspects of Navy life. The transition from complete family to single-parent family and back again is tough on sailors, spouses and children.

The FFSC’s deployment support program is here to help single sailors and families understand and anticipate the physical and emotional demands associated with deployments. Through caring and professional support, the FFSC takes a proactive approach to identifying personal interests and potential problems and then providing tools that our global Navy family needs to succeed.

Our deployment support program goals are:

• Education - Help sailors and families understand their sailor’s deployment assignments.
• Prevention - Provide programs for service members and their families to help them understand the feelings they will undergo during development.
• Assistance - Give financial emotional and emergency support to families coping with separation.
• Readiness - Keep service members and their families functioning well during all stages of deployment.

FFSC Jacksonville offers the following deployment briefs:

Command Pre-Deployment, Mid-Deployment, Post-Deployment

This brief describes services and assistance offered by the FFSC. It focuses on how these services can benefit single sailors, married members and families before, during and after deployment.  Deployment services are designed to empower military families by creating support networks and developing tools to cope with deployment.  Training is available upon command request.

Pre-Deployment

Ensures that military families are prepared for the emotional, financial, and legal challenges often faced during extended separations. Training is available upon command request.

Return and Reunion and Homecoming

This workshop is for active-duty service members and their families. It is designed to help them better understand and be prepared for the changes and adjustments associated with coming together again after the separation of deployment. Training is available upon command request.

Individual Augmentees

A sailor who leaves their assigned unit or command to deploy individually or with a small group is known as an Individual Augmentee. About half of the deployed IAs are active duty and half are reservists.

The IA continuum involves four stages:

• Pre-deployment – Administrative, medical processing and online training
• Man/train/equip – Naval Mobilization Processing Sites, basic combat skills conducted at an Army base
• Boots on the Ground – Performing outside the continental United States mission
• Redeployment/demobilization – Returning home and transitioning back to parent command or Naval Operational Support Center

To assist you in navigating these stages, contact your local FFSC Individual Augmentee Deployment Specialist.