Support for Military
Quick guidance & answers
Gearing up for a deployment can be stressful, but having orders canceled or postponed can be even more so. Being prepared for change is part of military life, so make sure to include contingency planning in your predeployment preparations. Use the information, tips and tools below to help handle a change in plans.
Preparedness is key to deployment readiness. Organize your deployment using checklists for legal and financial matters, family care plans and more.
When deployment plans are canceled, it can feel disorienting for both you and the people closest to you. In addition to notifying loved ones, review legal, medical, financial and education decisions to ensure they reflect your new situation.
Before tackling logistics, schedules or financial adjustments, start by connecting with your loved ones. Share the facts of the situation and how the change may affect existing plans. After all that planning, expect mixed emotions, from frustration to uncertainty. Encourage open conversation, and use the opportunity to reconnect and reassess priorities.
Alert your installation housing office or landlord ASAP about remaining in your home if you’re renting. If you own and planned to rent your home or sell it, contact your property manager or realtor about the change of plans.
If you’ve transferred school or medical records in preparation of the move, make arrangements to send them back to their original locations. Reach out to your installation school liaison for assistance.
Single parents, dual-military couples with children, and those who care for a disabled or elderly family member must complete this document before deployment. The family care plan outlines logistical, financial, medical, legal and other matters for a caregiver for your loved one(s). If your deployment is canceled or postponed, alert the caregiver and revise the plan. Learn more about preparing your family care plan.
Take time to review your financial plans and determine whether any recent decisions or preparations need to be adjusted.
Deployment can mean higher pay, but canceled or postponed deployment may necessitate a review or update of your spending plan. Revisit any changes made during your deployment planning to reflect your new financial reality.
You may have adjusted portions of your pay and allowances to other people, creditors or savings accounts based on the higher deployment-related pay you expected. Complete a DD Form 2558 or make changes through your MyPay account to cancel or revise those adjustments.
Certain protections under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act — such as limiting interest rates on debt — will no longer be available if your deployment is canceled.
If changes in your deployment plans create financial problems, support is available through Military OneSource or your installation Military and Family Support Center. Learn more about military emergency relief organizations and emergency financial help.
Find help for your entire family to manage the challenges and uncertainties of military life.
Military OneSource counselors are available for free, short-term, confidential counseling for many issues, including managing deployments.
Find at-the-ready resources, support programs and services available to all members of your family to help you manage everyday life, navigate change, build resilience and boost your overall well-being. Contact your local Military and Family Support Center for assistance.
In preparing for deployment, you may have updated important deployment-related legal paperwork. As plans have changed, you may want to revise certain documents. Reach out to your installation legal services/JAG office for assistance updating important documents including:
National Guard and reserve members need to evaluate how a canceled or postponed deployment impacts employment. Contact your local legal services/JAG office with any questions.
A postponement can pose a challenge for National Guard and reserve service members who have already notified their employer of the upcoming deployment. Notify your employer as soon as possible that the deployment has been canceled or postponed.
National Guard and reserve service members are still covered under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, or USERRA, for their time spent on active duty preparing for the deployment. But the deadlines for reporting back to work or applying for reemployment vary depending on the amount of time you were away on military duties.
You will need to let your employer know within the timeframe specified under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, or USERRA. If the new deployment dates are indefinite or in the distant future, you may need to contact your employer and return to work. Learn more about USERRA protections.
If you need assistance with deployment planning, several military and family support resources are available to you. Military OneSource consultants are available 24/7/365 to answer questions and connect you with assistance. Call 800-342-9647, use OCONUS calling options or log in to start a secure live chat.
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