Briefings, checklist fill hours prior to deployment

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class David Owsianka`
  • 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  The time comes when every Airman is placed in a tempo-band. For Airmen who become tasked for a deployment, the Installation Deployment Readiness Center provides briefings and a checklist, which contains requirements the Airman must fulfill in order to deploy.

"We ensure Airmen complete all predeployment requirements prior to departure so they can focus on the mission," said Master Sgt. Zar Manabat, 56th Force Support Squadron Installation Personnel Readiness superintendant.

When the IPR center receives a tasking, the information is sent to the specific unit tasked with supplying an Airman to fill the slot.

"After Airmen have been selected, they attend the initial deployment brief," said Tech. Sgt. Marsha Gonzalez, 56th FSS IPR NCO-in-charge. "In the briefing, we give them generic information about their deployment and an out-processing checklist."

Airmen have between 120 days out to seven days prior to their departure to complete the out-processing checklist.

The checklist ranges from survival, evasion, resistance and escape training to information and force protection training, said Staff Sgt. Allen Eslinger, 56th FSS IPR assistant NCO-in-charge. "Before the Airmen can complete their final out, they have to complete the checklist and be medically cleared."

Making sure everything is ready for an Airman's deployment isn't the only thing that needs to be fulfilled. Taking care of family matters is also essential.

"It also helps the family members," Gonzalez said. "It allows for the deploying Airmen to make sure the people they are leaving are prepared to be without them. In some cases it's as much as a family care plan, a will, updating an emergency data plan, power-of-attorney and other things of that nature."

Staff Sgt. Natalie Lopez, 56th FSS formal training NCO-in-charge, is currently completing her predeployment requirements to go to Manas, Kyrgyzstan, later this year.

Of all the necessary requirements, Lopez is looking forward to going through combat skills training the most.

"I expect the training I receive to help prepare me if I am placed in a situation that requires it," she said.

After completing the out-processing for a deployment, the Airmen go to the IDRC to complete their final out.

"All of the predeployment training and requirements are to ensure our Airmen are mission-ready," Eslinger said.