Headed into the box in about 3 weeks then downrange around November and just looking for some small tips for back home and how you did things regarding affairs back here. Most of them deal with financial questions but other tips will help if you have them.

1. Wondering about where to stash my stuff during deployment. From what I was told you can go rent a storage unit and they consider that a "home" address and you can collect BAH while downrange. I would love to pocket as much money as possible (saving up for a house/grad school when I get back) so making BAH-storage costs would be great. Is this true or a hellish bit of RumInt?

2. How did you take care of personal finance issues? For instance, I move a lot of my money around via USAA and multiple accounts and have an IRA and college fund. Did you just do a lot of automatic transfers and setups before you left? Were you able to bring your personal computer (where I have all my records and spreadsheets of all my money)?

3. I've heard during deployment you make quite a bit of money since you don't have many bills correct? And isn't it tax-free? Like I said earlier I'm probably going back to grad school when I get back and also wanting to start a down payment for a house so I'm trying to work out my finances and how much I might stand to make.

I have more questions but just thought I would get the ball rolling if anyone had some advice. I ask on TexAgs because, well, it's TexAgs. We're awesome.

I'm also single so saying, "Have your spouse take care of that stuff" doesn't apply to me.

Much appreciated.

1. I am AD. If I do not physically rent a house/apt, nobody cares. It is part of my pay. Throw your stuff into storage, but be sure a friend or someone has access to it in case of a jam.

2. What is your MOS? Most likely you will have internet access unless you are in a very remote place...and even then you will have random access when you happen to be at a FOB. Since Y2000 all my stuff is automated. Never really been a prob except when there is no internet and I need to make a transition.How did you take care of personal finance issues?

Are you going solo or with a unit? Take a small laptop or have one. Depends on your situation.

3. http://www.dfas.mil/militarypay/woundedwarriorpay/payentitlements.html
Check out this website and its many links.

also do the savings program, it was 10% last time my husband was deployed, and you should have access to a computer like previous poster said so dont stress to much about it, also i think you can put all your special pays in your TSP

also look into your bank, some require a SPECIFIC POA for services, the general wont cover it, have a very trust worthy person in control of your POA, update your will,

1. I lived in the barracks, so the travel office arranged for movers to pack and store my stuff. Other soldiers shared storage units or stored it at friends' houses off-post. If you go that route, you better really, REALLY trust them. I know of two soldiers who lost everything. One by his wife who ran off and another by a soldier who PCSed while we were deployed.

2. Take advantage of the SDP and that guaranteed interest rate. I was single while deployed, so my only bills were renters insurance, car insurance (storage coverage), student loan, and one credit card (whenever I used it). My main bank is USAA, and I automated all bills and savings. I added a travel warning to the CC I took and put holds on my other CC and cell phone. If you have a fear of identity theft, I believe you can contact the three credit bureaus to put a freeze on any new lines of credit associated with your name. Also, get a POA just in case.

3. You can save A LOT of money while deployed, but it's also easy to spend it (bootleg dvds, supplements, energy drinks, non-DFAC food, internet, magazines, and calling home were the big culprits while I was there). Stick to the DFAC for the most part, and only go to the PX if you need something. Otherwise, help yourself to the stuff at the MWR if available. For calls home, skype and IM were popular, when the internet worked (very slow when it did). If those don't work out for you, MWR spa-ware phones had the cheapest call rates.

I brought my computer with me. I highly recommend USAA renters insurance while deployed. Not only does it cover your stuff in storage, it covers everything you have with you on deployment. Add the additional computer coverage as well. My laptop overheated in Iraq. It was out of warranty, but USAA reimbursed me for the repair and shipping.

For financial issues, you can set up a special or general power of attorney in someone's name that you trust. (i.e. parents, sibling). Like an earlier poster, TSP is highly recommended and you can set that up through your mypay account.

If you have credit cards, you can get the interest rate reduced through the sailor/soldier relief act.

Suspend your cell phone.

If you have a vehicle, you can have your car insurance reduced as well. That's if noone is going to be driving it while you're gone.

You probably want to purchase a pelican case for your laptop so that it doesn't get destroyed while transporting.

quote:

---

You can save A LOT of money while deployed, but it's also easy to spend it

---

My roommate (Navy Ensign) was deployed from September to April and came back (thanks to the power of attorney) "with" a $30,000 truck and a 19' Sea Ray... So much for him saving while he was gone.

1. the Army will store all your personal goods, minus what you deploy with, for free. packers will come and inventory your goods and place them in storage, much like a PCS move. its free to you, just like a PCS move. they will store your POV also, just need updated license, registration, and proof of insurance. its all for free. DO NOT group together with other Soldiers and rent your own storage unit. nothing good will EVER come of that.

2. go to whatever bank you have and set up autopay for ALL your bills. if you have credit cards, get a consolidation loan and set up autopay for that too. if your bank doesnt do that, switch banks. makes like much easier.

3. while deployed, take checks and a visa/mastercard bank card, and cash. depending on how remote we will be, you will need to be prepared. dont expect to draw casual pays as finance may not visit remote sites very often if at all. i usually deploy with about 600 dollars, and return with a good chunk of that.

4. DO NOT give a bank card to ANYONE you do not ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY trust. no girlfriend especially. unless you want to return to an empty bank account.

5. TSP is a great idea while deployed also.

your NCO leadership should have already gone over this, seeing as how deployment is right arount the corner. as for your JRTC rotation, you should inventory all your gear in the barracks and place in lockable containers in your room with seals. give a copy of your inventory to your NCO leadership and retain one copy for yourself. if any rat breaks into your room while gone you will then be able to file a claim on lost or damaged goods.

EDIT: as for computers, yes you can bring them, but availability of power and internet is suspect in some areas.

[This message has been edited by clarythedrill (edited 6/21/2010 6:34a).]

I'll respond to a lot of those later on when I have the time but I'm about to head up into work. First off, to clarythedrill I'm an officer living on post so none of the NCO leadership/barracks sealing/inventory stuff applies to me... or does it? Would you still do the same stuff for your on-post housing?

And to the person that mentioned that you would get stuff taken away, inventoried, etc for free my question from above also stands... were you speaking in regards to people living in barracks or on-post housing such as myself?

Right now I'm debating on just throwing my stuff (not a lot, I could literally move all I have in a truck on a single trip) in a storage facility in San Antonio or Houston (family) or around the Fort Polk area for when I get back.

for storage, you could use a POD type system, it costs about 200 bucks a month for that

represent, everything i listed applies to you also if you wish to take advantage. i am married, so none of it applies to me as my wife takes care of everything in my absence. if you are an officer living on post or off post, everything still applies, and you will be able to keep your BAH also. all the officers in my battalion were able to do this when we deployed in jan 09 anyway. one caveat is if you are married, they wont store your POV. thier rational is that your wife or spouse can look after it for you. things may have changed in the last 18 months, so ask your PSG or 1SG or SGM (not sure what your rank or position is) as they should already have a plan for laying on mover briefings and such and getting preliminary numbers of those wishing to take part in these programs.

P.S. even though you are an officer, some NCO in your unit should and will be able to help you with this. there arent officer programs and enlisted programs with regards to your questions.

i take it Polk has BOQs? thought those went away. but yes, i would advise you to inventory your gear and lock it up, just as a Soldier in the barracks. thieves dont care about rank, but may take a certain amount of extra satisfaction for jacking an officer. protect yourself with the proper paperwork to file a claim should the need arise.

[This message has been edited by clarythedrill (edited 6/21/2010 10:52a).]

Clary -

Reads like you've given this presentation a few times in your years.

clary,

Thanks for the replies. I asked officer/enlisted because it sounded like many of your answers were directed at someone living in barracks.

Anyway, you said you would get to keep your BAH... however, what if you AREN'T receiving BAH? Like you mentioned, I'm in BOQs (or senior bachelor homes is something that they called it when I moved in) so I don't currently get the BAH and the Army keeps it all (which isn't worth it, but that's another subject). Basically, I pack everything up and store it before we head out, how do I prove I have some sort of residence in the area to collect BAH? As I asked before, does just having the storage unit count?

Personally, I'd go see your S1 and see what they can do about getting you your BAH back if you get off the post. That is a new one for me, I'll have to admit. I never knew an officer living on post who wasn't married.

Represent, here is how it worked at Ft. Hood for my last 4 deployments there with regards to BAH:

single enlisted in the barracks (there are no BOQs at Ft. Hood) got thier personal property stored for free and started recieving BAH immediately upon deployment. POVs were stored for free

GeoBatchelors (Officer and Enlisted) got thier personal property stored for free and maintained BAH. did not get free POV storage.

Single officers living off post (all had to) got thier personal property stored for free and maintained thier BAH. POVs were stored for free. i will go out on a limb here and say you will recieve BAH immediately upon deployment. again, all officers at hood had to live off post, so they were already recieving it, and kept it.

BLUF is to talk to your tranportation office and to your finance office. there is a regulation that covers storage of personal property and POVs during deployments, and it may be interpreted differently from post to post. what has worked at Hood may not work at Polk.

i would bet good money that there is a plan in place already, but the briefing hasnt been given until all the particulars have been locked in. you need to schedule your pick-up of personal property as close to flying as possible, because you will probably have to stay in a motel until you fly, so plan on your pickup being 2-3 days before leaving. our rear d ran the POV turn in so that could be done the day prior to leaving so you still had some transpo instead of having to walk your last couple of days.

Chowdah, yes, i have been intimately involved with the process each deployment. i have friends that deployed from other posts and they encountered completely different rules with regards to these issues.

[This message has been edited by clarythedrill (edited 6/21/2010 3:59p).]


[This message has been edited by clarythedrill (edited 6/21/2010 4:12p).]

Thanks for the extremely detailed post. I'll post some more questions if they arise.

no problem.

Wish I could be some assistance as I come off deployment in about 3 weeks. I'm a reservist, however, and we are two completely different animals.

If you plan on going to graduate school. The new GI bill is money in the bank. I plan on holding on to mine until I finish my undergrad and then start pursuing a msaters of some sort....possibly from A&M

****************************

WAR EAGLE!
GIG 'EM!
****************************
http://www.auburnwareagle.com/

Man no kidding! That GI bill is great. I probably would have stayed in a few years later to save up the money for grad school but with that thing I can't wait to use it.