As our military loved ones are serving our country, we should each make sure that we have a current passport and that we keep it in a place where we can locate it quickly if needed. Though the military can help us with travel should the need arise, it is always less stressful, quicker, and easier to have things ready and prepared for use in the event we should need to reach our loved one's bedside outside of the United States in a hurry.
With your passport, keep handy the following information: name and branch of service, rank, Social Security number, and military unit of your service member. Place this information in a notebook that does not contain pages that can be removed or ripped out.
If need be, only notebooks without removable pages (such as a composition book) can be used for legal purposes. Keep all information in relation to your service member's injury in this one notebook. Place the notebook inside of a zipped holder so that the notebook and the paperwork that is handed to you can be kept together securely.
The notebook and it's zipped holder will also be necessary in relation to our injured service members who are within the United States. And remember, whether home or abroad, 'keep it simple'. Flat easy to wear shoes, slacks and tops, a sweater for warmth. All things should be easy to 'layer' in case of temperature change.
Remember to place all items that are valuable and can not be lost inside of a fanny pack to be kept close at all times. Things may happen fast and you may not always be able to drag a larger 'bag' with you at all times. For the larger 'bag' itself, use a backpack, it will keep your hands free and allow you more ease while traveling to or with your service member.
Keep your backpack packed and kept aside (for us mamas -- that would be the same as when you were waiting for that ride to the hospital when your child was to be born). Keep it ready with the simple clothing you will need, personal necessities, and your medications (or a list of them to refer to if you need to grab them quickly). For personal necessities, remember that for carry on items, air lines limit to 3 oz. items such as hand lotion, mouth wash, shampoo..... place each of these inside of a plastic zip sandwich bag.
Be 'ready to go' without having the extra stress of 'getting ready'. Be sure to have in place a 'care list'. Do you have children, elderly parents, or pets that will need care if you are away for a period of time? Have a team in place that will be able to step in quickly to care for them. Have a list of phone, email, or other types of contact information written in your notebook that you will need to reach these people quickly and easily.
Also keep a list handy for the person that will be caring for your home or personal business. Have the list ready, you don't need to be trying to think of things and write them down while getting ready to go or while you are away. List phone numbers, instructions, and other information they may need.
And, speaking of phone numbers, if you will be away from your home (perhaps on vacation or staying with a relative?) -- make sure your loved one's military unit knows how to reach you where you will be.
