This document provides an agenda and overview for a pre-deployment briefing for the 2nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion. The briefing covers topics like ACS/mobilization support, Red Cross messaging, family readiness groups, powers of attorney, ID cards, community resources like ACS and MFLCs. It also reviews the Joint Readiness Training Center, operational security, the rear detachment responsibilities, and deployment checklists. The commander and staff aim to ensure service members and their families are informed and prepared for the upcoming deployment cycle.

1. 2nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion
Joint Readiness Training Center
Pre-Deployment Briefing
15 February 2012

2. Battalion Commander
LTC Rhett Cox

3. Agenda
• ACS/Mobilization and Deployment
• Red Cross
• Family Readiness Groups (FRGs)
• Power of Attorney (POA)
• ID Cards
• Army Community Service (ACS)
• MFLCs
• Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) Overview
• OPSEC
• Rear Detachment
• Deployment Checklist
• Questions and Answers

4. ACS Mobilization and Deployment

5. American Red Cross Messages
Q: What warrants an ARC message?
A: Death or serious illness of an immediate Family member
Who is immediate family?
– Spouse
– Parents or stepparents
– Siblings or stepsiblings
– Children or stepchildren
– Only living relative
– Grandparents (exception)
– Fiancée (exception)
– In-Laws
– All others will be decided case by case

6. Information Needed
• Service Member’s full name
• Service Member’s SS # or DOB
• Service Member’s unit (ex. 2-87 IN, 4-25 FA)
• Unit’s current location (ex. Camp Victory Iraq, Ft. Polk for JRTC)
• Authority to verify
ARC Contact Information
Toll Free: 1-877-272-7337 24/7
Ft. Drum Red Cross Office: 772-6561
M-F 0730-1600/ Clark Hall
Many volunteer opportunities are available . . . Give us a call!!!

7. Family Readiness Group (FRG)
Get involved – Stay informed!
 FRGs welcome: Spouses, Civilian employees, Retirees, Soldiers'
parents,
and single Soldiers…
 What FRGs Do:
 INFORM AND REFER! Pass info from Command to Families
 Help facilitate problem solving at the lowest levels
 Provide the opportunity to make friends and have some fun!
 What FRGs DO NOT Do:
Provide Long-term child care Perform snow removal or lawn care
Serve as a taxi service Offer Financial assistance
FRG is not the only resource for helping families, but the play a large part
of the larger Army effort to help families adapt to Army life.

8. Powers of Attorney
Types
• General • Special
– Grants bearer authority to – Grants bearer authority
for a specific use
act in your name in all
• Finance
situations (Civilian)
• DEERS/ID Cards
– Not accepted at most
• Vehicle Registration
organizations on Ft Drum
• Medical Care for
Children
• Mountain Community
Homes
– Move In/Move Out

9. Wills and POAs
Please Contact LEGAL
Location: Room A2-68, Clark Hall (Bldg P-10720)
Hours: 8am - 4pm for walk-in services (notary, POA)
Contact: 772-7545
Call at 1300 Mon-Fri for next business day appointment

10. DEERS/ID Cards
By Appointment Only
Please check expiration dates on your ID Cards!
ID Cards - DEERS - Official Passports
Location: Clark Hall Bldg P10720 Mount Belvedere Blvd Room A1-19
Hours of Operation: 7:45am – 3:45pm Monday through Friday
Open till 6pm on Wednesday
Closed Weekends and Federal Holidays
Contact Information & Appointments:
Email: drum.dhr.idcards@conus.army.mil
Phone: 315-772-5149
Fax: 315-774-3412
Online: www.drum.army.mil Link: ID Cards/Deers

11. Army Community Service
(ACS)
Conway Road
Bldg. P-4330
315-772-6557
1-800-826-0886
M-F: 7:30am-5pm

12. ACS Deployment Services
We invite you to visit and utilize the many services and opportunities
provided to help Families handle situations during deployment.
• Family Advocacy
– Stress Management classes
– New Parent Support Program
• A home visitation program for parents of children
under the age of three
• Financial Readiness
– Army Emergency Relief (AER)
• Provides financial assistance (no interest loans and/or
grants) to active duty military Families whose resources do
not meet emergency

13. ACS Deployment Services
• Family Readiness
– Army Volunteer Corps (AVCC)
• Stay involved - give back to the community and make new friends
– Army Family Team Building (AFTB)
• Become empowered through personal and Family preparedness training
– Mobilization & Deployment
• Family Readiness Support
– MilitaryOneSource.com
1-800-342-9647 ~ En español llame al: 1-877-888-0727
• Relocation
– Hearts Apart Support Group
• Monthly support & fun-filled activity program for Families separated due
to deployment, unaccompanied tour or extended TDY.

14. Military Family Life Consultants
(MFLC)
Professional counseling consultants who support deployment related
activities, and provide a rapid response team concept to assist Soldiers,
Families and Civilians on military installations.
Primary function: to assist Soldiers and their Families in …
• Developing focused problem solving techniques
• Recognizing early warning signs of possible stress and/or
problems
• Addressing reunion/reintegration concerns
• Providing consultative liaison support with other military agencies
• No records kept (with the exception of Duty to Warn issues)
• An informal / anonymous structure
• Available to see children who are registered with CYSS
(315) 212-6919 or call ACS (315) 772-6556
2nd Brigade MFLC Marsha Caraway (315) 955-4823

15. Battalion S3
JRTC Overview

16. Off Post Training
Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC)
Fort Polk, LA
Ft. Drum, NY
1300 Miles
Ft. Polk, LA

17. Fort Polk, LA / JRTC
Ft. Polk, LA
 Ft. Polk is 2 hours East of Houston &
5.5 hours West of New Orleans
 Home of JRTC and 4th Bde, 10th Mtn Div
Warm and wet
Average highs of 77 degrees!

18. Battalion S2
OPSEC

19. OPSEC
Operational Security
 Operational security is about protecting information from the enemy
that is potentially harmful to the mission, safety of Soldiers, and
safety of Families
 Some information is “protected” – to include troop movements,
schedules, and locations – and should not be shared on the phone
or via e-mail
 The vFRG (www.armyfrg.org) is the only authorized web site for
sharing command information and operational updates [protected
web site]
 Facebook and other web sites and blogs that operate openly on the
world wide web are strictly forbidden from sharing information.
 How we practice OPSEC –
» Cell phones forbidden outside of the FOB
» Paper trash is burned or shredded
» Documents are “classified” to control handling and distribution

20. Rear Detachment,
FRG and FRSA

21. Rear Detachment Chain of Command
Battalion OIC – CPT Snyder 772- 5823
Battalion NCOIC – SFC Simmons 772-9435
HHC Company – LT Herman and SSG Tubania
Alpha Company – SFC Moffitt and SSG Goduco
Bravo Company – SSG Woods, SSG Harris, and SGT Showers
Charlie Company – SGT Gardiol and SGT Worrell
HHC 2BCT Company – CPT Dufner and SSG Perez
24 Hour Staff Duty – 772-5100
Rear Detachment Chaplain – CH (MAJ) William Scritchfield
(315) 775-8075

22. FRG Information
HHC FRG Leader – Lori Bogutski
Alpha FRG Leader – Kim Boyles
Bravo FRG Leaders – Jenifer Limerick and Stephanie Burke
Charlie FRG Leader – Teri Remillard
HHC 2BCT FRG Leader – Sarah Freeburg
BN Advisor – Amy Cox
FRSA – Decima Chiasson – 315-772-9166
Battalion 24 Hour Staff Duty – 315-772-5100
Brigade 24 Hour Staff Duty – 315-774-2199

23. FRG Chain of Concern
• What is a Chain of Concern?
• You will be notified through the Family Readiness Group (FRG) Chain of Concern
regarding important information pertaining to the unit and the FRG. The Chain of
concern is your primary link with the 2BSTB, and it is a means to communicate
official unit information. If you plan to leave the area during a deployment, please
contact the company FRG leader with a telephone number and email address.
• How Does the Chain of Concern Work?
• The FRG leader calls each of the company Key Callers, each Key Caller calls the
FRG Members listed under him/her on the Chain of Concern and passes on the
message/information. After all calls have been made, the Key Caller reports back to
the FRG Leader with the outcome of the calls.
• If you as a Family Member need assistance you would do the reverse. The Family
Member calls the Key Caller (with a question or concern), the Key Caller (if he/she
cannot answer the question) contacts the FRG Leader.
• IF YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER OR MAILING ADDRESS CHANGES CONTACT YOUR
KEY CALLER TO LET HER/HIM KNOW
• REMEMBER THIS ROSTER IS STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL AND TO BE USED FOR
OFFICIAL PURPOSES ONLY

24. Command Team
Comments

25. Deployment Checklist
(Part 1 of 4)
 Family Contact Information
 Ensure Rear-D/Co FRG Has Family Contact Information (Are you going
out of Town?)
 Ensure Family has Rear-D and FRG Contact Information
 Ensure Family Knows How to Contact Mortgage/Landlord
 Plan Ahead
 Alternate Child Care plans if your spouse becomes ill or injured
 Snow Removal Plan
 Financial
 Ensure Family Can Access “MyPay” [https://mypay.dfas.mil/mypay.aspx]
to view leave and earning statement (we will be paid twice during the
period deployed)
 Ensure Family Has Account #s, checkbooks, ATM cards, etc.
 Ensure Family Has Credit Cards, Loan Statements, Bills, and Knows
Amount Due and How to Pay
 Spouse is Aware of Savings and Investments and Knows How to Access

26. Deployment Checklist
(Part 2 of 4)
 Medical
 Ensure Family Has Medical Cards, Shot Records, Prescriptions
 Let FRG Know About Special Medical Needs
 Ensure Family Has Phone Numbers for Medical/Dental Service,
Pharmacy, and Tri-Care
 Legal
 Ensure Family Has ID Cards (Check Expiration Dates)
 Obtain Updated Power of Attorney (Special v. General POA)
 Ensure Family Has Updated Wills / Spouse Knows Location
 Does Spouse have Access to Other Legal Documents: Marriage and
Birth Certificates, Insurance Polices, SSNs, Deeds – Mortgage
Papers, Court Orders for Support and Custody of Legal Dependents,
Family Care Plans

27. Deployment Checklist
(Part 3 of 4)
 Legal (cont)
 Legal Assistance Office is located in Clark Hall, Rm. A-268
 Office Is Open Mon – Fri from 8am to 4 pm, or can be contacted at
772-5261
 Legal Assistance Office Provides Notaries, Powers of Attorney
(POA), Wills, Legal Advice etc.
 POA’s are done on a walk-in basis during open hours
 To get Legal Advice you need an appointment.
 Call 772-5261 at 1pm (1300) to make automated appointment for
the following day.
 The appointment line is open only as long as there are app.'s
available. Once they are all filled a person will answer the phone
for your questions.

28. Deployment Checklist
(Part 4 of 4)
 Automotive
 Ensure Vehicle Has Up-To-Date Maintenance
 Ensure Vehicle Insurance Is Up To Date and Family Understands
Policy / What To Do In the Event of an Accident
 Ensure Spouse Has Valid Driver’s License
 State Inspection and Vehicle Registration Current and Paperwork on
Hand
 Ensure Family Has Extra Keys and Garage Door Openers
 Consider a Road-Side Service Policy [Emergency Service – AAA, etc.)
 Discuss Alternative Plan for Transportation
 Roadside Emergency Kit in Car [extra clothes, blankets, etc.)

29. Questions