Creating an Emergency Folder & Helpful Links

One of the projects I am working on right now is getting together an "Emergency Folder" in case something happens to one or both of us during deployment. This is actually an important folder to have together anyway, I compiled this list from one of my friend's lists as well as military resources

Emergency Folder:

• Copies of car titles and registrations
• Address
• Birth dates
• Social Security Numbers and copy of cards
• Military ID # and copies of IDs
• Drivers License Numbers and copy of licenses
• Lists of all debts and loans, account numbers, how to access accounts, loan agreements
• List of credit cards, numbers, 3 digit security numbers, numbers to call to cancel
• All screen names, passwords, and URLs for bills, blog, email, Facebook, Pinterest accounts
• Checking & Saving account numbers
• Front and back copies of all credit cards, insurance cards, passport
• Living will
• Letter of intent (instructions in case of death) 
• Copy of rental lease or mortgage papers
• Birth certificates
• Marriage certificate
• Appraisals for jewelry and other valuables
• Current Leave and Earning statement (LES)
• Military records, including copy of current orders
• Family medical and dental histories, including recent shots/vaccines
• Information about current investments, including stocks/bonds
• Bill of sale for major items and guarantee/warranty
• Power of Attorney

I am creating a "deployment binder" with this folder in it, as well as emergency contacts and all my other deployment information. The folder will go in a fire safe an undisclosed location. A couple of friends and family will have access. It is important to make sure you fully trust the people you allow to have access to this information, as well as ask if they are comfortable with the responsibility. Those are the people I have also given the information to to contact the Red Cross in case of emergency. The Red Cross will be able to locate and contact your service member where ever they are. This is only if you really need to get ahold of them and if you need them to come home. The Red Cross will ask if you need the service member to come home. Answer "yes" because you cannot change your answer. It may take them several days or even weeks to get home, so it's important to have your information and arrangements made in case of the worst. Another family member may be responsible for planning a funeral or handling finances if your spouse can't get home right away- and when they get home, it would be helpful to have everything in order so that they don't have the extra responsibility. If you have children, there are also plans that need to be made and those should also go in this folder.

Emergency planning and arranging legal documents is one of the yuckiest parts of deployment prep. Actually, just now my husband informed me he is traveling to a nearby base in the next week to take care of his Will and Power of Attorney. It is no fun, and actually just really scary, to have to do this work. It's hard enough wrapping your brain around your service member leaving  and being in danger, but to actually have to plan for either of your deaths makes it very real. Creating a will and Power of Attorney was something I was not prepared for last time, and it all freaked me out. This is all important stuff to deal with, part of facing the reality of the situation, and ultimately you will feel less panicked if you have a plan. Planning for an emergency is also incredibly tedious. But, getting this information together is one of the most important parts of your deployment prep. I have definitely been putting it off, and therefore putting other parts of prep off because I feel like I shouldn't do anything else until the emergency folder is done. Think of it a different way: this is just important information to have together in case of an emergency - any emergency, including non-deployment related. Two of my non-military friends have similar information together with copies given to a family member. It's good to have all legal information and important paper work organized, and deployment is an excuse to hurry up and get it all done. Once it is done, there will be that much less work to do for the next deployment! Plus, your friends will all be impressed with how organized you are!


Here are some more resources from Military One Source: 
Legal documents you should have before you deploy
Deployment readiness
 **Casualty Assistance**