Deploying is a challenge both for the servicemember and their family. Especially for first-timers, navigating the mobilization process can be confusing, with conflicting advice and information muddying an already stressful experience. Engaging early with your receiving unit and preparing for legal, mechanical, and financial possibilities while you are gone will go a long way to decreasing the anxiety prior to your deployment and smooth the bumps along the road back on the homefront. What follows are tips to make your transition to deployment as successful as possible.