Have Mojo, will travel: from toys to extra socks and duct tape, veterans know what makes deploying a little easier

Airman, Feb, 2003 by Tech. Sgt. Mark Kinkade

Chem gear? Check. Body armor? Check. Extra underwear? Check.

Mojo Jojo? Check.

Like most Air Force people preparing for a deployment, 2nd Lt. Joseph Estrada uses a checklist to ensure he doesn't forget anything that may be needed in whatever hostile, foreign or otherwise unpleasant place he may find his tent pitched. And with three deployments under his belt, Estrada always makes sure the Powerpuff Girls' arch nemesis is along, for the ride.

Mojo Jojo, a character from the animated "Powerpuff Girls" television series, is a key chain his 5- and 2-year-old daughters play with. Whenever he leaves, they press Mojo Jojo into his hand as a reminder of the reason he needs to come back home.

"It's my good luck charm, my connection to the girls and my motivation," said Estrada, a supply officer at the 12th Supply Squadron, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. "So far, he's worked out very well."

Preparing for a deployment is a time-consuming and often confusing task. While most units provide comprehensive checklists for the required gear -- like chemical warfare ensembles and personal protection equipment -- many rely on basic outlines for the personal touches that can be the difference between a comfortable tour of duty and a few months in a prison camp.

Basic necessities are usually covered: toiletries, clothing and medical needs. But for the rookie deployer, questions about what to take, what to leave behind and what you might find "downrange" are usually answered by veterans who have "been there, done that."

Before being commissioned as an officer, Estrada was an enlisted supply troop and training instructor. During his 13 years in the Air Force, he learned to listen to those who went before him.

"Each deployment is different, and a checklist is pretty basic," he said. "Before my first trip, a lot of people gave me advice for different situations. I try to remember what they said and pass that on to new people."

For example, ask just about anyone who has dragged bags across flight lines around the world, and most will say music is in their carry-on bags.

"It's something that keeps you thinking about home," said 1st Lt. Devlin Kostal, a flight leader with the 824th Security Forces Squadron at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. Also prior enlisted, he's been on an Operation Enduring Freedom deployment and several short-notice temporary duties.

Now he travels with an MP3 player capable of storing up to 110 compact discs worth of music.

"When you're out in the middle of some foreign place, [the music] really helps time go by."

Estrada takes a compact disc player when he leaves home. He's quick to remind the inexperienced to remember extra batteries, headphones and small speakers.

"They're the little things you don't think about," he said. "People figure there will be a place to get batteries or whatever, but that's not always right. Sometimes, you don't have anything but what you bring with you."

As the air and space expeditionary force continues bouncing around the world's hot spots, the likelihood of ending up at a base with all the conveniences of home is pretty slim. The novice deployer would be wise to keep that in mind, veterans say.

"Never assume you'll be able to get anything you're used to," said Staff Sgt. Todd Abbott, a transportation specialist with Randolph's 12th Transportation Squadron. "Even if the base has an exchange, that doesn't mean you'll find what you need. Remember that it's usually the only store in town, and there are hundreds of people shopping there every day."

Abbott has deployed three times in his seven years in the Air Force. He now carries several extra cans of his favorite deodorant after he ran out during his first deployment.

"It's a funny thing, but I've been using that same brand for about 10 years," he said. "It became a creature comfort thing for me. Little things mean a lot on a deployment."

For Staff Sgt. Matthew Dudley, a security forces specialist from Misawa Air Base, Japan, his must-have helps him hit the ground running.

When Operation Enduring Freedom kicked off in 2001, Dudley and Senior Airman Douglas Brown were among the first security forces troops from the base to hop the next plane headed to Southwest Asia. Since both had deployed before, the short-notice tasking didn't catch them unprepared.

"I always make sure I have my foot powder, workout clothes and good boots," Dudley said. "You have to make sure you have good wear-around boots. You have to take care of your feet."

Brown agreed, noting a pair of tight boots he wore during his deployment rubbed a small divot in his foot.

"It's hard to do your job when you're a cop and your feet hurt," he said. "I was pretty miserable."

Comfort--especially at a location where dirt is the floor, tents the pinnacle of upgraded bachelors' quarters and rations the finest in dining--should always be the first consideration, Brown said.

"As long as I'm comfortable, I'm fine," he said. "Do anything you can to make sure you are as comfortable as possible. It's worth the effort."