Program helps Fort Bragg troops get everything in order before deployment

Fort Bragg is home to thousands of units that can get out of the gate and around the world quickly. The 82nd Airborne Division has units on call to be ready to have wheels up and deploy within 18 hours.

That's what happened on New Year’s Day. There were 750 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division deployed quickly followed by about another 3,000 soldiers that were headed to Iraq.

But before they could load on planes heading into potential combat, they had to make sure their families were OK.

That job belonged to Martha Serrano-Brown. She became the new Mobilization and Deployment Program manager on Jan. 1, the day about 5,000 soldiers were alerted they were going to Iraq.

As troops started deploying on her first day, she went into their crisis mode, assisting the brigade with whatever they needed. She was able to rally her team and get them involved in what they know best, which is serving the commanders, soldiers and families.

“Truly what came to mind is I said ‘Jesus please keep me focused. Keep me focused. Keep me focused to remember why I’m here’,” said Serrano-Brown.

“They’re very interested in the finances. They want to know what’s going to be going on once that soldier is gone. So that’s where we give them information that they don’t have to work about filing the taxes as long as that soldier is deployed.”

The families of deployed soldiers do not have to immediately file taxes. And there was a lot of interest in childcare.

“Because we have a lot of parents now that are going to be single parents and they’re going to need some assistance with childcare,” said Serrano-Brown.

Another important part of getting ready to deployment is making sure soldiers are mentally fit to fight. Every soldier is given neuropsychological tests before they're allowed to get on leave Fort Bragg.

LaTasha Brown, ANAN neuropsychometrist, was one of the team members who conducted 24-hour operations ensuring over 1,000 soldiers met medical requirements needed for deployment within the first 24 hours of deployment notification

There were 11 U.S. soldiers who suffered concussions during the recent Iranian missile attacks in Iraq. If any of those injured are Fort Bragg soldiers, the neuropsychological tests they took before they left will help determine how badly they've been injured.

“If they were to sustain an injury, and to go back and to look at how their mind is operating then, is it operating the same or is there a difference. And then they can come up with a treatment plan for them,” said Brown.

The Mobilization and Deployment team are some of the last people the soldiers see before they leave Fort Bragg. They will be some of the first they see when they return back home to their families.