Reserve & Guard · Activation Prep
Activation Checklist Generator
Answer 7 questions about your specific activation. Get a personalized, prioritized checklist that covers your SCRA rights, USERRA protections, and the financial and admin actions that actually matter.
Question 1 of 7
What type of activation?
Question 2 of 7
How long are your orders?
Question 3 of 7
Do you have a civilian employer?
Question 4 of 7
Do you currently have a residential lease?
Question 5 of 7
Do you have pre-service debts with interest rates above 6%?
Credit cards, auto loans, private student loans, personal loans taken before your orders date.
Question 6 of 7
Do you have dependents (spouse, children) who stay home during activation?
Question 7 of 7
Do you have a financed vehicle?
Answer questions 1 and 2 to continue.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I lower my credit card and loan interest rates when I activate?
If your activation is a federal Title 10 or ADOS order, yes. Send an interest rate cap letter to every credit card, auto loan, and personal loan servicer invoking 50 U.S.C. § 3937 to cap the rate at 6% APR, retroactive to your orders date. Send it by certified mail and keep copies. The cap covers pre-service debts; it does not necessarily apply to Annual Training under 30 days, Title 32, or State Active Duty — confirm those with your installation Legal Assistance Office or state JAG before sending letters.
Do I have to tell my civilian employer about my orders?
You must give advance written notice of your uniformed service — send it to HR and your manager to create a paper trail. You do not have to hand over your actual orders, though sharing them strengthens your protection; a line like "I have military orders from [date] to [date]" is legally sufficient. Do it as soon as you get orders, and ask HR in writing about health-coverage continuation before your last day: activations of 31+ days let you keep coverage for up to 24 months at no more than 102% of the premium.
What legal documents should I have in place before I leave?
A Durable Power of Attorney (DPOA) so a spouse, parent, or trusted person can manage financial and legal affairs while you are gone — a JAG officer drafts it free through your installation Legal Assistance Office. Also confirm your DD Form 93 (Record of Emergency Data) and next-of-kin records are current, and give your family a folder with copies of your orders, DPOA, beneficiary forms, LES, and unit contact numbers.
How do I make sure my beneficiaries are correct before deploying?
Check the two designations that pay out fastest and independently of your will. Confirm your SGLI beneficiary in the SGLI Online Enrollment System — coverage runs up to $500,000. Then verify your TSP beneficiary form (TSP-3) in myPay; it supersedes your will. Update either now if your marital or family situation has changed so nothing points to an ex-spouse or an old address.
What do I need to handle if I have kids or dependents?
Make sure a current, signed Family Care Plan is filed with your unit — especially if you are a single parent or a dual-military couple — because a missing or outdated plan can result in non-deployment. The Army governs this under AR 600-20 App. D, with equivalents in the other branches. Alongside it, keep your SGLI and emergency-data records current and leave your family the document folder with your orders, DPOA, beneficiary forms, and unit contacts.