You are always going to have a satellite phone on you and can call back. It just depends on what kind of stuff you are doing, there are a few times when you have to work all night or fly. In those cases maybe you won't be able to call…but 90 percent of the time you will be able to call them. On some deployments you might even be able to get a sim card for your cell phone or internet in your room, it also depends on where you’re deployed. But in my experience it is the best practice to not have/plan specific times to talk.

Deployments are 4-5 MO and TDYs can be days to months most units will deploy every 18 months. Typically they try to not make guys with families gone for extended periods of time, but the mission dictates what you need to do so just like everything we plan for the worst and hope for the best.

In recent history the active units are deploying a lot more frequently then the Guard or Reserve Units. As a Rescue Squadron PJ you will deploy almost once a year or every 18 months with an entire team, in the STS side of it, it will be less often. In the Guard or Reserve there are opportunities to deploy, but more often then not you are not deploying as a team.

If you go the CRO route expect to deploy 2-3 times with a team, then deploy as a commander and stay in the JOC to control and advocate. You will definitely get lots of leadership experience but their main role is not to be in the shit. It happens, but not often. Honestly, in my experience, officers in general don't see the front lines of battle. If you want to see combat, go for the rangers… they see a lot. If you want to save lives and occasionally see combat, be a PJ.