Mar 2025 Convening – On The Move: Preparing for Deployment
Posted on: April 6, 2025 | Posted in: Community Blog
Convening Topic:
On The Move: Preparing for Deployment
Missed our March Convening or want a refresher? Check out our post with a recording of our guest speakers talking about how to best prepare for a deployment! Below are the bios of the speakers and great tools that were shared during the convening!
Our amazing speakers were:
David Borrelli, Outreach Assistant for Military OneSource. David served 20 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, retiring as a First Sergeant in 2024. Over the course of his career, he completed three deployments: two in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2006 and 2008, and one in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2011. Originally from Lake Havasu City, Arizona, David now resides in San Diego with his wife and two dogs. He is deeply passionate about connecting service members and their families to the resources they need, ensuring that those who defend our country are well-supported.
Ramiro Favela, Center Manager for the San Diego USO Airport Center. Ramiro brings 12 plus years of experience working with non-profit organizations. He is passionate about working with the Men and Women of the Military and supporting them in their travels. Ramiro and his team supports homecomings, but they also provide support for their families with resources, provide a place to form connections, and maybe even a place to volunteer. Some of his team’s most notable accomplishments have been supporting new recruit movements and schoolhouse troop movements, supporting deployments and homecomings, and other Military focused events for active-duty service members and their families. Ramiro and his team are passionate on finding different ways they can support our Active-Duty Service Members, Retired and their families.
Vanessa Burce, Work and Family Life Consultant, Fleet and Family Support Center, Naval Base Coronado. Vanessa has served as a Work and Family Life Consultant at the Fleet and Family Support Center, Naval Base Coronado, since 2023. As an active-duty military spouse and a mother of three, she brings personal experience with the unique challenges of military life, including multiple deployments. Vanessa provides expert consultation and support to military commands, offering valuable information, resources, and referrals at every stage of deployment—pre, mid, and post. With a deep passion for supporting military families, she is dedicated to alleviating the stress and challenges they face, helping them navigate their journey with resilience and confidence.
Some of the topics that were discussed: Deployment cycle, Care packages, Mental health and building community during deployment, Communication during deployment, Reintegration post deployment, Talking to your children about deployment, Support for parents of service members
RESOURCES
Other useful tools:
- Impact on the Emotional Cycle of Deployment (Deployment Cycles)
- Military OneSource Plan My Deployment: Useful checklists for families and single servicemembers pre, during, and post deployment. Also check out their Resiliency Cards.
- Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC) Deployment Support (Resource Connection, Support)
- USO Programs (Coffee Connection, Care Packages, etc)
- Red Cross Messaging: How to reach a servicemember when they are deployed.
Please share this knowledge with families that are preparing for, going through, and/or coming back from deployment!
