Internet is a big expense when deployed. I mean $100+ unless someone can find others to break down the cost with. Lucky my husband is signal and has access to phones and internet on a regular basis.
Internet access also depends on where the soldier is. Things are drawing down some in Iraq and alot of bases are being downgraded with the goodies and things are sparse in Afghanastain in alot of the regions.
Think hard about electronics overseas. Things get ruined and
EVERYTHING will get sand in it. I don't care if its in a ziploc bag, a tupperware container, or never even opened it will get sand in it. My husband's white IPOD is a very nice sand brown stain and his portable dvd player still leaks sand from the bottom and it was always in his CHU.
My husband also used his debit card or his STAR card and I think last deployment used his Eagle card(maybe that's what it was called) but he had his own account with specific amount in it each month. I kept a fully charged phone card on him so he could use a payphone if need be.
Don't forget that you can put money into a TSP or a retirement account for the duration of a deployment and it's all tax exempt upon withdrawl. Also don't forget about the SDP, Savings Deposit Program.
If someone can swing putting extra money in it each month, you can earn 10% interest on the duration of your deployment and then 90 days after returning to put it in another account. It's great if your pay is about the same from the regular job to the deployment pay because we would just put the federal tax money straight into this account since we weren't used to it in our check anyways.
One last thing from me, don't forget your Power of Attorney. You need a general POA at least and some of your individual financial institutions will require their specific POA and I always think keep a POA for getting DEERS(ID) card in case you loose yours.
If someone has children, make sure you have a plan IN WRITING for the children should something like a car accident happen and the children need to go somewhere else. In alot of states if there is nothing IN WRITING, the state will take custody of the children until the next of kin or a parent can get to the children.
Sorry I busted in but I've been teaching alot of Guard families the last few weeks and I feel so bad they really don't know alot of this. Good luck to ya'll.