Later on, I hope to have another survey with a decent survey tool.

The Questions:

1. What is (or are) the most important thing you learned about going on a police mission, that you wish you knew before you went?

2. What was the most essential piece of non-issued equipment you had on the police mission.

3. What was the key for you in dealing with being deployed on a police mission?

4. Was it worth it – to go on a police mission?

5. If you could give just one piece of advice to someone you knew (and actually liked) going on a police mission – what would that be?

6. What was the most useless piece of issued equipment you had on the police mission? (and who was it issued by)

7. Did going on a police mission change your life for the better or worse? Feel free to say why.

8. Did you extend?

9. What website (if any) was the most useful to you while on a mission?

10. What was the hardest adjustment you had to make going back into the “real world.”
a. What police mission(s) did you go on?
b. (if more than one) Which one was best?

11. Would you like to receive a composite summary of the survey results?

Questions with composite answers:

1. What is (or are) the most important thing you learned about going on a police mission, that you wish you knew before you went?

#1 Answer - Patience, #2 Danger of being Killed or Injury, other answers involved handling the social differences of different cultures, and what to do with the money

2. What was the most essential piece of non-issued equipment you had on the police mission?

#1 answer was Laptop Computer, Sunglasses, an adequate holster and MP3 player was also mentioned

3. What was the key for you in dealing with being deployed on a police mission?

# 1 Answer had to do with staying in contact with family, the rest of the answers indicated staying flexible and handling down time.

4. Was it worth it – to go on a police mission?

100% said yes

5. If you could give just one piece of advice to someone you knew (and actually liked) going on a police mission – what would that be?

The answers varied greatly here - #1 was probably to be realistic in your expectations of what you will accomplish, #2 was to be flexible, #3 was have a way to deal with your down time, other answers: it isn't as hard as they make it out to be, and to pack light.

6. What was the most useless piece of issued equipment you had on the police mission? (and who was it issued by)

Army issued equipment and winter gear(for Iraq)

7. Did going on a police mission change your life for the better or worse? Feel free to say why.

80% Said Better Off, 20% Unsure

8. Did you extend?

70% Extended, 50% extended more than once

9. What website (if any) was the most useful to you while on a mission?

Skype, Yahoo, MSN were the top responses

10. What was the hardest adjustment you had to make going back into the “real world.”

Anger, Calming Down (not ducking/jumping from loud noise), Many had no trouble Adjusting

a. What police mission(s) did you go on?

100% Iraq 20% Kosovo 10% Afghanistan

b. (if more than one) Which one was best?

Kosovo (for multiple Mission Vets)

11. Would you like to receive a composite summary of the survey results?

Yes 100%