Second attempt:
Succeeded. ULN assigned.
CMAS disconnect: Det 4 could not read Det 11's CMAS's--only knew of their existence. Orders partially delayed due to this. Det 4 wrote actual orders based off Det 11's CMAS. Why did Det 11 not write orders? Why can't Det 4 read the CMAS that's assigned to my ssn?

Funding: Orders not cut until Congress approved funding. This resulted in orders being issued <30 days before mission start, causing difficulties in ensuring all requirements met.

"I belong to no one." Due to the peculiar nature of the tasking, no one would take responsibility for ensuring I was properly prepared. Det 11 is too far away, and not my home base. Det 4 doesn't really have anything to do with deployment preparation for people not at their base. LAAFB's Personnel Readiness Unit (PRU) refused to assist, stating repeatedly that because the ULN did not come through their normal LAAFB channels, they were not responsible for assisting me, even though 61CS @ LAAFB is my home unit. UDM stated that while they could help with some parts of preparation, the PRU was responsible for ensuring that everything was done. In the end, I was left out to flap in the wind with practically no support whatsoever. PRU didn't even give me a checklist, though they did assist in certifying NATO orders.

Medical - The day or day after I received my orders, I went to the clinic to start getting the required immunizations. They were out of smallpox, and so was the Coast Guard clinic, which is apparently where we go if the base is out. They were expected to get more the day after Christmas (8 days before I was to depart). There's a 7 day followup requirement for the vaccination, to make sure it took. Naturally, mine did not take, and the generally stated result is "No deployment." Thankfully, since smallpox is a relatively low risk issue (mostly terrorism related), a major at the base clinic allowed me to deploy anyway, with the stipulation that I get re-vaccinated as soon as possible in AOR.

Equipment - Due to the short notice on orders (CED orders with final equipment requirements were issued 26 Dec, about a week before departure), Supply was unable to procure some items that were on that list, such as the Gortex cold weather gear. I had attempted to purchase my own (along with my ABUs) earlier, but failed since "What do you need cold weather gear for in Los Angeles?"

Wingate travel? I received an itinerary from SSgt someone (logistics?) which listed the commercial and military flights, and she stated I was "ready to go." Little did anyone realize that no one bothered PAYING for the commercial flight. I arrived at LAX, got to the counter 90 minutes before my flight, and the counter attendant said I wasn't booked. Thankfully, she was able to call SATO and get something arranged, but that's a load of crap.

After arriving at Baltimore, I found that I was also kicked off the AMC flight to Ramstein/Kuwait. Apparently some fool had screwed up the code that specified whether I was flying a channel or aggregate mission, and AMC cancelled me out completely, possibly to prevent double-billing. Of course, no one was notified of this... so I had no way to get to Kuwait. Thankfully, the military folks I've been dealing with in Iraq are on the ball, and they are currently attempting to get their commander's buy-in to get me on the flight (He basically commits to getting the code changed from AC to AK, and AMC takes the CC's word and books me). We'll see what OTHER shit happens when I get to Ramstein.

So far: 3 nearly disastrous, on the spot failures of the system that almost caused me to fail to deploy, despite me doing everything I could correctly on my end. Numerous near misses.

Overall, due to the lack of support, I have spent nearly a month of my own personal unpaid time to come to the stupid base to hunt down people that are supposed to help me, and to accomplish various training and so on. This is a load of crap--if I had a civilian job, I'd have either been fired from it, or failed to deploy due to lack of support. I feel the IMA deployment process has a lot of room to improve.

Conclusion?