(Photo: Getty Images/George Diebold)

Before you depart

If you drive your personal vehicle to your next assignment, make sure it receives regular maintenance, especially before your departure. Take your car for a tune-up to prevent breakdowns en route. Prepare an emergency roadside kit with maps, cell phone, first aid kit, flashlight, flares, white flag, jumper cables, tire jack, tool kit, and duct tape. Keep maps and guidebooks out of sight.

Before you leave, memorize the safest route to your destination, and use the radio, television, or Internet to research weather, road conditions, and traffic activity. A global positioning system can help you navigate. Tell your recruiter your departure and return dates, and confirm your arrival when you reach your destination.

On your way

Keep your vehicle's doors locked at all times, even when you are parked and loading or unloading your car. If anyone persuades you to pull over, wait until you are in a busy area. When you need to use a rest room, pull over at a convenience store or fast food restaurant. For overnight sleeping, state parks and campgrounds typically offer safe parking for a small fee.

If you opt to stop at a highway rest area, take note of its name and closest mile marker. Back into a parking space in a well-lit area near a group of people, and avoid tractor-trailers or any section that blocks your vehicle from plain sight. Greet security or police officers and ask them to watch for you to return from the facilities. Use the corner stall in public restrooms.

Never open your purse or wallet in view. Money belts are safer alternatives. Stay close to groups of people, and consider wearing a wedding ring. If you must, ask for directions from a family and say, "I'm meeting someone there." Trust your instincts. If you feel threatened, flee and immediately report the incident to authorities.

When you arrive

Your recruiter will secure safe housing for your assignment. In smaller complexes, your neighbors will be more familiar and loiterers will be more noticeable. Housing near the elevator and away from terraces, ground floors, emergency exits, and renovation work is ideal.

Stand back from elevator doors and inspect it for suspicious individuals before entering. Stand with your back near the floor buttons, and push them all at once if you feel threatened. Have your key ready and inspect the hallway for lurkers before you exit the elevator.

Your front door should have double locks and a peephole, but you may also bring a security doorstop. As you unload your vehicle, don't prop open any building doors, and never lend your key to anyone. Report any doors that don't latch properly. Make new friends and greet your neighbors, but try not to reveal your full name or apartment number. Look everyone, including suspicious people, in the face and make small talk. It's also a good idea to carry a self-defense product.

Take advantage of your housing clubhouse, pool, and laundry facilities at staggered hours. When you have guests, escort them around the complex. And make a habit of using the main entrance, but also plan for an emergency exit.