Please call 1-877-272-7337
for any Military Members or Families EMERGENCY NEEDS
• Charter
In 1905, the U. S. Congress granted a charter to the American Red Cross that required the organization to act "in accord with the military authorities as a medium of communication between the people of the United Sates and their Armed Forces…" since that charter was granted, the Red Cross has provided not only communications but a variety of other important services to help members of the armed forces and their families.
The Red Cross nurses and ambulance drivers served during the Spanish-American War and World War I. The Red Cross canteens welcomed American troops during World War II, and American Red Cross recreation clubs were established close to the front lines in the Korean and Vietnam conflicts. During the 1990-91 conflict in the Persian Gulf, the Red Cross provided service members and there families with financial assistance, crisis intervention, support groups and a variety of other services.
Today, the Red Cross provides basic humanitarian services to Members of the armed forces, their families and veterans during peacetime and conflict on U. S. Military installations both in the United States and around the world.
• Armed Forces Emergency Services
Nobody ever said being in the armed Services was going to be easy – for yourself or your family. Adjustments have to be made. Problems solved. Separations dealt with. Stresses and tensions resolved.
• Emergency Communications
The Red Cross keeps military personnel in touch with their family following the death or serious illness of a family member or the birth of a child or in response to other family emergencies. Red Cross emergency messages provide military personnel and their commanders with fast, reliable information to help them make decisions regarding emergency leave, deferment, compassionate reassignment, and dependency discharge.
• Emergency Assistance
When an emergency arises the Red Cross may provide assess to emergency financial assistance, either as an interest-free loan or as a grant, when a service member is unable to repay a loan. Financial assistance is provided to service members who have a demonstrated need for funds for such things as emergency travel, burial assistance, or urgent health and welfare needs like food and shelter.
• Humanitarian Reassignment and Hardship Discharge
If a hardship exists within your immediate family that cannot be resolved by an emergency leave, the Red Cross can counsel the family or service member on how to request either a humanitarian reassignment closer to home or a hardship discharge. We’ll help you understand the procedures and documentation needed. However, military authorities make final decisions on these applications.
• Counseling
The Red Cross offers counseling, information, referrals and other social services to military families. Red Cross Armed Forces Emergency Services workers are neutral personnel to whom military person or family members can go for confidential problem solving.
• Helping Veterans
The Red Cross provides assistance and information to veterans about the Department of Veteran Affairs. Red Cross workers assist veterans in the preparation, development, and efforts to obtain evidence to support claim for financial benefits through the Board of Veteran Appeals.
Please call us at 1-877-272-7337 for needs to be met for our military families in the Kern Chapter - American Red Cross.
