Sill AER campaign deemed successful

By Ben Sherman, Fort Sill CannoneerJuly 3, 2014

FORT SILL, Okla. -- This year's Army Emergency Relief (AER) campaign was a great success, said campaign officials.

Some 2,744 scholarships were awarded to children of active-duty and retired Soldiers, and 895 scholarships to spouses. The total amount awarded for the 2014 to 2015 school year came to $8.8 million dollars.

On Fort Sill, Zilpa Oseguera, AER officer, stated the local AER campaign exceeded their expectations.

"This year's Fort Sill AER campaign ran from March 4 through April 16, and thanks to the unit leadership, hardworking AER staff and campaign workers, Fort Sill met its 100-percent unit Soldier contact. These efforts helped us raise $193,882.56 which exceeded our financial goal of $150,000," Oseguera said.

"Assistance can be provided in the form of no-interest loans and grants, as well as scholarships to children and spouses of Soldiers. Each case it evaluated on its own merits and there is no one set answer. AER should be the first stop when a Soldier is confronted with a financial emergency," she said.

The AER program was incorporated as a private nonprofit organization in 1942 with the purpose to collect and distribute funds to provide relief for members of the Army and their families. In the early days, most assistance provided for emergency travel. The program has greatly expanded, offering over $1.5 billion in assistance to more than 3.5 million Soldiers and families over the last seven decades.

Effective Jan. 1, sergeants and above can apply directly to AER for assistance. Previous policy only allowed sergeants first class and above direct access.

An important portion of the support AER provides is the Maj. Gen. James Ursano scholarship. The program is named for Ursano, a former AER director who was an advocate for education. The children of active-duty and retired Soldiers are eligible for the Ursano scholarship, which can provide financial support for up to four years. The application period begins in January, with a May 1 deadline, and can be completed on-line. For more information on the scholarship program, go to http://www.aerhq.org/dnn563/Scholarships.aspx.

Another substantial amount of AER financial assistance goes to service members with families because they often face more budgetary problems. AER provides financial assistance to all active duty and retired Soldiers and their families, whether they are single, married, or divorced.

AER helps Soldiers and families defray the cost of essential medical care beyond the scope of military hospitals, or outside TRICARE and/or Medicare coverage. Also, AER provides assistance for funeral costs. In many cases, a Soldier, or their spouse, has to accept the responsibility for the costs associated with a funeral. No Soldier, or their family, needs to shoulder this burden alone.

Fort Sill's AER program provides training on personal financial management, checkbook management, managing relocation expenses, as well as personal financial counseling. For information about AER assistance, contact your unit command financial adviser, the installation senior financial adviser or Army Community Services AER at 580-442-4916.

Complete information about financial readiness and the AER program can be found at the following website: http://www.sillmwr.com/soldier-family-programs-2/financial-readiness-and-aer-loans/.