AER campaign kickoff slated for March 5

By Noelle WieheFebruary 24, 2015

FORT BENNING, Ga., (Feb. 25, 2015) -- The annual Army Emergency Relief fundraising campaign kickoff will be held from 10:30-11:30 a.m. March 5 in the Benning Club Regimental Ballroom.

Lionel Grant, Fort Benning's AER officer, said the event is about bringing awareness to the organization.

"It's about Soldiers helping Soldiers, and if Soldiers provide the contributions, we will have funds to assist those Soldiers in need," Grant said.

Last year, the Fort Benning community contributed approximately $144,000 to the organization and the organization gave nearly $3 million in the form of grants and loans to the community, he said.

The assistance provided through AER is available to all active duty and retired Soldiers, Family members, and widows and widowers of active duty and retired Soldiers, Grant said.

In an emergency, Grant said, AER is a valuable resource for Soldiers if they have a valid need because the loans they can receive are interest free.

"The valid need can be for various reasons, Grant said. "All assistance is on a case-by-case basis; it could be emergency travel due to death of a Family member, it could be for a car repair, whatever the emergency need may be."

The guest speaker for the event is Andy Cohen, AER's deputy director for Finance and Treasurer in Alexandria, Virginia. Cohen joined AER in July 2007 upon his retirement from the U.S. Army.

Grant said the entire community is encouraged to attend the kickoff.

"The more people that are there, the more awareness we can bring about," Grant said. "The more we can educate the community ... the more Soldiers will know about AER."

Following a presentation by the guest speaker, there will be a cake cutting.