The top two units raising the most funds for the 2021 Army Emergency Relief Campaign were recognized by the Fort Gordon garrison team and Army Community Service during a ceremony July 15 at Darling Hall. The campaign ran from March 1 to May 15.
Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 15th Signal Brigade, donated the most funds during the campaign at the company level with $1,981. Alpha Detachment, 202nd Military Intelligence Battalion, had the highest company level participation with 100 percent donating to AER during the campaign.
“It’s been a crazy year and when a lot of people were just hunkered down trying to make it themselves, you still gave to others, and I can’t put into words how significant that is,” said Fort Gordon Garrison Commander Col. Shaw Pick.
AER is a private nonprofit organization that was established in 1942 by Secretary of War Henry Stimson and Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Marshall. Since its inception, AER has helped meet needs by providing $2 billion in assistance to 4 million Soldiers, retirees and their families, including $1 billion since 9/11. Assistance is provided through a variety of means including zero-interest loans, grants and educational scholarships.
Although Fort Gordon fell short of meeting this year’s goal of $100,000, James Millwood, Army Emergency Relief specialist, said the two units that were recognized made a “tremendous impact” on the campaign, adding that only about 3 percent of the installation donated to AER this year.
“When you look at those numbers compared to 11,000 active-duty Soldiers, there’s only about 250 active-duty Soldiers who donated to AER,” Millwood said.
He hopes to see that number increase dramatically and for more Soldiers to get involved in next year’s campaign, which will begin March 1, 2022.
“Army Emergency Relief is not asking Soldiers to give more money; AER is asking more Soldiers to give,” Millwood said.
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