WIESBADEN, Germany – The 2021 Army Emergency Relief campaign officially ended June 15. The campaign kicked off March 1, 2021 with a virtual cake cutting. The Wiesbaden community raised a total of $18,337.
AER is the Army’s own nonprofit financial assistance organization. It was established in 1942 by Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Marshall and Secretary of War Henry Stimson.
Contributing to AER is the most direct way to help Soldiers. AER offers zero-interest loans and grants as well as scholarships for education. Ninety cents of every dollar donated goes straight to Soldiers and Families that need some type of financial assistance.
AER ensures no Soldier faces financial hardship alone. In 2020 AER provided $109,976.45 in emergency relief to service members, retirees, and families in the Wiesbaden military community.
There are numerous categories of assistance through AER and each request is considered on an individual basis. Just a few of the categories are: emergency travel, permanent change of station travel, healthcare costs, immigration and passport fees, child care and assistance purchasing car seats.
“We're not trying to create demand, we're trying to meet valid demand,” AER Director, retired Lt. Gen. Raymond Mason said. “That's the one thing that keeps me up at night — is there a Soldier or family member out there that's hurting and doesn't know about us?”
Tawana Ballard, the Program Director for AER at USAG Wiesbaden said “AER is constantly changing and evolving to meet the needs of Soldiers and families. For instance, in June we started offering pet transportation assistance to alleviate the financial burden of PCS moves overseas with pets.”
The AER Pet Transportation Assistance Program offers no-interest loans of up to $5,500 for eligible individuals.
Army and Air Force Exchange Service customers have an option to donate to AER with every purchase. Until this year this option was only offered during campaigns but is now available year-round.
There are different ways to donate to AER, such as through the Combined Federal Campaign, one-time or monthly recurring donations with credit cards, debit cards or PayPal, or through payroll allotment for active duty and retired Soldiers.
To learn more about AER, you can visit the local office at ACS, Building 7790 on Hainerberg or call 0611-143-548-9201.
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