FORT DRUM, N.Y. - Military and civilian leaders of the 10th Mountain Division (LI) met on post Thursday to praise the Army Emergency Relief program and to kick off another year of military-led giving at Fort Drum.
"This is a wonderful opportunity that we have to help our own," said Col. Noel T. Nicolle, Fort Drum garrison commander, during the AER campaign ceremony. "There are not a lot of organizations that so directly respond to the needs (of our Soldiers), both at an Armywide level and locally.
"The thing to remember, that we always have to tell our Soldiers, is that there is always somebody there to help" during times of emergency, Nicolle said. "AER has been there since World War II to support our Soldiers and Family Members who have a genuine need."
The annual campaign, which runs from March 1 through May 15, raises awareness of AER benefits available to Soldiers, retirees, Family Members and survivors.
Because they alone are eligible to receive assistance, only active-duty and retired Soldiers are encouraged to contribute the well-being of their fellow Soldiers during the campaign. AER does accept, however, unsolicited contributions from persons and groups outside the military community.
Of the $77 million in assistance AER provided Army communities last year, $2.4 million helped roughly 2,500 people at Fort Drum.
"That is a huge contribution," said Brig. Gen. Harry E. Miller Jr., senior commander Fort Drum and keynote speaker. "This is a program in which Soldiers serve each other."
Miller said this year's fundraising target at Fort Drum is $200,000 - roughly $10,000 more than what the installation actually raised last year.
"When you look at what we put into it, and then what we got out of it, I think we could do a little better," he said. "So I ask your support there."
During the ceremony, John Dietrich, Army Community Service interim director, presented certificates of appreciation to two retiring Fort Drum employees and longtime AER supporters - Judy Gentner, deputy to the garrison commander, and Judy Mills, assistant AER officer.
In addition, Fort Drum officials decided to combine this year's AER kickoff with the DoDwide Military Saves program - a financial readiness campaign first launched in 2007 to encourage Soldiers and Family Members to manage their finances wisely by reducing debt and saving money.
Judee Kelly, an adviser at the Fort Drum Financial Readiness Center, asked Soldiers to take the Military Saves pledge, which means they promise to save money, reduce debt and build wealth over time.
"It's a promise to yourself to reduce debt, control spending and increase savings," Kelly said. "What's (important) is not how big a car you drive or how big of a house you live in, but how much debt you have."
When she was finished, Kelly introduced a sergeant from 2nd Brigade Combat Team who managed to go from $40,000 of student-loan and credit-card debt to being entirely debt-free today.
"That debt added stress to my life, placed pressure on my marriage and eventually ruined my credit," the Soldier said. "I'm here today to admit these things to you, and hopefully I am able to be an example for you (to learn from)."
The Soldier said Army resources helped him climb out of debt, save money and invest in his Family's future.
"I don't tell you these things to brag or to show off," he said. "I'm here today to show you that it is possible to live without credit cards, car loans and house loans. As leaders and mentors, you can encourage your Soldiers, peers and friends to educate themselves (about money)."
Being considerate with one's finances is what the AER campaign is all about, Miller said. The commander shared two stories with audience members to explain how AER has directly impacted Fort Drum Soldiers and Families.
One story involved a Soldier whose wife was terminally ill in a hospital near Rochester, N.Y. Miller said AER assistance made it possible for the Soldier to sit by his wife's side during her final days.
The other story involved a Soldier who successfully secured passage for his Family from an African refugee camp to the U.S.
"It's a long and involved story," Miller said. "But the bottom line is that, through AER funding and assistance, we were able to bring them over. ... It was a relatively large undertaking, but 'no' was not the answer. I guess that was the takeaway."
As the ceremony concluded, campaign organizers said they were pleased with the turnout and hoped to see the installation reach its AER fundraising goal.
"We are looking forward to a successful campaign, despite the large number of deployed units," said Diane R. Hupko, Fort Drum AER officer.
"I am hopeful that with command support, we fulfill the secondary mission of the campaign," she said, which is educating Fort Drum about the magnitude of AER's role during "a true financial emergency."
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