Emergency Assistance

Service members assigned to CONUS, Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico military installations can call toll free 1-877-272-7337 to receive assistance during non-business hours or if you are not near a military installation. 

Family members of service members assigned to CONUS, Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico military installations, call toll free 1-877-272-7337 to notify a service member of an emergency situation. 

Army Emergency Relief provides emergency financial assistance in the form of an interest-free loan, grant or combination of the two.

The following individuals are eligible for AER assistance:

• Soldiers on active duty and their eligible dependents
• Army Reserve and National Guard Soldiers activated on Title 10 orders for more than 30 days and their eligible dependents
• Soldiers retired for longevity, medical, or upon reaching age 60 (reserve component) and their eligible dependents
• Surviving spouses who have not remarried and children of Soldiers who died on active duty or died after reaching retirement eligibility

Emergency assistance through AER can be obtained at Army Community Service, build 86, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. If emergency assistance is needed after hours, weekends and holidays or if you are not near an AER office, the American Red Cross can assist you and can be contacted at 877-272-7337.

AER can assist with:

• Emergency Travel
• Natural Disaster (preparation & evacuation)
• Mortgage, Rent, Initial Deposit
• Temporary Lodging
• Food
• Healthcare (not covered by Tricare)
• Vehicle Costs
• Utilities
• Funeral Expenses
• Basic Essential Furniture
• Appliance Costs
• Cranial Helmets
• PCS Travel
• Child Car Seats
• Dental Care (for dependents)
• Home Repair
• Non-Medical Attendant Travel
• Invitational Travel Order
• Clothing
• Immigration & Passport Fees (for dependents)
• Special Needs Medical Equipment
• Spouse Relicensing / Recertification
• Child Care (Army Fee Assistance req.)
• Have a request not listed above? Just ask!

AER is unauthorized to assist with:

• Divorces
• Marriages
• Education expenses (AER provides scholarship assistance for Spouses and children, however, AER does not provide zero-interest loans for education expenses)
• Purchase/lease of new or used privately owned vehicles and costs associated (for example, taxes, registration, insurance, and transportation)
• Travel of non-command sponsored Family members from the continental United States (CONUS) to overseas commands
• Ordinary leave or vacation
• Liquidation or consolidation of outstanding debts
• Business ventures or any similar investment
• Funds to replace those overdrawn from a bank account
• Civilian court fees, fines, judgments, liens, bail, legal fees, and income taxes, except to prevent immediate privation of Family members
• Goods or items for convenience, comfort, or luxury
• Continuing assistance
• Abortion
• Exceptions apply. Talk to your chain of command or nearest AER officer.

For more information, visit www.armyemergencyrelief.org