Grand Forks AFB  Base Essentials

The Grand Forks AFB Airman and Family Readiness Center is ready to assist service members and their families with all phases of the military life cycle. A variety of resource and referral information for on and off base agencies and community service organizations is located within the facility. Contact the A&FRC Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 701-747-3241 or through the Grand Forks Air Force Base Command Post after-hours number in cases of emergencies at 701-747-6711.

Victims of Sexual Assault

For immediate assistance, the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program can be reached 24/7 at 701-747-7272. The SAPR office is located on 558 Eielson Ave., Building 440.

Security Forces Assistance

The Grand Forks Air Force Base Security Forces Law Enforcement Desk is located at 463 Steen Blvd., Building 339 and is available 24/7 by calling 701-747-5351 or by dialing 911 for emergencies.

The Air Force Aid Society is a non-profit, charitable organization and is the official charity of the United States Air Force. The organization is headquartered in Arlington, VA to provide emergency assistance to airmen and Air Force families when unexpected financial emergencies arise with no-interest loans and grants to assist in meeting immediate needs and making positive steps toward a lasting financial health. Staff members are available and on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week for emergencies to get airmen home due to a serious illness or a death in the family. All other requests will be handled during normal duty hours which are Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. To obtain assistance during duty hours please call the Grand Forks Airman and Family Readiness Center at 701-747-3241. After duty hours, call the Command Post at 701-747-6771/6711 or the Grand Forks Air Force Base operator at 701-747-3000. If you have emergency needs, please contact your first shirt or commander to aid in your travel assistance and a verification message from the American Red Cross stating your presence is needed at home.

All Airman and Family Readiness Community Readiness Consultants can assist you in the process of applying for this zero-interest loan for immediate emergency needs. Please give the Airman and Family Readiness Center a call to see if you are eligible before going to a "Pay Day Lender". We are here to help you meet your needs and provide you with the best possible assistance.

The Air Force Aid Society, or equivalent emergency financial assistance for other branches of service, can be reached by contacting a representative on any military installation. All of the military services and the American Red Cross have reciprocal agreements to assist individuals and family members in emergency situations. If you are traveling on orders, there may be emergency instructions or telephone numbers on your orders. Each case is reviewed on an individual basis. Often, services are joined with the efforts of the Red Cross to ensure total assistance to service members and their families.

The Air Force Aid Society provides interest-free loans and grants based on the individual situation for needs such as:

• Basic living expenses
• Emergency travel
• Vehicle expenses
• Funeral expenses
• Medical or dental expenses
• Child care or respite
• Moving expenses
• EFMP-related costs
• Miscellaneous expenses

Eligibility is as follows:

• Active-duty Air Force personnel and their eligible family members
• Retired Air Force personnel and their eligible family members, but not on a continuing basis and based on a case-by-case review
• Air National Guard or Air Force Reserve are now eligible to apply for AFAS no matter their duty status
• Spouses and dependent age children of deceased Air Force personnel who died on active duty or in retired status

If your family needs American Red Cross emergency assistance, call toll-free at 877-272-7337. The American Red Cross is available for emergency aid and can assist with financial crises. Rapid communication between service members and family about emergencies is available 24 hours a day. These communications include verification of death or serious illness of immediate family, birth announcements to parents deployed overseas as well as health and welfare reports resulting from a lack of communication over a long period of time. Active-duty service members stationed in the United States and their immediate family members may call the Red Cross Armed Forces Emergency Service Center toll-free for help seven days a week, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at 877-272-7337.

You are eligible for financial assistance if you are:

• An active-duty service member
• A member of a National Guard or Reserve unit
• An immediate family member of a service member in the above two categories
• A military retiree or spouse/widow(er) of a retiree

Information to Have Ready

When calling the Red Cross, please provide as much of the following information about the service member as is known:

• Full legal name
• Rank/rating
• Branch of service (Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard)
• Social security number
• Date of birth
• Military unit address
• Information about the deployed unit and home base unit (for deployed service members only).

You may learn more about the Red Cross on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.

The Grand Forks Salvation Army has been serving North Dakota and Minnesota for over 125 years by providing critical services with much needed support. The Grand Forks Salvation Army provides assistance for basic needs of daily life for those without the resources to do so themselves. Often, the program provides food, shelter, clothing, financial assistance to pay utilities and other necessities based on the customer's need. The Service Center is located at 1600 University Ave. in Grand Forks and can be contacted via phone at 701-775-2597. The facility is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Their food pantry is open Monday through Friday, 9 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 2:30 p.m. ID and proof of address are required. This service is open to Grand Forks and East Grand Forks residents.

Other programs and services provided are:

• Rent eviction and deposit assistance
• Rent and utility assistance
• Crisis intervention
• Emergency disaster services
• Personal care closet
• Emergency medical and dental assistance
• Utility disconnection assistance
• Gas assistance
• Back-to-school supplies
• Grocery baskets and food assistance (Picture ID and proof of current address required)
• Emergency disaster relief services
• Community Care ministry
• Winter coat assistance for children and adults
• Seasonal assistance
• Men’s and women’s ministries
• Youth ministry
• Pathways of Hope

Medical Emergency

If you need emergency care to safeguard life, limb or eyesight, go immediately to the nearest health care facility or call 911. You or a responsible family member must notify your Primary Care Manager of this emergency care within 24 hours. If you need health care advice while traveling, contact the Nurse Advice Line for care advice 24/7. They can assist you in finding local care services as necessary at 800-874-2273.

Once you have a home address in the Grand Forks area, please contact Health Net Federal Services to enroll at Grand Forks Air Force Base. You may also contact them with benefit questions and for West Region medical claim information:

TRICARE West Region
Healthcare Federal Services
844-866-9378

Medical Emergency En Route

While traveling, it is imperative that you always carry the 24-hour contact number for your PCM.

Grand Forks Air Force Base is located in the TRICARE West Region. While you are en route during your permanent change of station or anytime you are away from home, it's important to know what to do in the event that you or your dependents need medical care. For those active-duty service members who are enrolled in TRICARE Prime, if you need non-emergency care away from home, your care will be covered if you obtain approval from your Primary Care Manager. Your PCM from your previous duty station retains responsibility for your medical care until the day you enroll with a new PCM at your new duty station. Until that time, it's important that you give your civilian medical provider your home address from your previous assignment. This will help to ensure that any bills are sent to the appropriate claims processor. Your military identification card will identify you as having military health benefits.

Important Documents to Hand Carry

The following items should be hand carried and not packed in your household goods shipment or luggage: 

• Driver's licenses
• Orders
• Passports
• Identification cards
• Credit cards
• Checkbooks (blank, canceled and current statements)
• Divorce papers (discharge papers; death certificates and annulments as applied to divorce situations)
• Birth certificates (original or certified copies) for all family members

Should you encounter an emergency en route to Grand Forks Air Force Base, have the emergency contact phone numbers of your in-bound commander’s support staff, Grand Forks Air Force Base Command Post, your sponsor and relatives readily available.

Organizations to Contact in an Emergency

Locate and contact the closest Department of Defense military installation. Any Airman and Family Readiness Center, Army Community Services or Navy Family Support Center can provide you invaluable assistance if needed. The American Red Cross also provides services to all branches of the military as well as veterans and DOD employees. One of the services provided is 24/7/365 emergency communication messages. They can be reached by calling 877-272-7337 for Armed Forces emergency assistance.