Benefit Fact Sheet
Army Emergency Relief (AER) is a private, nonprofit organization that was created to help Soldiers and their Family members who experience financial emergencies. AER provides funds to help Soldiers with immediate financial needs with rent, utilities, emergency travel, etc. AER also provides emergency funds to Soldiers' orphans and Surviving Spouses and offers undergraduate scholarships to Spouses and Children of both active and retired Soldiers. Established in 1942, AER has assisted more than 4 million Soldiers and Family members with more than $2 billion in financial assistance, including $1 billion since 9/11. AER provided $44.8 million in loans and grants to almost 26,000 Soldiers and families in 2021.
Expanded Eligibility to Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers Activated in Support of COVID-19 Relief Efforts:
Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers that are activated in response to COVID-19 are eligible for financial assistance from Army Emergency Relief (AER) for basic living expenses such as rent, utilities, and food, and personal transportation costs such as car payments, auto insurance, and fuel. Soldiers remain eligible for the duration of their activation, plus an additional 30 days after deactivation. This enhancement to AER marks a significant change in policy for eligibility of Reserve component Soldiers. Under normal eligibility, Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers must be activated under Title 10 orders for greater than 30 days. However, the new eligibility requirements allow for any Soldier activated under Title 10 or Title 32 orders (in response to COVID-19) to receive AER assistance, regardless of the length of their activation.
COVID-19 - Expanded Assistance for USAR & ARNG (Bulletin 05-2020-1)
AER Offers Assistance for Shipping Infant Formula
The infant formula shortage in the U.S. has received widespread national attention, and AER stands ready to assist. While TRICARE will cover formulas and vitamins for infant enrollees with metabolic disorders, it will not cover regular baby formula for otherwise healthy infants. AER Officers at U.S. Army installations will assist eligible Soldiers and Families as necessary to validate shipping cost expenses.
Those eligible for formula shipping assistance are:
- Soldiers on Active Duty and their eligible Family Members;
- Soldiers Retired from Active Duty because of longevity and their eligible Family Members;
- Retired Army Reserve and National Guard Soldiers receiving retired pay and their Family Members;
- Medically Retired Soldiers and their dependents, including both those placed on the Permanent Disability Retired List (PDRL) or Temporary Disability Retirement List (TDRL);
- Surviving Spouses and Children of Soldiers who died while on Active Duty (including those on Title 10 Orders) or in an eligible Retired status;
- Members of the Reserve Component of the Army (National Guard and Army Reserve under Title 10 U.S.C) on continuous Active Duty for more than thirty (30) consecutive days and their eligible Family Members.
To find out more, contact your local AER Officer, fill out our Contact Us form or check out the Infant Formula Shipping Assistance Bulletin.
Army National Guard Soldiers, and their dependents, ordered to federal active duty (Title 10, United States Code) for over 30 consecutive days are eligible to receive AER funds (this applies to Soldiers on active duty for training (ADT) and serving under various sections of Title 10, United States Code).
Emergency Financial Needs
The primary mission of AER is to provide funds to help Soldiers meet emergency financial situations. These emergencies are generally deemed unexpected and urgent. All assistance requests are unique and considered on an individual basis. Examples include:
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Emergency travel
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Natural disaster preparation and evacuation
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Mortgage, rent and initial deposit
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Temporary lodging
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Food
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Healthcare not covered by TRICARE
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Vehicle costs
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Utilities
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Funeral expenses
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Basic essential furniture
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Appliance costs
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Cranial helmets
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PCS travel
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Child car seats
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Dental care for dependents
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Home repair
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Non-medical attendant travel
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Invitational travel order
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Clothing
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Immigration and passport fees for dependents
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Special needs medical equipment
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Spouse relicensing and recertification
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Child care (Army Fee Assistance enrollment required)
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Contact AER if you have a request not listed.
AER does not provide funds:
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For nonessentials
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To finance ordinary leave or vacation
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To pay fines or legal expenses
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To liquidate or consolidate debt
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For purchase of home or home improvements
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To cover bad checks or pay credit card bills
Flow of Funds
AER collects and holds funds for use by Soldiers and their eligible Family members and gives local commanders access to this money for disbursement to Soldiers. Therefore, to obtain funds, Soldiers should contact their immediate commander to apply for AER assistance. The immediate commander or local Army Emergency Relief Office will determine the merit of the Soldier's request and the amount of assistance on a case-by-case basis. AER has reciprocal agreements with the American Red Cross (ARC) and the Aid Societies for the Navy and Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard, allowing Soldiers and their immediate Family members to obtain AER assistance through these organizations as well.
All Soldiers, who have graduated from AIT, have more than one year in the Army, have not received AER assistance more than twice in one year and have not demonstrated "high risk" behavior, can go directly to the AER office without going through the Chain of Command. However, the fastest way to obtain assistance is through the Commander's Referral Program. Under that program, the Company Commander or First Sergeant is the approval authority for a no-interest loan of up to $2,000.
AER is not an Army or Department of Defense (DoD) organization. Therefore, the Government, or the Army, cannot direct AER how to distribute this money. Funds for the program are generated through voluntary contributions from active and retired Soldiers. AER is also funded through loan repayments and investments made by the AER investment program.
Educational Assistance
AER's secondary mission is to provide financial assistance (grants) for undergraduate education of dependent Children and Spouses. These programs include the MG James Ursano Scholarship Program (for dependent Children) and The Mrs. Patty Shinseki Spouse Scholarship Program. More information on these programs can be found in other fact sheets on this site and at
For more information, please visit the Army Emergency Relief webpage maintained by Headquarters, Army Emergency Relief:
https://www.armyemergencyrelief.org
Army Regulation 930–4: Army Emergency Relief:
https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/pdf/web/ARN2208_R930_4_FINAL.pdf