Army Emergency Relief (AER)

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.

Benefits Facts

TSGLI

Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance Traumatic Injury Protection (TSGLI) provides a one-time, lump-sum, tax-free payment to Wounded Warriors who qualify.

Benefits Facts

G.I. Bill

The Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) provides up to 36 months of education benefits to eligible Service members and Veterans for programs such as: college, business, technical, or vocational school; apprenticeship / on-the-job training; correspondence courses; remedial, deficiency, and refresher training (in some cases); and flight training. You usually have 10 years to use your MGIB benefits, but the time limit can be fewer or more years depending on the situation.

Benefits Facts

DTAP

The Department of Defense Transition Assistance Program (DoD-TAP) provides information, access to important documents, and training to ensure Service members separating from Active Duty are prepared for their next step in life - whether pursuing additional education, finding a job in the public or private sector, or starting their own business. This redesigned TAP is the result of an interagency collaboration to offer separating Service members and their Spouses better, more easily accessible resources and information to make their transitions more successful.

Benefits Facts

Dual TRICARE and VA

When leaving active duty, Service members may be entitled to or eligible for benefits offered by TRICARE and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), depending on whether the Service member retires or separates.

Benefits Facts

CRDP

Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay is the gradual restoration of the retired pay currently being offset by VA disability pay.

Benefits Facts

ACS

Army Community Service helps Soldiers and Families by providing vital services and information during war and peace.

Benefits Facts

CYS

The Army Child and Youth Services (CYS) provides affordable childcare programs for Army Families. Costs are typically based on Family income. Programs range from daycare facilities to sports and fitness programs.

Benefits Facts

Deployment Support

Mobilization, Deployment and Stability Support Operations' mission is to provide training, information and assistance to Soldiers, Civilians and their Families to maintain individual readiness throughout the entire deployment cycle. Deployment and Mobilization provides guidance, resources and training for all; Soldiers, Civilians and their Families; to include parents, Soldier and Family Readiness Group (SFRG) members, Rear Detachment cadre and ACS/Reserve staff throughout the Army Deployment and Mobilization cycle. Whether supporting deploying units by providing pre-deployment information and material to Soldiers, Civilians and their Families; to providing reintegration and RESET training as they reconstitute their Family unit, the Mobilization and Deployment Team is there to provide support.

Benefits Facts

TSP

Benefits Facts

SCRA

The Servicemember’s Civil Relief Act provides Soldiers important rights that cover issues such as rental agreements, eviction, credit card and mortgage interest rates, and more.

Featured: Reunion

The return home from combat can often leave servicemembers feeling out of place with the most important people in their lives - their families.

"In deployment, Soldiers grow accustomed to a new lifestyle and a new 'family' - those buddies that bond together to defend each other," said Maj. Ken Williams, 14th Military Police Brigade chaplain. "This lifestyle change is prolonged and becomes familiar, i.e., the new normal."

The families also change while the Soldier is deployed.

"The family is a system," Williams said. "When one family member is absent, the whole system changes. All members of the family adapt to a new 'normal' way of life."

When the servicemember returns, the family may feel uncomfortable with each other, and the servicemember may withdraw from the family.