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 four million soldiers and family members with more than $2 billion in financial assistance, including $1 billion since 9/11. AER supported more than 31,000 soldiers and families in 2023.
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:
- Emergency travel
- Natural disaster preparation and evacuation
- Mortgage, rent and 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 and passport fees for dependents
- Special needs medical equipment
- Spouse relicensing and recertification
- Child care (Army Fee Assistance enrollment required)
- Contact AER if you have a request not listed.
AER does not provide funds:
- For nonessentials
- To finance ordinary leave or vacation
- To pay fines or legal expenses
- To liquidate or consolidate debt
- For purchase of home or home improvements
- 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