Courtesy Photo | Retired Col. Eldon Mullis, deputy director, AER, describes the different programs AER...... read more read more
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By Heather Graham-Ashley, Sentinel news editor
FORT HOOD, Texas - Fort Hood kicked off the 2015 Army Emergency Relief Campaign during a ceremony March 4 at the Oveta Culp-Hobby Soldier and Family Readiness Center.
This year’s campaign, “Making the Difference,” runs through May 15 to encourage Soldiers, families and retirees to contribute to the AER fund that provides no-interest loans and grants to those with emergency financial needs, as well as scholarships for dependent family members.
Active-duty Soldiers, reserve-component Soldiers on Title X orders over 30 days, retirees, including medical retirees and family members, including family members of fallen Soldiers, are eligible for AER funds.
What is AER
AER is a private, nonprofit program that has been in existence since 1942 to help Soldiers in financial need. Loans through AER are based on financial need and range from $100 to $10,000 or more, Johnny Judd, an AER specialist at Fort Hood, said.
“All assistance is based on the financial need of the Soldier,” Judd said. “We look at every case individually.”
When seeking AER relief, the Soldier, family member or retiree must provide supporting documentation to receive assistance. Examples of the documentation can include disconnect notices from a utility company, a notice of eviction or foreclosure, or a letter from an agency about the debt, Judd said.
AER specialists also request to see two months of bank statements.
When the requesting party comes to AER, there is an interview process to determine the need and the reasons for the need. The AER specialist can offer referrals to a financial counselor to help, as well, Judd said.
“A lot of it is just mismanagement of money,” he noted. “We get everybody involved we can.”
Depending on the amount of assistance requested, there are levels of approval that must be met before money is disbursed, Judd added.
AER also keeps records about who is seeking assistance and how much they are receiving to ensure the funds are being used to meet a need.
“AER is not meant to supplement income,” Judd said.
Loans made to Soldiers are repaid, at no interest, through an allotment.
Soldiers do not have to contribute to AER to receive assistance, Judd said.
As this year’s campaign begins, AER specialists, leaders and unit financial specialists are working to contact every Soldier on post and every retiree.
“The biggest thing is to contact 100 percent of Soldiers and ensure they are given the opportunity to contribute,” Judd said.
The hope is that this year Fort Hood will exceed last year’s contributions.
During last year’s campaign, the Fort Hood area contributed $320,000 to the fund.
Conversely, Fort Hood disbursed $5.3 million in AER funds locally, including about $300,000 in grants that do not have to be repaid.
Garrison Commander Col. Matt Elledge said he would like to see more contributions from Fort Hood this year.
“We can do better,” Elledge said. “It’s Soldiers helping Soldiers.”
AER funds come from contributions made by those eligible to receive assistance from the fund. Loan repayment funds also go back into the AER pot to continue to help Soldiers.
Spread the word
The garrison commander encouraged everyone to talk about AER and offered a local example of how the program helps.
Following the April 2, 2014, shooting, AER grants helped families of those killed or injured in the shooting, Elledge noted.
“We need to continue to tell the story of AER and the powerful, powerful impact it has on our Soldiers,” he said. “We need to let Soldiers know AER is there to help them.”
Retired Col. Eldon Mullis, deputy director, administration, AER, shared a story about a sergeant who was serving on an unaccompanied tour overseas.
While stationed in Korea, she was sending money home monthly to cover the bills for her husband and children. The sergeant was notified that her husband had been incarcerated. Soon after arriving home, she discovered that none of the bills were being paid. The house was in jeopardy of foreclosure, the electricity was turned off and the car was about to be repossessed. She went to AER and received a grant to help, Mullis said.
“She is just one of the 51,000 Soldiers, retirees and dependents that we helped last year,” he added.
In total, AER gave out $65 million in assistance last year Army-wide. At Fort Hood, AER helped 3,573 Soldiers, 414 retirees, and 203 dependent family members last year, Mullis said.
None of that emergency assistance would have been possible without the contributions of the Soldiers, families and retirees, he added.
Still, Mullis thinks more can be done Army-wide.
“We want to give out more money, put more money into the hands of the Soldiers,” Mullis said. “The key, in my mind, is awareness.”
He wants command financial specialists, leaders and Soldiers to talk about how AER helps.
“We’ve got to get the word out,” Mullis said.
He reviewed those eligible for AER assistance. Mullis noted that widows, widowers and orphans who receive AER funds are given grants.
“We feel that they’ve had enough trials and tribulations from losing a loved one, so we just make that a grant,” he said. “That’s our policy.”
How AER helps
Mullis also wants the word spread about how AER helps.
Medical bills, dental bills up to $5,000, major appliance replacement or repair costs, rental car expenses, car repair costs and housing payments can be taken care of with AER.
The fund can also help cover funeral expenses. At Fort Hood last year, AER helped 73 Soldiers with funeral expenses at a total cost of $191,000, Mullis noted.
There are other areas where AER can help.
“Our program is very flexible,” Mullis said. “We weigh each issue on its own merit.”
AER also has other programs to help.
The Commander’s Referral Program can provide up to $1,500 in an emergency assistance loan. These loans are approved at the company commander- and first sergeant-level of the Soldier’s unit.
Fort Hood leads the Army in using this program, Mullis said.
Soldiers who are medically evacuated from a contingency area receive a $500 AER grant to assist with expenses during their treatment.
Soldiers who are medically retired can receive assistance through the Army Wounded Warrior Special Access Program, which can deposit money into the Soldier’s checking account within 24-48 hours to help bridge the gap between the time Army pay stops and retirement pay begins. Those funds are received as a no-interest loan.
AER also offers scholarships in the form of grants.
Last year, the program gave out 3,600 scholarships to spouses and children across the Army. Fort Hood families received 181 of those scholarships representing $413,000 in education grants, Mullis said. The scholarships are awarded based on need and applications are being accepted now. Those interested in a scholarship can go online to www.aerhq.org and click on the scholarship tab.
Where to get assistance
AER is available at all Army installations. At Fort Hood, the office is located in the Rivers Building, Building 121. Those not located near an installation can either go to the Red Cross or another service’s installation to receive emergency funds.
“We help their service members, they help our Soldiers,” Mullis said.
All loans given through AER are no-interest. When the loan is repaid, the money goes back into the program to help others.
Seventy percent of the money available through AER comes from loan repayments, Judd said, noting that the remaining 30 percent comes from the annual campaign.
Unit command financial specialists will be contacting Soldiers about AER in the coming days and forms are being mailed to retirees to raise awareness about the program and help provide assistance to more Soldiers, families and retirees.
Those who find themselves in a financial need are encouraged to visit an AER specialist for help instead of looking off post.
“AER is solely for helping the Army take care of its own,” Mullis said. “The proof is in our action.”
| Date Taken: | 03.13.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 03.13.2015 13:07 |
| Story ID: | 156942 |
| Location: | FORT HOOD, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 52 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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