The Army’s Adjutant General met with Fort Knox leaders and Army Emergency Relief representatives at Houston Bowling Center March 3 to stress the need to support Soldiers at the AER campaign kickoff.
Brigadier Gen. Robert Bennett joined members of the Fort Knox Garrison Command team in a unique ‘bowl blast’ to launch the March-till-May emergency fund collection season. He asked the crowd to learn more about AER and teach others about the mission and its benefits.
“At Cadet Command, we’re training cadets to become lieutenants,” Bennett said. “We’re teaching them land navigation, basic patrolling techniques, and how to lead and survive. We really need to teach them where to go when their Soldiers are having financial problems.”
Bennett said that lesson was something he learned early in his own career.
“It took about eight months to learn my Soldiers’ names, their spouse and children’s names, and to find out their financial needs … AER was a huge help,” he said. “To be a good platoon leader or first sergeant, you’ve got to take care of your Soldiers’ basic needs, and that means knowing who to turn to.”
Garrison Commander Col. CJ King said he remembered a time when everyone supported AER – whether they wanted to or not.
“Back in the day, they’d hand you an AER form at final formation on a Friday and say, ‘You all can go as soon as you hand your completed form back in,’” King recalled. “We don’t do that anymore, and it’s had an impact. This incredible organization is probably not as financially solvent as it could be.
“AER reps, keep revisiting this issue, and make sure that everyone has ample opportunity to give. Giving to AER is giving to Soldiers.”
Command Sgt. Maj. Garrick Griffin, Fort Knox Garrison’ senior enlisted advisor, said AER helps Soldiers in a myriad of ways. AER helped him.
“We know where this money goes. I see the requests every day,” Griffin said. “Private Griffin had to get two AER loans — when my grandmother passed, and another time when I spent next month’s check this month. AER helped me out of that particular situation.”
Getting Soldiers out of particular situations might keep them from worse situations, said Robert Maxwell, an AER specialist at Garrison.
“This [helps] keep Soldiers who are experiencing an emergency out of the pawn shops, the payday loans, and away from startup credit cards with an initial zero percent interest that quickly jumps to ridiculously high interest rates.”
Maxwell said new programs ensure that Soldiers can get assistance faster than ever before.
“The Quick Assist Program allows a Soldier with a financial emergency to go straight to their first sergeant or commander to request assistance,” Maxwell said. “Either of them can validate the financial need and approve the assistance, and AER will then provide that assistance.
“It really keeps the command involved, and helps with Soldier readiness.”
Soldiers may also appeal directly to AER without alerting their command, said Maxwell.
Major Stephanie Kessinger, an assignment officer with U.S. Army Human Resources Command and the delegated supervisor of this year’s AER drive, said that with 30 different assistance categories, all Soldiers can find support through AER when needed.
“Approximately 95% of every dollar collected goes right back to the Soldiers,” Kessinger said. “These financial assistance programs change every year, and this is an opportunity to campaign to all the Soldiers and their Families regarding the latest and greatest that AER provides.”
| Date Taken: | 03.05.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 03.06.2020 16:46 |
| Story ID: | 364679 |
| Location: | FORT KNOX, KENTUCKY, US |
| Web Views: | 38 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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