Photo By Robert Timmons | Sgt. 1st Class Catherine Tripp, senior human resources specialist with 120th Adjutant...... read more read more
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The Army has always been about taking care of its own. The Army Emergency Relief campaign allows just that. It allows for Soldiers, Family members and civilians to help each other through donations.
The annual AER campaign began March 1 and runs through June 14, but Fort Jackson got an early start with a Feb. 26 celebration at the Century Lanes Bowling Center that included a friendly unit-on-unit bowling tournament.
“Army Emergency Relief is a nonprofit organization that was established to help Soldiers and their Families during their times of financial need,” said Capt. Eskender Kidane, Fort Jackson AER campaign coordinator during the event. “The purpose of the campaign is to bring awareness to the AER program and give Soldiers an opportunity to donate.”
The AER campaign is one of two allowed to solicit donations directly from Soldiers. The other is the yearly Combined Services Campaign, or CFC.
According to AER, since its founding in 1942, it has stood as a cornerstone of support for the U.S. Army, providing a vital safety net for Soldiers and their families in times of financial need. In 2025 the Fort Jackson AER office assisted 486 Soldiers and Families with over $1.1 million; $147,000 was provided as a grant.
The campaign, with a theme of empowering Soldiers, enhancing lives, reinforces Army readiness, Kidane said. “The (campaign theme) reminds us that Soldiers helping Soldiers is our purpose and our mission. Taking care of Soldiers is what we do.”
Col. Chesley Thigpen, Army Training Center and Fort Jackson deputy commander, agreed.
“This is about readiness and it’s about family,” he said. “When you think about readiness for the U.S. Army, the Army Emergency Relief is part of it.”
Thigpen called on Soldiers to let everyone know about the campaign.
“Don’t let it stop here,” he said. “Everyone you get engaged with, please pass on the importance of our emergency relief.
One of this year’s campaign coordinators knows exactly how AER can help.
For Sgt. 1st Class Catherine Tripp, a senior human resources specialist with the 120th Adjutant General Battalion, AER assistance was a savior during an emergency early in her Army career.
She had to take emergency leave and didn’t have any money, but instead of taking a high-interest loan, she went to the AER office where they were able to give her a loan/grant. The money helped her with transportation and other expenses since her husband was deployed.
“At first I felt embarrassed,” she said during the kickoff ceremony. “AER helped me through the situations, through our bad times, and with a small, no interest loan that I was able to pay off through allotments. The Soldier Support Institute won the bowling tournament.
For more information about the campaign visit https://www.armyemergencyrelief.org or speak to your unit AER representative.
| Date Taken: | 03.10.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 03.12.2026 15:13 |
| Story ID: | 560421 |
| Location: | FORT JACKSON, SOUTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 17 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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