Did you know that Army Emergency Relief (AER) offers $500 grants to soldiers who are medically evacuated from Iraq and Afghanistan? When soldiers are medically evacuated, they usually arrive at the treatment centers with no personal items, including toiletries or clothing. AER began the wounded warrior grant program in 2003 with $200 grants, and increased the grant amount to $500 in August 2010.
"So far, we've distributed more than $2,281,000 to more than 13,440 Soldiers," said retired Col. Guy Shields of AER.
Army Emergency Relief is a private non-profit organization incorporated in 1942 by the secretary of war and the Army chief of staff. It exists solely to help Soldiers and their dependents.
"When folks are MEDEVAC'd out of theater they come with nothing, so this money is for whatever they need. And because of the feedback we had been getting, it was decided to increase the grant to $500 because the $200 just wasn't enough to meet the needs of the Soldier," Shields said.
Army Emergency Relief offers a variety of services to support the financial well-being of soldiers and their families, including interest-free loans and grants. More information regarding AER services can be found at their website, http://www.aerhq.org/index.asp, or by calling them 866-878-6378.
