Tragedy can strike a family any time, day or night, and separation due to military service often makes it difficult to reach a man or woman in uniform. The Red Cross communications system is capable of reaching family members residing in the largest and smallest American communities, as well as ships at sea, embassies and isolated units. Red Cross emergency messages provide military personnel and their commanders with fast, reliable information to help them make decisions about emergency leave, deferment, compassionate reassignment and dependency discharge. Nationally, the American Red Cross transmits more than 1.4 million emergency messages each year to members of the U.S. Armed Services and their families. Working with military aid societies to provide interest-free loans or grants when urgent personal or family crises arise.
Financial aid is used for such things as emergency travel, burial assistance, food and shelter.
This role is becoming increasingly important as more community-based military, such as the National Guard, are called to active service. Assisting veterans in claiming financial benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs and providing support services to patients in Veterans Administration hospitals. Each year, Missouri Red Cross units provide nearly 9,000 emergency communications for members of the armed forces and their families. Contact your local Red Cross Chapter for more information .