Service to the Armed Forces

 

Today's American Red Cross is keeping pace with the changing military. Using the latest in computer and telecommunications technology, the Red Cross allows military members stationed all over the world to send messages to loved ones back home during emergency or other important events. These communications are delivered around-the-clock, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
While serving 1.4 million active duty personnel, the Red Cross also reaches out to the 1.5 million members of the National Guard and the Reserves who reside in nearly every local community in America.
Hundreds of Red Cross chapters brief departing service members and their families regarding available support services and explain how the Red Cross may assist them during the deployment. Both active duty and community-based military can count on the Red Cross to provide emergency communications that link them with their families back home, access to financial assistance, counseling and assistance to veterans.
Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces personnel work in nearly 700 chapters in the United States, on 79 military installations around the world and with our troops in Kuwait, Afghanistan and Iraq.

Emergency Communications Services

. The American Red Cross sends emergency messages to members of the United States military to notify service members of emergency situations. Messages are sent in regards to such situations as births, serious illnesses and deaths of a imitate family member
The American Red Cross verifies the emergency and provides the information to the service member and their command, so the command can make a decision regarding emergency leave. Please note that all leave decisions are at the sole discretion of the command.
American Red Cross caseworkers are on duty 24 hours a day to assist you in sending emergency communications.
To send an emergency message, you will need to:

  1. Contact the American Red Cross at 1-877-272-7337.
  2. The military caseworker will ask you for the following information: service member’s full name, rank, branch of service, social security number, date of birth, and military address. Please provide as much of this information as possible. Also, you will need information regarding the emergency, such as the nature of the emergency and where it can be verified (i.e. doctor, funeral home, hospital, etc.).
  3. If the message is in regards to an illness, it is helpful for the family to let the doctor or nurses who are attending to the patient know that the Red Cross will be contacting them. Due to medical privacy laws, release consent forms may need to be signed by the family prior to the medical authorities releasing information to the American Red Cross.
  4. The American Red Cross will verify the emergency and forward the message onto the service member and the command.

Financial Assistance

Available, with approval from the appropriate funding source or aid society, to active or retired military members in the area.

Information in regards to the individual needs, justifiable budget and verified expenses are items necessary to be considered for assistance through the appropriate available funding source. An American Red Cross of Lee County Case Manager will work with the member to collect all necessary documentation for thorough consideration of financial assistance through the appropriate Military Aid Society.
Coping with Deployments
With today's pace of military deployments, the armed forces are paying increasing attention to preparing service members to cope with the psychological stress of combat and its aftermath. The Red Cross believes it is equally important to prepare family members to ensure they are better able to deal with the challenges of 'serving' at home while their loved one is deployed.
Coping with Deployments: Psychological First Aid for Military Families was developed out of the Red Cross' continuing commitment to serve military families. At present, it is the only national level course specifically designed for military family members that bridges all lines of service. This course was designed specifically for the spouses, parents, siblings and significant others of service members. It provides useful information on how to strengthen your ability to successfully respond to the challenges that military family members may encounter throughout the deployment cycle. It also explains how to provide psychological first aid to others experiencing stressful feelings or events.
If you would like more info on Coping with Deployments: Psychological First Aid for Military Families contact our Armed Forces Coordinator at 239-278-3401 or email afc@arclcc.org

Volunteer

 


SAF After Hours Caseworker

In time of crisis when the Red Cross office is closed, provide emergency communications between military personnel and their families

  1. Take calls referred during a specified shift
  2. Maintain confidentiality of caller and service member
  3. Conduct an interview to obtain relevant information needed to process the request
  4. Verify information received from the families
  5. Complete necessary documentation
  6. Route the message to the appropriate Red Cross authorities
  7. Ensure the day staff has the complete documentation for the case

 

To become a SAF volunteer contact the American Red Cross of Lee County.

 

Veteran’s Family Support Group


mil pic 

           ARCLCC Logo (print)

      Second Thursday

Monthly – 6:00pm
  
Location:
Perkins Family Restaurant –(meeting room)
12300 S. Cleveland Ave  (41 and Crystal), Ft. Myers
Please RSVP at American Red Cross of Lee County 239-278- 3401/afc@arclcc.org
    (American Red Cross is a neutral/ non governmental non-profit)
 Attendance is limited to families of veterans & veterans at this time.