Photo By Michael Strasser | Anna Ostrander, Fort Drum Army Emergency Relief officer, is joined by Col. Matthew...... read more read more
FORT DRUM, N.Y. (April 3, 2025) -- Fort Drum officials kicked off the annual Army Emergency Relief campaign April 2 during the monthly Community Information Exchange inside The Peak.
“As the Army’s official nonprofit organization, Army Emergency Relief exists to help Soldiers,” said Col. Matthew Myer, Fort Drum garrison commander. “This is a great resource that really helps mitigate risk to Soldiers, and it’s important for commanders to understand that.”
AER provides financial relief to active-duty service members and their families, in the form of grants, interest-free loans, or a combination of both. Since its establishment in 1942, AER has provided more than $2 billion in assistance for more than 4 million Soldiers and families.
Anna Ostrander, Fort Drum AER officer, said the campaign goal is twofold: first is informing every service member on post about AER and its benefits, and then asking them to contribute. The objective across the Army is to have 25-percent of the active-duty force donating this campaign season, which ends June 14.
“We have AER coordinators appointed at all levels throughout the 10th Mountain Division,” Ostrander said. “We train those coordinators, and they are responsible for briefing their units about AER, how we can provide them assistance, and how they can donate.”
With more than 30 categories of assistance, Soldiers can use AER to help finance everything from home and vehicle repairs to medical and child care expenses, and emergency travel costs.
In 2024, 851 AER clients received approximately $1.24 million in assistance at Fort Drum. Of that amount, $229,000 were from grants.
“When we approve an interest-free loan, that money is repaid so it goes back into the program to assist other service members for years and years to come,” Ostrander said. “So, what we are really raising money for is grant assistance.”
During the campaign kickoff, Myer noted that AER also awarded $184,000 in scholarships to 60 Fort Drum spouses and children last year. He said donating to AER is about building community among the people who live, work and train at Fort Drum.
“Whether you are contributing a certain amount of money during the AER campaign or giving a few bucks whenever you’re checking out at the PX, we want to try reinforce the idea that this is for our community,” Myer said. “It’s not really the amount of money; it’s more about creating a habit of giving within our units and within our community.”
Ostrander said that Soldiers should consider AER as their first option to avoid running up debt from predatory loans or excessive credit card use.
“One of the biggest messages we want to communicate is that when Soldiers are having a financial emergency, they should come see us first,” she said. “The number of ways we can assist has expanded a lot in the past 10 years, so we have the ability to help in many different situations that Soldiers may face.”
The Quick Assist Program allows a company commander or first sergeant to approve loans up to $2,000 for most assistance categories.
“That’s usually the fastest way for Soldiers to receive help, and it provides that strong bond between Soldiers and their chain of command,” Ostrander said.
AER recently launched a new online portal so people can apply for assistance in a more convenient and expedient way.
“One of the biggest misconceptions people have is that the AER process takes a long time,” Ostrander said. “With the portal launching and the means by which we process transactions – mostly via direct deposit or Zelle – cases are being processed very quickly, and funds are being transferred quickly as well.”
Ostrander said that AER ties directly with Soldier readiness because it relieves some of the stress Soldiers experience during a financial crisis and provides aid when the unexpected happens.
“We are there to help in those situations where a Soldier has a financial emergency that could potentially distract them from their work,” Ostrander said. “Being able to address that so the Soldier is not preoccupied with worry means they can focus on what they need to do to accomplish the mission.”
The Fort Drum AER Office is located inside the Family Resource Center, Bldg. 11042 on Mount Belvedere Boulevard. For more information, call (315) 772-6560.
To learn more about AER and how to donate during the campaign, visit https://www.armyemergencyrelief.org.
| Date Taken: | 04.03.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.03.2025 10:44 |
| Story ID: | 494472 |
| Location: | FORT DRUM, NEW YORK, US |
| Web Views: | 39 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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