Army Emergency Relief

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Army Emergency Relief (AER) is a private nonprofit organization incorporated in 1942 by the Secretary of War and the Army Chief of Staff. AER is dedicated to alleviating financial distress on the force. AER provides assistance in the form of zero-interest loans and grants to Active Duty and Retired Soldiers and their Families. Over 4 million Soldiers supported since 1942.

CATEGORIES OF ASSISTANCE

All assistance requests are unique and considered on an individual basis.

• Emergency travel

• Natural disaster preparation and evacuation

• Mortgage, rent and initial deposit

• Temporary lodging

• Food

• Healthcare not covered by TRICARE

• Vehicle costs

• Utilities

• Funeral expenses

• Basic essential furniture

• Appliance costs

• Cranial helmets

• PCS travel

• Child car seats

• Dental care for dependents

• Home repair

• Non-medical attendant travel

• Invitational travel order

• Clothing

• Immigration and passport fees for dependents

• Special needs medical equipment

• Spouse relicensing and recertification

• Childcare (Army Fee Assistance enrollment required)

Have a request not listed above? Just ask!

AER RESOURCES AND FORMS

Click here to view all AER forms.

Please bring a valid Military ID card, most recent Leave and Earnings Statement, Leave/PCS orders and substantiating documents when applying for assistance at our AER section.

COMPANY COMMANDER AND FIRST SERGEANT QUICK ASSIST PROGRAM

The AER program has a positive influence on Soldiers’ morale by providing commanders an important asset in helping them accomplish their basic command responsibility for the morale and welfare of their Soldiers and Families. AER desires to give Commanders and First Sergeants another tool to affect an immediate positive impact on their Soldiers by giving the leadership approval authority of up to $2,000 of assistance for valid needs.

DIRECT ACCESS TO AER

All soldiers, regardless of grade/rank, are allowed direct access to AER without the Unit Commander’s review and approval/concurrence with the following safeguards:

• Soldiers in the grades of E1-E4 must have completed Initial Entry Training (IET)

• All Soldiers must have a minimum of 12 months Time in Service (TIS) or have completed IET (whichever is greater)

• Regardless of rank, financial assistance will be limited to two requests for assistance (Loan or Grant) within a 12-month period without the Company Commander/ First Sergeant review

• Solders who exhibit “High Risk” behaviors for financial problems IAW AR 600-85 still require the Unit Commander’s review and approval/concurrence

SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS

AER provides scholarships for dependent children and spouses of Active Duty, Retired, and deceased Army Soldiers. Applications and instructions are available on the AER website.

MRS. PATTY SHINSEKI SPOUSE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

The Mrs. Patty Shinseki Spouse Scholarship Program is a need-based scholarship program established to assist Army spouses in obtaining an undergraduate degree or similar professional certification. The program was named after Mrs. Shinseki in December 2019. Mrs. Shinseki, an Army spouse for over 50 years, is a strong supporter of military spouse education and other military family programs. Spouses pursuing an undergraduate degree or professional certification may receive assistance for up to four academic years of full-time study or eight academic years of part-time study. Applications are accepted year-round. For more information visit the AER website.

• Applicant must be a dependent Spouse and registered as the Spouse of a Soldier in DEERS

• Student must be pursuing their first undergraduate degree as a full-time or part-time student in an accredited post-secondary or vocational institution listed in the U.S. Department of Education’s Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions. Those pursing a second bachelor’s degree may be considered on a case-by-case basis. Scholarship cannot be used for graduate level courses.

• Student must not be active duty or in a reserve component or a retiree of the Army, National Guard, Reserves, or other military branch. Because financial need is already met, students attending Military Service Academies are not eligible.

MAJOR GENERAL JAMES URSANO SCHOLARSHIPPROGRAM

The Maj. Gen. James Ursano Scholarship Program is a need-based scholarship program established to assist children of Army Soldiers in obtaining their first undergraduate degree. Applicants may receive assistance for up to four academic years but must meet eligibility criteria and reapply each year. Applications are considered from 1 JAN – 1 APR each year for the following academic year. Applications are accepted year-round. For more information visit the AER website.

• Student must be a dependent of a Solider on federal active duty, a retired Soldier, or a deceased active or deceased retired Soldier.

• Student must be registered as a dependent of the Soldier in DEERS

• Student must be under the age of 24

• Student must remain unmarried for the entire academic year

• Student must not be a member of the Nation Guard, Reserves or other military branch

• Student must be enrolled, accepted or pending acceptance as a full-time student in an accredited post-secondary or vocational institution listed in the U.S. Department of Education’s Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions.

• Students must maintain a GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale