Army Emergency Relief helps Soldiers every day

CAMP HUMPHREYS, Republic of Korea – The Army Emergency Relief Program began an awareness and fundraising campaign on March 1 that will run to May 15, but what is the AER? At the core of the Army values, helping those in need comes first, but sometimes those in need may be the very Soldiers tasked with helping others. That’s where the AER program comes to the aid of Soldiers who’ve found themselves in financial turmoil.

“With 25 years in the Army, I’ve seen firsthand how AER helps Soldiers every day,” said U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Antonio R. Lopez, senior enlisted advisor, U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys. “It’s simple; it’s Soldiers helping Soldiers.”

As an organization, the AER is designed to make sure Soldiers can recover from financial problems. 
“It’s for life surprises,” said Maj. Simeamativa Kruse, the Camp Humphreys AER coordinator and American Samoa native. “Maybe you have a broken-down car or the gas goes out and you don’t know what to do, you can always seek out the AER.”

The AER strives to be a boon for struggling Soldiers. Their means however are unique amongst similar organizations.
“When we give out loans, they’re completely interest-free,” said Kruse. “People will ask, ‘Well, how can you make money?’ and that’s when I tell them we’re a nonprofit, so we’re completely supported by donations.”

Another unique factor of the AER is that it is not exclusive to active duty Soldiers; they serve all those encompassed by the Army family.

“It’s not just active duty; it’s also for retirees, military family members and non-active duty Soldiers,” said Kruse. “The AER actually offers scholarships, which is one of the biggest benefits to military families.”

The goal of the AER campaign is to raise awareness about the program, but it’s also about raising money for the coming year.

“AER only exists through our contributions,” said Col. Scott Mueller, the U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys commander. “Our goal this year is $210,000. If everybody on Camp Humphreys just gave ten dollars, then we would beat that goal with no problem.”

Using AER services as well as donating can be done through Army Community Services or an AER representative.

At its heart, the AER program shows the selfless service of Soldiers is the best way to save fellow warriors from what could seem like an insurmountable obstacle.