Adopt a Family Holiday Program

Enjoy the holiday spirit, become a shining star by sharing with others. Anyone can be a sponsor; any unit, individual, family, or agency/group can change the holiday season for a military family who may be experiencing temporary financial difficulties.  Click here to view additional information   View and print sponsor form

Command Approval

The unit commander must sign all AER applications for financial assistance. The primary goal of AER is to meet valid emergencies for the soldier and the family member. Continued command and individual support, prompt repayment of loans, and the use of the AER Program for valid emergencies only will ensure the continued availability of AER funds for all soldiers.

Make an appointment.

Make an appointment by calling 586-307-4514 or email at aer@us.army.mil. Hours of Operation are 8-4:30 Monday thru Friday except for government holidays. For assistance requests more than 50 miles from the Selfridge area, please contact AER at 586-307-4514 between 8 to 4:30 Monday thru Friday or if after hours, call American Red Cross at the toll-free number 888-317-0860

Eligibility

Active duty, Retirees, Army Reservists and National Guard on active duty orders for more than 30 days are eligible to apply for emergency relief. Those on ADSW or AT orders or Title 32 are not eligible for assistance.

How to apply for assistance

Service members should complete DA 1103   Application for Army Emergency Relief Financial Assistance and a budget sheet. The application must be signed by the commander or XO for approval.   Once you have obtained signatures, please call for an appointment.  At that time, we will tell you what supporting documents you will need to bring

Emergency Travel

Emergency travel situations are time essential. We do appreciate a phone call stating the emergency need so that we may be prepared to expedite your request as quickly as possible. Travel for illness or death of a spouse, parent, or child take priority over all other appointments.

• All requests need to be accompanied by:

• Signed DA 1103 (by commander/XO).

• Approved orders for emergency leave or regular leave under emergency conditions.

• Red Cross verification of death/illness or ARC case number.

 Processing of AER requests for emergency travel during nights, weekends and holidays is available thru the American Red Cross, Southeastern Michigan Chapter, toll-free, at 1-888-317-0860. Be sure to ask for the Armed Forces Emergency Section (AFES).

Emergency Assistance for Other Branches

We process requests for Air Force Aid and Navy Marine Corps Relief Societies at our office in Bldg 780, Room 13. As above please call to schedule an appointment. To assist you in applying for assistance:

Air Force Aid Society (AFAS) application forms are at www.afas.org.

Navy Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS) information www.nmcrs.org   For these requests, please us AER application DA 1103 and budget sheet

USCG SECTOR DETROIT 110 MOUNT ELLIOT AVENUE DETROIT, MI 48207-4380 Point of Contact CWO Guillermo A. Viarnes (313) 568-9567 gviarnes@grudetroit.uscg.mil

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How long does it take to have an application processed?

Every situation is handled case- by- case. Most applications are processed within 24 hours of receiving the completed forms. If information is not complete, this will delay the process and increase the processing time.

2. How long can I expect my appointment to take?

Again this depends on how well you are prepared for your appointment. We feel that most cases should be handled within 90 minutes unless the situation needs more information or documentation that originally determined from the initial phone call or contact.  

3. When will I know if my application is approved?

In most cases, you will know the same day, if not at the scheduled appointment.  There are situations where we may need additional information that arises from discussion in the appointment. This can temporarily put the application in a pending status.

4. If I am a Retiree, am I automatically eligible to apply for Relief Society assistance?

It will depend on how you left the military. Each case is looked at individually. If you are receiving 100% benefits from the Veteran’s Administration, you may need to apply to the Veteran’s Trust Fund for assistance.  If you are a gray-area Retiree, you will not be eligible to apply until after you have reached  the age of 60.

5. If  I am a Spouse and the Service Member is overseas may I apply for assistance?

Spouses need to provide a Power of Attorney (POA) with their initial request. If there is no POA, the Service Member will be contacted for approval to provide assistance.

Copyright © 2008 Selfridge Marketing. All Rights Reserved.