Armed Forces Emergency Services (AFES)

American Red Cross Emergency Services are available to all members of the armed services, and to their immediate families. Active duty and community-based military members can count on the Red Cross to provide emergency communications, emergency financial assistance, counseling, and other aid.

Emergency Communications Services

The Mid-Missouri Chapter helps keep military personnel in touch with their families following the death or serious illness of a family member, the birth of a child or in other family emergencies. The Red Cross sends messages quickly, anywhere in the world -- including ships at sea, embassies and isolated military units.

Red Cross Armed Forces Emergency Services workers are also sent to areas of conflict when military personnel are deployed, including soldiers in the National Guard and Reserve.

How to request military assistance:
To request American Red Cross services to members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families, please call the Mid-Missouri Chapter at (573) 445-9411, or toll-free (800) 359-8829. Our services are available 24 hours a day. When calling the Red Cross to send an emergency message to a family member, please have the following information ready:

• Service Member's Full Name
• Rank/Rating
• Branch of Service
• Social Security Number
• Date of Birth
• Military Address Where Deployed

Emergency Financial Assistance

The Red Cross can provide access to financial assistance, either as an interest-free loan or as a grant, for travel expenses when a personal or family crisis arises which requires the presence of the service member or his or her family. Access to financial assistance may also be provided when there is a demonstrated need for funds for emergency travel, burial assistance or urgent health and welfare needs such as food and shelter.

Counseling

The American Red Cross offers confidential services to active duty, National Guard and Reserve personnel, and to members of their families. Counseling, guidance, information, referrals and other social services are available through our worldwide network of offices, located on military installations and in civilian communities.

Community-Based Military Personnel

Reserve, National Guard, and Other Community-Based Military Personnel.
Members of the U. S. Armed Forces don't have to be actively deployed to benefit from American Red Cross Armed Forces Emergency Services. The Red Cross provides services to more than 1.5 million members of the Reserves and National Guard when they are living in their local communities and when they are mobilized. American Red Cross services are also available to members of the Reserve Officers Training Corps, Recruiters, U.S. Coast Guard, Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, retirees and to their families.

Get To Know Us Before You Need Us

The American Red Cross wants members of the National Guard, Reserves and other community-based military personnel to Get to Know Us Before You Need Us. All too often, members of the Reserves and National Guard don't know about available Red Cross services until they are mobilized. Knowing in advance that communication links, access to financial assistance and counseling will be available in an emergency brings peace of mind to the military and to the families from which they are separated.

An informational brochure called Get to Know Us Before You Need Us: Serving the Community-Based Military and Their Families can be obtained from the Mid-Missouri Chapter. We can also provide staff or volunteers to give presentations to help make you, your family, and other support groups more aware of the Red Cross services available for military families.