Emergency Financial Assistance

The American Red Cross works in partnership with the military aid societies including the Army Emergency Relief, Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, Air Force Aid Society and the Coast Guard Mutual Assistance. This alliance helps to provide financial assistance for emergency travel that requires the presence of the service member or his or her family, burial of a loved one, or with assistance that cannot wait until the next business day such as for food, temporary lodging, urgent medical needs, or the minimum amount required to avoid eviction, utility shut off, etc.

In FY 07, the Red Cross, in partnership with the military aid societies, facilitated access to more than $5.5 million in emergency financial aid to more than 5,000 service members, their families, retired military personnel and widows of retired military personnel.

Casualty Travel Assistance Program

The Casualty Travel Assistance Program (CTAP) provides travel assistance for two immediate family members to attend a memorial or funeral service for a service member killed on active duty in the combat zone.  The assistance includes roundtrip airfare, lodging and food.

In December 2007, the Red Cross expanded its financial assistance through CTAP. When traveling to the bedside of a service member injured in a combat zone, financial assistance is available for up to two immediate family members or eligible undeclared family member(s) visiting a service member in the Continental United States and U.S. territories.

Assistance includes:

• Roundtrip airfare
• Lodging costs for up to six nights.
• Food and incidentals for seven days at $50.00 per day per person.

To qualify for assistance, attending medical authorities must recommend the presence of the family members, and the military must have declined to issue Invitational Travel Orders.

How to contact the Red Cross for assistance

Active-duty service members stationed in the United States and family members residing with them: Call 877-272-7337 (toll-free).

Family members who do not reside in the service members' household, members of the National Guard and Reserves, retirees and civilians: Call your local Red Cross chapter, which is listed in local telephone books and at http://www.redcross.org/where/where.html.

Active-duty service members and DoD civilians stationed overseas and family members residing with them: Call base or installation operators or the Red Cross office at the overseas location.

It is helpful to have the following information ready to give to the caseworker:

Service member’s

• Full name
• Rank/rating
• Branch of service (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard)
• Social Security Number or Date of Birth
• Military address
• Information about the deployed unit and home base unit (for deployed service members only)