JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. –
Joint Base Langley-Eustis looks to raise $100,000 for its annual Army Emergency Relief campaign. AER is a private, nonprofit organization that was created to help Soldiers and their Family members who experience financial emergencies.
“AER is the Army’s non-profit organization” said Thomas Lindemann, JBLE Army Support Activity Operations officer and AER officer. “They provide assistance in the form of a zero percent interest loans, grants, a combination of the two and dependent scholarships.”
The JBLE ASA oversees the AER campaign and will host a kickoff event on March 19 at the Fort Eustis Confidence Course. Teams of two can participate in the Partner Obstacle Race with prizes for several categories including fastest time and best spirit. Registration is $25 for teams of two, and all proceeds go toward the AER campaign. More information is available at https://jble-eustismwr.com/partner-obstacle.
“The events this year will be on a completely different level,” said Lt. Col. Colin Greata, ASA commander. “They are not only a way to contribute to AER, but a way to build meaningful memories with your family, and you will be bragging to your teammates about going to them.”
For calendar year 2021, the Fort Eustis AER program provided 221 assistance cases to members of the JBLE community for a total value of $534,028. The 2021 JBLE AER campaign raised approximately $75,000.
AER provides funds to help Soldiers with immediate financial needs with rent, utilities, emergency travel, etc. AER may also provide emergency funds to Soldiers' orphans and Surviving Spouses and offers undergraduate scholarships to Spouses and Children of both active and retired Soldiers.
“For units, it might seem like contributing to the AER Campaign, and all events we’re going to have, is a distraction to the mission, but at the ASA, we see on a daily basis how what we do with AER is actually helping sustain Soldiers getting after their mission sets by easing the stress of financial burden,” said Greata. “It is one of the most direct ways for a Soldier to help another Soldier.”
Donations are tax deductible and can be received by unit AER representatives, at AER promotional events, DFAS allotments and on the AER website (www.armyemergencyrelief.org). Be sure to select Joint Base Langley-Eustis and the correct unit when donating online.