By Tim Cherry
Staff Writer
Thursday, March 22, 2012

The 2012 Army Emergency Relief Fund campaign kicked started Tuesday with a ceremony at the 260th Regiment Regional Training Institute.

Army Community Service hosted the event to help raise awareness on post for AER, so Soldiers can contribute funds directly.

Col. John Strycula, Fort Belvoir Garrison Commander, gave opening remarks; followed by remarks from retired Sgt. Maj. Dennis Scott, AER assistant deputy director.

Both stressed the importance of knowing every AER service available to Soldiers, so they can share that information when asking for donations.

“I’ve always been a little bit surprised that the vast number of Soldiers who have been in the Army for several years that still aren’t familiar with AER,” said Scott, who has worked for the organization since February 1997. “Our goal has always been to maximize an effort to create this awareness of AER throughout the Army. Creating awareness is just as important as collecting donations.”

The new services AER offers were mentioned during Scott’s remarks. Those services include rental vehicles and dental services for family members of active-duty and retired Soldiers, which is in conjunction with AER’s integration of flexibility and latitude policy.

“We realized there was a need there because that’s what Soldiers were asking for,” Scott said. “We went to our board of managers and said we’ve determined a need exists in these categories, and we would like the board to authorize us to implement this as an authorized category of assistance. The board approved that.”

Key workers who attended the event said the new services will greatly benefit active-duty Soldiers.

“With personal experience, I had a vehicle that I was trying to keep alive and every month I was spending $300 to 400 in repairs,” said Sgt. Tom Heimel, 596 Signal Company. “So, the one where they help out Soldiers that need new vehicles is quite beneficial.”

Other key workers who attended said one reason they volunteered to help raise money is because they have used AER in the past, like Sgt. 1st Class Ruben Jauregui, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Special Activities, Chaplain Assistant for Chaplain Directorate.

Jauregui moved into a house off post in February and needed AER funds to make his first mortgage payment.

“I had to do that because, when I first moved off post, I had to break my lease, so they kept my Basic Housing Allowance and I needed that money for my first (mortgage) payment,” Jauregui said. “So, through AER I was given a partial grant and loan.”

Heimel, too, has received AER funds in the past to help his family through a variety of situations and said he enjoys the opportunity to give back.

“I’ve volunteered for four years now,” said Heimel. “I put the information out and try to get as much participation as I can from the Soldiers in my unit because AER has helped me at different times.”

As a kick off for this year’s campaign, the Association of the U.S. Army presented a $1,000 check to Scott at the ceremony’s end.