According to this article from the AP it seems the non-profit “charity,” Army Emergency Relief has been stingy with money that is supposed to be used to help our men and women in uniform get through tough times. What the hell is going on??
FORT BLISS, Texas – As soldiers stream home from Iraq and Afghanistan, the biggest charity inside the U.S. military has been stockpiling tens of millions of dollars meant to help put returning fighters back on their feet, an Associated Press investigation shows.
Between 2003 and 2007 — as many military families dealt with long war deployments and increased numbers of home foreclosures — Army Emergency Relief grew into a $345 million behemoth. During those years, the charity packed away $117 million into its own reserves while spending just $64 million on direct aid, according to an AP analysis of its tax records.
Superior officers come calling when AER loans aren’t repaid on time. Soldiers can be fined or demoted for missing loan payments. They must clear their loans before transferring or leaving the service.
Despite strict rules against coercion, the Army uses pushy tactics to extract supposedly voluntary contributions, with superiors using language like: “How much can we count on from you?”
Please feel free to contact them to voice your thoughts!
Army Emergency Relief
200 Stovall Street
Alexandria, VA 22332Phone: 703-428-0000
Toll Free: 866-878-6378
DSN: 328-0000
Fax: 703-325-7183
DSN: 221-7183
Email: aer@aerhq.org
