Military Members and Families

Both active duty and community-based military can count on the Red Cross to provide emergency communications that link them with their families back home, access to financial assistance, counseling and assistance to veterans.

The Red Cross estimates that 4,500 hours annually are spent helping military families during times of crisis. To contact Armed Forces Emergency Services personnel through the Eastern Panhandle Chapter call (304) 725-5015, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

American Red Cross communication services keep military personnel in touch with their families following the death or serious illness of a family member or other important events, such as the birth of a child. The Red Cross quickly sends these communications on behalf of the family to members of the U.S. Armed Forces serving anywhere in the world, including ships at sea, embassies and isolated military units. The information or verification in a message assists the service member’s commanding officer with making a decision regarding emergency leave.

How to Contact the Red Cross to Send an Emergency Message

Active duty service members stationed in the United States and their immediate family members may call the Red Cross Armed Forces Emergency Service Centers for help 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The toll-free telephone number is available through base or installation operators and from local on-base Red Cross offices.
Other family members who do not reside in the service members’ household, members of the National Guard and Reserves, retirees and civilians may access Eastern Panhandle Chapter American Red Cross.
Overseas personnel stationed on military installations should call base or installation operators or the on-base Red Cross offices.
At overseas deployment sites, contact the American Red Cross deployed staff.

When calling the Red Cross to send an emergency message to a family member, it is helpful to have the following information:

Service member’s:

Full Name
Rank/Rating
Branch of Service
Social Security Number
Military Address
Information about the deployed unit and the home base unit (for deployed service members only)

Please clickt here for a more comprehensive explanation of how and what services the American Red Cross provides to military members and their families.

Want to volunteer as a Military Caseworker – so you can help put military families in touch during times of personal emergencies? Come to our volunteer training: To register for training opportunities, send us an e-mail.