How To Send A Red Cross Message To A Member Of Military In An Emergency?

For decades, the American Red Cross has made it possible for loved ones, parents, spouses, and other relatives to get in touch with a member of the military who is serving overseas or are otherwise unavailable in the event of an emergency. The American Red Cross provides emergency communications services in addition to all of its other good works projects to keep members of the military in touch with their families after the death or during a serious illness of an immediate family member. A Red Cross message can also be sent to a service member in the event of the birth of a service member’s child or grandchild and other emergencies.

What Is A Red Cross Message?

Twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year, the American Red Cross can quickly send an emergency communications to a stateside or deployed service member on behalf of their family. The America Red Cross will deliver a Red Cross message notification in times of an emergency. Often commanding officers use the Red Cross-verified information from a Red Cross message to assist them with making a decision regarding whether or not to grant emergency leave. Recently a Soldier of mine received a Red Cross message about a grandfather who was on his deathbed. After talking with the grandfather’s attending physician from the information provided by the Red Cross message, the command team was able to determine just how serious the situation was and send the Soldier home as fast as possible. Without this verification provided from information by the Red Cross message, military members may not be able to return home during a family crisis or emergency.

What Information Do Family Members Need To Send A Red Cross Message?

When calling the American Red Cross, it helps them locate your loved one in the military if you can provide as much information about the Soldier as possible. At a minimum, you should have the following information about the service member when you initiate a Red Cross message:

1. Full name
2. Rank
3. Branch of service (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard)
4. Social Security Account number or date of birth
5. Military address, location of the base or FOB if overseas in combat
6. Information about the unit’s name (B Company, 123 Maintenance Battalion, etc.)

It will be dramatically easier for the American Red Cross to get the Red Cross message to your loved one if you have as much information as possible. One of the biggest problems that people run into is that their Soldier, Sailor, Airman, or Marine have not provided their loved ones with the information needed (especially about unit’s name, FOB location, etc.) prior to leaving for deployment. Members of the military should make it easy on their loved ones by giving them this information just in case prior to deployment or as soon as they arrive overseas if possible.

How To Send A Red Cross Message?

If you need to initiate a Red Cross Message, you can call toll-free 1-877-272-7337. You can also contact your local Red Cross chapter which is listed in local your local phonebook or online at www.redcross.org.

Be sure that your loved ones have the information that they need in case an emergency happens at home. There should be no reason that loved ones are scrambling for information that they need when they are grieving or focused on a family crisis.

(photo credit: Shutterstock)

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