Heather Ashley | Fort Cavazos Public Affairs | March 20, 2025

FORT CAVAZOS, Texas — Army Emergency Relief CEO and 16th Sergeant Major of the Army Michael A. “Tony” Grinston was at Fort Cavazos, Texas, last week to kick-start the installation’s annual AER campaign and spread awareness about the program he holds near and dear to his heart.“Every day I wake up and my sole purpose is to help Soldiers and their Families,” Grinston told the crowd during the kickoff event March 11 at Fort Cavazos’ Phantom Warrior Lanes. “I love what I do.”

AER, the official nonprofit of the U.S. Army, provides no-interest loans, grants and scholarships to active-duty, retired, National Guard and Reserve Soldiers activated on Title 10 orders for more than 30 days, their Families and surviving spouses, to relieve unexpected and urgent financial distress.

The annual campaign to raise awareness about AER runs from March 1 through June 14. This year’s fundraising goal is for 25% of the active-duty Army to donate.

Last year’s goal was 10% and 15.1% of active-duty troops donated, Grinston said.

Each year, AER provides $60 million in assistance to eligible Soldiers and Families, with $21 million awarded as grants to 35,000 Soldiers and their Families. In a four-year enlistment, one in five Soldiers will receive assistance from AER, Grinston said.

Recently, AER provided $1,000 grants to 124 Soldiers who lost their household goods when a fire destroyed a storage facility in Killeen. Grinston said he knows that money cannot replace the intangible memories of items, such as Family photos lost in the fire, but it will help.

“I’m just hoping to alleviate some of the stress,” he said.

Command Sgt. Maj. Loyd Rhoades, U.S. Army Garrison-Fort Cavazos command sergeant major, said he has received assistance from AER twice — once as a specialist and again as a master sergeant.

“You never know when life happens,” Rhoades said.

U.K. Maj. Gen. Ben Cattermole, III Armored Corps Deputy Commanding General for Support ,said he is impressed with AER, not only because of its mission but how that mission is carried out.

“Army Emergency Relief is one of those things I want to take home,” the British army general said at the kickoff event, noting that wanting to help Soldiers is primary, but how the program accomplishes that assistance is important.

“In significant part, the AER is about Soldiers helping Soldiers,” Cattermole said. “It’s about us doing a little bit to give back to fellow Soldiers.”

To help those in need, AER relies on charitable donations but Grinston does not like to ask for money.

“I prefer to just tell people what we do,” he said.

The first case he worked with AER, Grinston logged into the computer system and read about a staff sergeant with Stage IV cancer, in a hospital in Houston. His wife needed money for a rental car and hotel. Grinston ensured she received a $4,000 grant and his
contact information.

He said that is who AER helps, and there are hundreds of stories out there.

“If you don’t want to help a Soldier like that, don’t give to AER, but if you do, give to AER because that’s what we do,” Grinston said. “You are literally helping alleviate the stress of that spouse who just wants to be there for her husband.

“I’ve found that people want to give to help other Soldiers,” Grinston added.

Grinston has served on the AER board for seven years and was named CEO of the nonprofit in 2024. He considers this a calling.

One of his first stops at Fort Cavazos was a motor pool visit with 3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division.

He spoke to the Soldiers about AER and services available.

“Here’s the thing — we, AER, give out more money than we take in for grants, and you would say, ‘Why do I need to give to AER?’” Grinston said. “So, I say, ‘Why do we give money to AER?’ Well, our goal this year is to have 25% of the Army, active-duty, give to AER. Why is it not a dollar amount? Well, believe it or not, the other night I was down in Austin and I was talking to folks about donating to AER. Imagine I go to them and I tell them that only 5% of the Soldiers give to AER. You know what they’re going to tell me? ‘If the Soldiers don’t believe in you, why would I give you a whole bunch of money?’”

Grinston said the Soldiers’ commitment to helping their own speaks volumes when it comes to generating outside support for AER.

How to help

There are many ways to donate to AER. When shopping at an Army and Air Force Exchange Service shop or the Main Exchange, there is a donation option at checkout to add $1 to benefit AER. Soldiers can donate by completing Form 4908 through their campaign coordinator. Donations can also be made online.

Other ways to help AER are through volunteering at fundraising events, sharing the program’s information through social media and word of mouth or just helping Soldiers and their Families directly.

“Bottom line, you’re helping AER when you do that,” Grinston said.

How AER helps

The program provides loans or grants for unexpected financial hardships including home repairs, medical co-pays not covered by TRICARE, utilities and vehicle repairs. Requests for assistance are reviewed on an individual basis.

There are scholarships available for Family members through AER as well.

How to receive help

Those who need financial assistance through AER have several avenues of access.

Soldiers can go to their chain of command to receive a loan, with a commander or first sergeant able to approve a no-interest loan up to $2,000. Garrison commanders can approve a no-interest loan of up to $5,000.

AER officers at Army Community Service can assist with the process and the Form 100. Grinston recommends calling AEROs to discuss the need and find out what paperwork is required from the person requesting the assistance.

Calls can also be made to AER Headquarters where there are seven assistance representatives to help with the process.

Grinston said his goal is for those in need to receive funds within 24-48 hours of the completed request or application, with all the required documents and information.

“It goes pretty quickly if you have all the paperwork,” he said.

The online forms are tailored to the specific need and will streamline the application process, Grinston added.

“I just want to help people, and I want to help Soldiers,” he said. “I’m still trying to do anything I can to help Soldiers.”

Funds can be received through Zelle, Automated Clearing House (ACH) deposits or other electronic transfers.

Eligibility for AER assistance

Active-duty, National Guard and Reserve Soldiers on Title X longer than 30 days, their Families, surviving spouses and retirees are eligible for AER assistance.

“If your Soldier died on active duty or died as a retiree, you will always be eligible for AER assistance,” Grinston said.

Additionally, he said his hope is by the end of the year Army Reserve will be eligible full-time, regardless of status.

“We’ll provide some financial assistance to help those Soldiers be more ready Soldiers so they don’t have to worry about the financial needs and they can focus on their wartime mission,” Grinston said.

Changes over last year

“Over the past year, we’ve made emergency travel a full grant,” Grinston said. Previously, emergency travel, such as airline travel to attend a funeral, was granted as 50% interest-free loan and 50% grant.

Grinston thought about this when he traveled to see his mother during an illness and later for her funeral. Grinston and his Family wound up stuck in Atlanta and needed a hotel. He thought about a young Soldier going through the grief and worrying about paying for the tickets and hotel. As the sergeant major of the Army at the time, Grinston could afford the expense, but he thought about the younger Soldiers who might not be financially stable enough to afford unexpected emergency travel expenses.

“I thought it would be appropriate that we would do that as a 100% grant, so in January (2025) we made that a 100% grant,” Grinston said.

The AER CEO is still looking ahead at changes to improve the program and access to it.

A new change is the fully online application. It’s tailored to the specific needs of the user and lets them know what documents need to be uploaded. AER financial assistance requests are no longer processed through the American Red Cross or other military service aid society offices (Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, Air Force Aid Society and Coast Guard Mutual Assistance).

“You’d log in and see where your application is, who has it, if approved, when they sent it, DocuSign and return it,” Grinston said. “… It’ll do away with some of the back and forth and the paperwork, and I think it will make the AER experience much better. You’re already going through a difficult time. It’s really hard to ask for help. Don’t make it painful by going back and forth, so I’m super excited about the
online application.”

It all comes down to helping Soldiers and their Families, and Grinston’s message is he and AER will do everything they can to answer that call for assistance.

“We are here to help you,” Grinston told the Soldiers, Family members and retirees gathered at Phantom Warrior Lanes. “I told everybody I want to find a way to say ‘yes,’ and I am going to do everything I can to make sure that we’re here, not just for now, but for the next 250 years.”

For more information about AER, how to donate or to apply for assistance, visit www.ArmyEmergencyRelief.org.

More on the 2025 AER Annual Campaign.