Soldier Readiness is one of the top priorities of the U.S. Army – and for Army Emergency Relief as well!
AER was created during World War II when the Secretary of War and Chief of Staff of the Army realized that Soldiers were distracted by troubles back home. Since then, AER has worked tirelessly to ensure our Soldiers are able to concentrate on their missions by providing assistance back home. But military life can be spontaneous and abrupt, so Soldier Readiness cannot be achieved without proper planning.
The U.S. Army’s Plan
The U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center has dozens of booklets, pamphlets and manuals that establish guides for handling just about any emergency. Their goal is to “preserve Army readiness through analysis, training and the development of systems that prevent accidental loss of our people and resources.”
“Through more than 60 years of existence, the USACRC and its various iterations have all been focused on the singular goal of preventing needless loss, preserving the lives of Soldiers and Army civilians, and maintaining the Army’s status as the world’s most ready and capable military force. Change may be constant, but that commitment remains unwavering.” – USACRC
Last year, the U.S. Army approved the Regionally Aligned Readiness and Modernization Model (ReARMM) to further ensure Soldier Readiness by structuring the Army “to respond to day-to-day competition requirements while posturing to respond to Crisis and win in Conflict.”
Below are two of the U.S. Army’s Readiness Initiatives:
Climate Change
One of the key threats to readiness and, even national security, is the impending danger of climate change and extreme weather. The U.S. Army has been diligently working on establishing a Climate Action Plan and Strategy in its commitment to keeping Soldiers and their Families safe in times of emergency. Climate change has led to the rise of sea level, droughts and flooding – all of which can lead to unstable and insecure military infrastructure from supplies and logistics to our military bases.
To mitigate extreme weather threats and ensure readiness, the U.S. Army is developing a Climate Change Initiative and Action Plan. Focuses on sustainability measures, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and the protection of assets and installations are included in the plan to support Soldiers and their Families. In the face of any emergency or natural disaster, Planning and Response guidelines are provided through the U.S. Army to assist Soldiers in recovery.
Northern Strike
This readiness exercise is an Air National Guard, Joint National Training Capability accredited exercise, co-sponsored by the Army National Guard. While it began in 2012, it is now one of the nation’s largest collective training events. This year, it will occur July 31 until August 14 as it prepares our Soldiers for potential threats and tests out new technology.
How AER Helps You Plan
Army Emergency Relief has been helping Soldiers since 1942, with varying categories of assistance. During times of emergencies and climate threats, assistance can include home repair, emergency travel, preparation and evacuation from natural disasters, temporary lodging, and even funeral expenses. See our recent blog post on AER’s recent allocation of $1 million in grants toward natural disaster relief.
But aside from the financial assistance AER provides, there are also a variety of events and collaborations with resourceful organizations that help connect military Families with the support available in their community. Most recently, AER hosted a Facebook Live with Military Spouse Ambassador Krista Simpson Anderson and Emergency Operations and Contingency Planner Kat Munoz where they discussed the importance of planning for emergencies and where our military Families can begin. These resources can be found on the AER website, media communications, and AER Spouse Group.
Upcoming Events:
07/14: Join AER for a Facebook Live with the creator of List and File, a PCS and military life organization tool, on Wednesday, July 14 at 1PM EST. We will discuss how to prepare for the unexpected and the tools and support available.
08/11: The second segment of AER’s brand new Spouse Empowerment Series will be hosted through Zoom on August 11 at 12PM EST. This series provides military Spouses and Families with a casual, comfortable environment to discuss all things military life while special guests introduce helpful resources to navigating it all. The next segment’s guests are Susan Sellers and Louise Webb from Military Child Education Coalition as we get into Back-to-School Season – you won’t want to miss it! You can register for the event here: https://bit.ly/36lOibx