Our Mission
Service to Armed Forces—Assisting Service
Members, Veterans and their Families
In Washington, DC, a volunteer helps a wounded warrior practice
walking on his new titanium legs at the Walter Reed Army Medical
Center.
The American Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces (SAF) program
ensures that service members, veterans and their families have
worldwide, around-the-clock access to timely and reliable comfort and
support.
As one small part of this comprehensive support program, several
times a week, wounded service members are airlifted from Iraq and
Afghanistan and met by Red Cross volunteers when they land at Andrews
Air Force Base in Maryland. From there, some are transported to
Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC to work with
top-notch medical personnel and more than 250 Red Cross volunteers
who give their time and talents throughout the hospital.
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More than 250 Red Cross volunteers at Walter Reed provide assistance in all areas, from the pharmacy to the physical therapy clinic
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"The Red Cross has been there for every wounded warrior
who’s come through our doors," said Col. Dennis Doyle,
the deputy commander for administration at Walter Reed. "That
level of service, that level of commitment, carries through the
entire process, with Red Cross volunteers assisting with the healing
process and helping with morale issues."
In fiscal year 2008, nearly 8,000 SAF volunteers answered the call
for help. Partnering with Congress, the Department of Defense and
the Department of Veterans Affairs, our volunteers provide military
personnel and their families with a worldwide integrated support
network to help them cope with the stress of military life in the
following ways:
- Assisting 1.4 million active-duty personnel and their families
- Delivering emergency messages and financial support (630,000
emergency communications services in fiscal year 2008)
- Supporting the sick and wounded at military and veterans hospitals
- Reaching out to more than 800,000 members of the National
Guard/Reserves and their families who reside in nearly every
community in the United States
- Helping military families cope with the stress of having a spouse
deployed overseas
- Representing veterans and their families before the Board of Veterans Appeals
Donations that support our Services to Armed Forces allow the Red
Cross to provide this service to the men and women who serve our
country, free of any financial burden.
Last year, the American Red Cross of Northwest Indiana Chapter provided emergency services to 684 local military members and their families, an average of 13 families per week. We also coordinated 2-3 military loans and grants per month to military members and their families who were experiencing severe financial crises.
Our pre-deployment workshop, “Getting To Know Us Before You Need Us,” was presented to 595 members of the military, their family members, and friends.
Our Chapter is also one of the founding members of the Northwest Indiana Military Resources Network, a coalition of local agencies providing supportive services to military members and their families.
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