Red Cross assists military families

In the old days, it was often the American Red Cross that notified soldiers or sailors of tragedy at home. In today's high-tech military, most soldiers, even in harm's way, are in e-mail communication with families at home.

But the Red Cross still plays a vital role in helping arrange for emergency leave and other types of assistance for military families, and the events of the past four years have multiplied the calls for assistance to the Heart of Tennessee Chapter of the American Red Cross, which covers Murfreesboro and Bedford counties.

"We used to have 10, maybe 15 a month," said Eugeana Chism, director of Armed Forces Emergency Services (AFES) for the chapter. Now, she fields 25 to 35 calls a month, and sometimes three or four a day, at all hours.

"I'm pretty much on call 24/7, no matter where I go," said Chism, who has worked with the program for nearly 10 years.

The American Red Cross has worked to assist members of the Armed Forces for more than 90 years. With a number of National Guard members from Bedford County now overseas, the military service role of the Red Cross has become even more relevant to local residents.

The Red Cross provides assistance to help members of the military connect with their families in time of emergency. This usually takes the form of being an intermediary -- verifying that a crisis is legitimate and then presenting that information to the military on the family's behalf.

"We're the party that verifies those situations," said Chism. That can mean confirming that a relative has died or determining how serious an illness is.

The Murfreesboro-based chapter soon will have office space, and eventually a Shelbyville telephone number, in the building on Railroad Avenue which now houses Bedford County Emergency Management Agency. The phone number will be answered in Murfreesboro when there's no one in Shelbyville to answer it.

If there is a death, birth or serious illness at home, family members can contact the Red Cross to start the process of asking for a soldier to be allowed to come home on leave. Even though the soldier may have learned about the situation by e-mail or instant messaging, the family member must still contact the Red Cross to initiate the process of asking for an emergency leave.

Chism said most soldiers now have e-mail access; it's "few and far between" for a soldier not to already be in contact with the family during a time of crisis.

"Sometimes it makes our job a little harder," said Chism, "because they're antsy and they're ready to come home" once learning about an emergency situation.

The ultimate decision on whether to grant a leave, of course, is made by the military.

"You didn't let me come home," some soldiers tell the Red Cross.

"Sorry," responds Heart of Tennessee Chapter Assistant Director Madeline Methvin. "It wasn't our decision."

If a soldier or sailor is home on leave, he may incur unexpected expenses. Methvin said that, for example, a soldier home on leave might drive from Tennessee to North Carolina to visit his parents. His car might break down, leaving him stranded and in danger of not returning to duty at the appointed time.

In that type of situation, the soldier or his family would contact the Red Cross, who would prepare an application for a no-interest loan to be given by Army Emergency Relief. It is actually the Army, not Red Cross, that makes the loan, but the military depends on Red Cross to verify the need and prepare the application.

"The military knows that we verify everything," said Methvin.

If the loan is approved, the Red Cross will write the check directly to the vendor -- say, an automobile repair shop -- to get the soldier on his way. The Army will work out a manageable repayment plan and deduct the loan from the soldier's paycheck.

The Red Cross can also play a role in providing referrals and even some limited assistance to families here at home.

"We also try to welcome home the soldiers," said Methvin.

As soon as a military unit in Tennessee is activated, the appropriate Red Cross chapters are notified, said Methvin, and the Red Cross is usually invited to participate in a briefing for family members. They tell family members about the services provided and urge them to carry their soldier's information -- name, rank, unit, Social Security number and military address -- on their person at all times in case an emergency happens and the Red Cross needs to be contacted.

Chism said that new privacy laws governing health care have also complicated the process. If a family member of a soldier is about to be admitted to the hospital, Chism said the family should make sure that the American Red Cross is listed on the paperwork as being allowed to ask for patient information. Otherwise, the process of verifying an illness can be slowed down as the Red Cross faxes paperwork back and forth to the hospital.

For more information about the Heart of Tennessee chapter and its programs, call toll-free (877) 813-0311 or long distance (615) 893-4272. The mailing address is Heart of Tennessee American Red Cross, 836 Commercial Ct., Murfreesboro TN 37129-4951. The web site is hot.redcross.org.

The new Shelbyville phone number will be publicized once it has been established.