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FROM THE AMERICAN RED CROSS SITE:

Emergency Communications Services: http://bit.ly/J2tmh via @addthis

 

Emergency Communications Services

When a military family experiences a crisis, the American Red Cross is there to help. Twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year, the Red Cross relays urgent messages containing accurate, factual, complete and verified descriptions of the emergency to service members stationed anywhere in the world, including on ships at sea and at embassies and remote locations.
Red Cross emergency communications services keep military personnel in touch with their families following the death or serious illness of an immediate family member, the birth of a service member's child or grandchild or when a family faces other emergencies.
Where ever their military service takes them, he or she knows that the Red Cross will deliver notification in times of an emergency at home. Even if the service member receives an e-mail or phone call from home, Red Cross-verified information assists commanding officers with making a decision regarding emergency leave. Without this verification, the service member may not be able to come home during a family crisis.
How to Contact the Red Cross for Assistance
Call (877) 272-7337 (toll-free) if you are an Active duty service member stationed in the United States, or a family member residing with them.
Contact your local Red Cross chapter, which is listed in local telephone directory and at Your Local Red Cross,if you are:
o     Family members of active duty service members who do not reside in the service members' household,
o     Family members of Department of Defense Civilians assigned overseas
o     members of the National Guard and Reserves,
o     recruiters, MEPS military personnel
o     veterans and
o     civilians ,.
Call overseas base or installation operators or the Red Cross office at your location if you are:
o     Active-duty service members and family members residing with them or
o     Department of Defense civilians stationed overseas and family members residing with them. .
When calling the Red Cross, please provide as much of the following information about the service member as is known:

• Full name
• Rank/rating
• Branch of service (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard)
• Social Security Account number or date of birth
• Military address
• Information about the deployed unit and home base unit (for deployed service members only)