Chapter also warns of new scam targeting military families

As published in the Jefferson County Suburban Journals .

The American Red Cross cares about military personnel and their families and is here to serve as an important resource during times of need.

Omar Ruiz of the Jefferson County Service Center and Nicole Holtgrefe of the St. Louis Area Chapter provided an overview of Red Cross Armed Forces Emergency Services during an interview June 8 on KJFF Radio (1400 AM). Ruiz and Holtgrefe also warned listeners about a new scam targeting spouses of deployed members of the Armed Forces.

As part of a nationwide network of support comprised of nearly 800 chapters, the American Red Cross serves 1.4 million active duty personnel and 1.5 million members of the National Guard and the Reserves. Last year in the St. Louis area alone, the Red Cross assisted more than 6,300 military service members and their families. In addition to serving in Red Cross chapters across the country, Armed Forces Emergency Services personnel work on more than 100 military installations around the world - including alongside our troops in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Afghanistan and Iraq.

As part of its congressional mandate, the American Red Cross has assisted the American people for many years in communicating with family members serving in the Armed Forces. As part of that service, the Red Cross provides resources for military service members stationed around the world to send and receive messages during emergencies or other important events. Communications can occur around-the-clock - 24-hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year.

More than 95 percent of family emergencies result from the death or serious illness of a close relative at home and prompt families to send a message through the Red Cross to a deployed military service member. Once the local Red Cross chapter has verified all details related to the emergency, information is sent to the service member stationed anywhere in the world. Military officials then make a decision regarding emergency leave, often checking with the Red Cross for verification.

Before deploying for active military duty, departing service members and their families are briefed by Red Cross chapters. The "Get to Know Us Before You Need Us" program outlines support services that are available to them during times of need. In addition to communication resources, active duty and community based military service members can count on the Red Cross for referrals to military aid societies for financial assistance and other crisis intervention.

Guardsmen and reservists are being called to active duty in record numbers. Not only does this occur more frequently, but the deployments often last for longer periods of time. Most recently, the 735th National Guard Unit from Jefferson County deployed for active duty and is serving in Operation Enduring Freedom. The St. Louis Area Chapter remains ready to assist family members throughout the region who await the return of their loved ones.

Ruiz and Holtgrefe shifted focus during the interview to warn listeners about a new scam targeting the spouses of deployed members of the Armed Forces. While the new scam has so far proved to be isolated, the Red Cross and the Department of Defense are spreading the word in an effort to protect the public.

As part of the scam, a caller contacted a military spouse and falsely identified herself as a Red Cross representative seeking personal information about the deployed military service member. The caller claimed the personal information was needed to initiate medical treatment, falsely informing the spouse that her husband had been injured in the line of duty. In this case, the spouse was quick to catch on to the scam and did not provide any information to the caller.

The Red Cross does not report casualty information to family members - that is the role of the Department of Defense. Furthermore, the Red Cross will only contact service members and their dependents in response to an emergency message initiated by the military family. The American Red Cross urges the public to refrain from providing personal information over the phone if contacted by unknown/unverified individuals. Should a family member receive a suspicious call, report it to the local Family Readiness Group or Military Personnel Flight.

To learn more about Armed Forces Emergency Services available through the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter, Ruiz and Holtgrefe encouraged the public to contact the Jefferson County Service Center in Arnold at 636.464.9150 or www.redcrossstl.org.

Red Cross programs and services will be featured again during a KJFF Radio interview at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, July 13. Listeners will have an opportunity to call in with questions.