EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – Retired Sgt. Maj. of the Army Tony Grinston has a message he is bringing to Fort Bliss. Army Emergency Relief is there to help soldiers and families, he said, and he doesn’t want soldiers to be afraid to ask for help when facing a financial emergency. Grinston is no w the chief executive officer for Army Emergency Relief, the Army’s official non-profit which is there to help soldiers and families.  Last year, AER helped about 2,600 soldiers and families at Fort Bliss, providing about $5 million in assistance, he said. Tony Grinston spreads the word about what Army Emergency Relief does. Courtesy of AER Tony Grinston spreads the word about what Army Emergency Relief does. Courtesy of AER Tony Grinston spreads the word about what Army Emergency Relief does. Courtesy of AER Grinston will be at Fort Bliss from Sunday, March 30, through Thursday, April 3. He visited the post last year as well. He will be talking to leaders and soldiers at the post and spreading the word about what AER is and what it can do for soldiers and their families. “We are all about helping soldiers and their families when they have a financial crisis in order to build readiness for the Army,” Grinston said. “If for example, if a soldier who is PCSing – moving to Fort Bliss – and they are struggling financially, it is hard for them to go to work and concentrate on their duties,” Grinston said.  Grinston said AER is available to help active-duty soldiers, Army Reserve soldiers who are on active orders for more than 30 days, their families and surviving spouses. Financial help is available for things like first- and last-month rent, car repairs and medical bills, among other things, Grinston said. Help is also available for soldiers who have been impacted by hurricanes or forest fires, he said. In addition, AER can help soldiers who are transitioning out of the service, he said. The nonprofit also offers educational scholarships for children and spouses. Financial assistance is available in the form of interest-free loans, grants or some combination, depending on the category of assistance needed. “I say this all the time: I want AER to be the number 1 nonprofit of choice,” Grinston said. “When I say that, I want you to think about AER. If you are going through a financial crisis and you just moved to El Paso and you can’t figure out how to pay that first month’s rent and that security deposit, you need to come to AER,” he said. He also wants soldiers to not be afraid to ask for help, which he knows can sometimes be difficult for people. At Fort Bliss, Army Emergency Relief is located at the Army Community Service building on Ricker Road. You can also reach out online for help or ask your chain of command about the program, if you are comfortable with that, Grinston said. Army Emergency Relief has been helping soldiers and families since 1942. It is entirely supported by donations from the public. No tax dollars go toward the program, Grinston said. Right now, AER is in the midst of its annual campaign to raise money. That campaign will end on June 14, which coincides with the U.S. Army’s 250th birthday. Soldiers can donate through a payroll allotment. The public can donate by visiting the organization’s website by clicking here. New this year, AER has tweaked its emergency travel program for soldiers who have suffered a qualifying death. Instead of having their travel paid for with a loan, it is now 100 percent a grant, which does not have to be paid back, Grinston said. AER is also moving to make all Army Reserve soldiers eligible for AER, regardless of active-duty status, he said.  “Before you put that on your credit card because you can’t afford to pay for it (in cash), you should come to Army Emergency Relief,” Grinston said. To learn about Army Emergency Relief’s programs or to donate, you can click here.  ...read more read less