Q: Who or what is the Red Cross?

A: The American Red Cross is a non-profit organization whose primary focus is to Prevent, Prepare for and Cope with emergencies. In the event of an emergency, critical accident, illness or death in a service member's immediate family, the Red Cross should be called at once. If you need to initiate a Red Cross message from Okinawa, just click on "Service to Armed Forces" and follow the instructions. 

Q: What does the Red Cross have to offer?

• Emergency Communications
• Training Opportunities
• Volunteer Opportunities
• Networking
• Employment

Q: What kind of training can I get at Red Cross?

• Adult Fist Aid/CPR
• Baby Sitter Training
• Child/Infant CPR/First Aid
• Instructor Training
• Dental Assistant Training
• Pet CPR/First Aid
• Volunteer OJT

Q: How does Red Cross deal with disasters?

• We don't deal with disasters on the scale that the International or CONUS chapters do.
• We have assisted families who were victims of house fires.
• Our focus is more on education, preparation and prevention.

Q: How soon after I get my emergency message does Red Cross approve my leave?

A: The American Red Cross DOES NOT approve or disapprove an individual's leave. Leave policy is set by the individual's command. A verified Red Cross message is normally required for unit funding purposes.

Other things that we don't do:

• Sell cars
• Take blood donations - The ASBP (Armed Services Blood Program) at the Naval Hospital handles blood donations for the American and military community in Okinawa. We may host a blood donation event at our location but we do not take blood without the ASBP.
• Financial assistance except of behalf of NMCRS, AER or AFAS if they are not available.