How To Initiate A Red Cross Message

Please call 1-877-272-7337to initiate a Red Cross emergency communication message. If you are located in Okinawa, please call 877-272-7337 from any A class DSN phoneline.

• Who is the emergency regarding and their relationship to the service member (i.e. mother, father, brother, sister, grandparents).
• What Type of emergency (i.e. death, illness, disaster, child care breakdown, etc.).
• Where is the Location of the emergency.
• When did the emergency occur. Is there a timetable of other events in conjunction with the emergency (i.e. funeral arrangements, etc.)
• Who is & How can the Local Point Of Contact be reached (i.e. a family member that is in the area and/or knows all the information regarding the emergency) be reached. Telephone number and relationship of Local Point Of Contact.

• Medical Authority if applicable, the doctor's name, hospital name, address and if possible the telephone number to either the doctor or the hospital.
• Medical Release if it is regarding the release of medical information please have the family contact the doctor so that the family can sign a release form (HIPPA Statement) so when the local Red Cross calls the doctor or the hospital the medical information needed can be released right away.

Additionally we will need the service member's current contact information:

 

•  Sponsor's Name
•  Rank
•  Social Security Number
•  Branch Of Service
•  Service member's unit or military address including FPO/APO number (not your PSC Box number).
• If service member is forward deployed, please tell us where and with what unit.

If family members in CONUS need to initiate

a Red Cross Message:

Your family should call 1-877-272-7337 which is a toll free number to the Service to the Armed Forces Center and they will help your family in initiating a Red Cross message. The case worker will need Your family to provide the following up-to-date information from you:

• Sponsor's Name
• Rank
• Social Security Number
• Branch Of Service
• Service member's unit or military address including FPO/APO number (not your PSC Box number).
• If service member is forward deployed, please tell us where and with what unit.

 

Additional Information

Once the Red Cross message is received it will be passed to the unit S-1 (Admin Office) or First Sgt. We will call by phone to pass to the unit the case number and contents of the Red Cross message. We also request once you have received your Red Cross message that you call our office at 645-3800 to confirm receipt of the message and whether or not you require any further assistance.

 

Leave policy is directed by your unit and not by the American Red Cross. The case number is what will be used for your leave orders. The American Red Cross does not ordinarily give out hard copies of the Red Cross message.

To check on the welfare of loved ones in disaster area or to report YOUR condition in a disaster area, click on the Safe and Well page of the Red Cross Head Quarters site.

 

 

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