Red Cross provides emergency communications for active duty military, DOD Civilians overseas and their family members. The Red Cross worker is available by phone by calling DSN 634-1294, option 1 during duty hours, option 2 after hours. Emergency communications include verification of illness or death of the immediate family of active duty service members or their spouse. Immediate family is mother, father, siblings, spouse, child or person in place of parents.

You will need the following information to initiate a Red Cross message:

 Type of emergency, location of emergency, who is the emergency regarding (i.e. mother, father, siblings, grandparents, etc.)

 Local point of contact (i.e. a family member that knows all the information regarding the emergency),

 Name, telephone number, city, state and relationship to the service member of the local point of contact and an alternate.

 If applicable, the doctors name, hospital name and telephone number to doctor or hospital

 If regarding release of medical information, the patient or family will need to sign a release form giving the Red Cross access to the needed medical information.

If your family in CONUS wants to initiate a Red Cross message:

 a. Family should contact their local Red Cross Office and provide the above information in addition to the following:

         1. Sponsors name

          2. Rank

          3. Social Security Number

          4. Branch of Service

          5. Sponsors unit address (not the mailing or PSC address)

Please ensure your family (parents, in-laws, siblings anyone that would contact Red Cross in an emergency) has the name, rank, social security number and unit address of the sponsor. Correct information gives Red Cross the ability to service an emergency message in a timely manner.  

Once the Red Cross Message is received, the contents and case number will be given to the First Sergeant or Staff Duty Officer. Command is responsible for making emergency leave decisions. We also request once you have your Red Cross message that you call our office at 634-1294/1979, so that we may let your family know you are in receipt of the message. Miliatry command and not the American Red Cross direct leave policy.  The American Red Cross does not give out hard copies of the Red Cross Message.