Red Cross Messages for Deployment
Red Cross Deployment Services

A Red Cross message INFORMS the Soldier and unit what is happening, it does not mean your Soldier will be sent home from a deployment. The unit chain of command determines if the Soldier will come home.

Situations for which an Emergency Message can be sent include:

• Death
• Illness/injury
• Leave extension
• Birth
• Financial assistance
• Child care issues

Red Cross emergency message may be about the Family of the service member or spouse to include:

• Father/mother (to include step-parents and legally adoptive parents)
• Brother/sister (to include step and half siblings)
• Children (to include step-children)
• Person standing in place of the parent
• Only living blood relative
• Grandparents/great-grandparents
• Grandchildren (not considered immediate family)
• Undeclared family member (fiancé or fiancée, domestic partner, common-law spouse)

Service members and their Families assigned to Fort Carson can call 719-526-7144/2311 during duty hours or 877-272-7337 (24/7) to start or check on the status of a Red Cross message.

Requests can also be submitted online at http://www.redcross.org/get-help/military-families/emergency-communication for certain emergency situations.

To start an Emergency Message, you need the following information for the service member:

• Last name, first name, middle initial
• Date of birth
• Social Security Number (SSN)
• Phone number
• Unit geographic locations and deployed APO if applicable (your unit, Rear D or FRG can help with this information)
• Verification source — This could be the hospital, doctor or funeral home to confirm the details of this emergency
• A Fort Carson point of contact should the Red Cross need to follow up on anything