By Debra R. Cox, American Red Cross Team 54 Field Member

Referred to as “The Long Red Line,” Service to the Armed Forces is a storied, extraordinary, and impactful mission supporting our military members around the globe. Even prior to her founding of the American Red Cross, Clara Barton was the very first of this “Long Red Line,” initiating her mission by addressing the needs of military members throughout the Civil War, delivering direly needed food and medical supplies and both writing and finding means to deliver communications to the families of those military members. We are Team 54.

As one of our primary services, the Red Cross has ensured that Service to the Armed Forces continues that legacy by supporting commands at over 100 installations around the globe and training and deploying teams to stand-up, support and deliver Red Cross services in multiple locations. Before our team, 53 additional incredibly diverse, talented, and committed teams of individuals have prepared to be absent from their families, ultimately giving up months of their lives back home to serve those who serve our country.

I am fortunate to be one of the 22 deployed members of Team 54. As we trained together for weeks prior to deploying, it became exceedingly apparent that the incredible diversity of experiences and strengths of our team members is fit for fulfilling and exceeding the expectations for our mission. The Red Cross has ensured this by developing and unequivocally supporting the training required to be successful in the field. Training includes team-building, passing intensive coursework, medical and security requirements and for those who are full-time staff members, training individuals who will replace us in our positions at home. Our reservists, however, go through the same demanding training as those of us in the field with permanent stations.

The final two intensive weeks of training in Indiana serve to bring together people who have completely committed to the mission heart, mind, body, and soul. Our mission requires this, as many of us will go to remote and austere places with limited services to be certain the goal of service to humanity continues to make the loudest statement of all: We serve, ideally to prevent suffering, but when that is not possible, we serve to alleviate suffering, for we are the American Red Cross.

Delivering emergency communications to military members is our primary goal; however, once in theater, we also work on morale programs and work alongside commands to ensure support for members as needs arise. Sometimes this means walking with service members through their own extremely challenging times as they receive messages from home regarding the illness, injury, or death of a loved one. This process includes getting these emergency messages to commands who then decide whether the military member will be released for the emergency, then working with a plethora of organizations to be certain the military member and their respective family members receive support during and after the family emergency.

None of this is easy, but we never expected it to be. We will work at least 12 hours a day seven days a week. We will extend those hours if necessary. Many of us will work in extreme conditions, from frozen environments to 130-plus degrees environments. We will reach out to our teammates and loved ones when the going gets tough, and it will undoubtedly be tough, but we will serve without flinching because we believe in the mission: serving those who serve, as their own sacrifices are far greater. As is true of all Red Crossers, our hope is to make a difference. It is truly an honor and a privilege for Team 54, as it has been for over a century of Red Cross teams in military theaters around the globe, and we will inevitably be changed by our experiences because we are walking down the long red line.

-from the field

Debra Cox’s Service to the Armed Forces Deployment

The Red Cross provides in-person support for troops on all military installations in the U.S. and on more than 35 overseas installations including the Far East, Middle East and Europe. In addition to Debra Cox’s work serving members of the military community in Southern California, she has also deployed to Kuwait as a member of the Service to the Armed Forces team. She is serving alongside fellow Red Crossers dedicated to providing important services to military members during their time away from home. From facilitating Emergency Communication Messages to providing volunteer opportunities to service members, to offering resiliency and self-care opportunities, SAF teams deployed across the world provide members of the armed forces with important services. During her deployment, Debra is also writing about her experience in a series of stories titled From the Field.