There’s no doubt military life can be stressful for service members and their families — especially for new recruits preparing to leave home for boot camp. But in Boise, Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces volunteer Clarence Garrett is there to make that transition a little easier.

Garrett works with the Boise Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) — the federal office where recruits sign their final paperwork, take their oath and prepare to ship out to basic training.

During these meetings with recruits and their families, Garrett explains how the Red Cross can help reach a deployed service member during a family emergency and outlines the support that’s available for loved ones staying behind.

“Our visits are essential,” Garrett said. “It is the ‘get to know us before you need us’ information. We are often the first support system they encounter, connecting them to vital aid for emergencies.”

Swear-ins in Boise generally happen twice a week, with four to eight recruits departing for basic training during the winter. In the summer, that number rises to 10–20.

“The recruit could be here, accompanied by a spouse, parents or siblings, who watch their swearing in,” Garrett said. “We then talk with all of them about who they can talk to at the Red Cross, as we are part of their emergency contact system.”

Major life events like a serious illness, death in the family or birth of a child could trigger a Red Cross emergency communication.

 “We can contact service members while they are deployed and contact their command to let them know what's going on,” he said. “The Armed Services and the Red Cross can then work to get the service member home on leave, if appropriate.”

But the most important part, he said, is making sure the service member and their loved ones know someone will be there when life happens.

Garrett also makes sure new military spouses know the Red Cross can help them navigate the challenges of a deployment.

 “We have a list of all the food banks, diaper banks and such to help the at-home spouse take care of the family,” he said. “We also have resilience training that can help them prepare as a family.

“This can ease their stress and let them know they are not alone in this.”

Garrett knows that stress well. Born in 1971, he served in the U.S. Navy from 1989 to 1993, including a deployment during Desert Storm on a submarine armed with ballistic missile systems. After returning stateside, he learned firsthand how crucial Red Cross communication services can be.

“My dad had a heart attack, and my stepmom called the Red Cross, who in turn, called my command,” he said. “My sub was in port when that happened. My commanding officer authorized emergency leave and collaborated with the Red Cross to get a flight back home for me from Massachusetts to Boise.

“If it hadn't been for the Red Cross notifying me and my command, I don't know what would have happened. The airline bumped a passenger off my flight to get me home on a flight -- first class.”

He joked that the luxury didn’t mean much that day – it was all about seeing his dad.

“I got to Boise in the morning and my dad was just getting out of triple bypass,” he said. “I was there all due to the Red Cross.”

HERO CARE NETWORK

The American Red Cross Hero Care Network provides emergency communications and critical services to military members, veterans and their families all over the world seven days a week, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. To request help, call 1-877-272-7337.