By Acacia Cameron, RN 

For Annalynn Kale, Service to Armed Forces and International Services Regional Program Manager with the American Red Cross of South Carolina, deployment means purpose.  

“It’s our no-fail mission,” Kale said. “We’re congressionally chartered to be there.” When service members need to connect with their families during an emergency, the Red Cross is the one they turn to. 

Kale’s first deployment took her to Romania in 2023, where she served for four and a half months. On a base that runs for 24 hours a day, Annalynn worked the evening shift from 4 p.m. to midnight, often referred to as the “heavy morale shift” when the majority of the service members were off-duty. She would oversee activities like art therapy and karaoke. Her team handled the entire European caseload for emergency communications.  

“We delivered several thousand messages, and I personally handled about 60 to 70 percent of them,” she said. “These messages are about life events — someone is sick, dying, or a baby is born. We verify the information by calling hospitals or coroners so that commanding officers can make informed decisions with correct information.”  

Living and working alongside service members, Kale says the experience offered a unique perspective on military life. “We live on base and follow the same rules,” she said. “We eat the same food, use the same bathrooms, etc. Sometimes their rules are a lot stricter than ours.”  

Her enthusiasm for the work remains undiminished. “It’s the most fulfilling part of what I do,” she reflected. “Someone once told me, ‘You might remember five service members, but all of them will remember you.’ That has stuck with me.” 

In addition to her Red Cross work, Kale also serves as an active reservist in the U.S. Navy. She encourages others to consider joining the Red Cross Reserve Program. “They’re always looking for people,” she said. “It’s a way to support our troops directly.” Kale’s deployments balance both the human and logistical sides of service. Whether in Romania or at a future base yet to be named, her mission remains the same — to bring connection, compassion, and comfort to those serving far from home. 

Service to Armed Forces: How the Red Cross Supports the Military Community 

For nearly 140 years, the American Red Cross has stood beside members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families — from enlistment through life after service. 

• The Red Cross helps service members, veterans, and their families prepare for, cope with, and respond to the challenges of military life through its Hero Care Network, which provides 24/7 emergency communication messages, financial assistance, and access to vital community resources. 
  

• Each year, the organization assists more than 220,000 military and veteran families through a global network of volunteers and staff. 

• The Red Cross maintains a presence on more than 380 military installations and deployment sites worldwide, ensuring that support is available wherever service members are stationed. 

• Programs also focus on the whole health of the military community, including behavioral health workshops, hospital and peer support programs, and caregiver networks that foster connection and well-being. 
   

Through every phase of duty, the Red Cross remains committed to one simple promise: to be there whenever and wherever military families need them most.