The Red Cross: Role In War

The seven Fundamental Principles – humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality—guide all Red Cross services and they ensure access to people in need.

The principles of neutrality and impartiality allow the Red Cross to help all those who are in humanitarian need.

The Red Cross does not issue statements condemning the behavior of any government involved in a conflict or potential conflict or for their alleged violations of the Geneva Conventions as these political statements may endanger the humanitarian efforts of the ICRC or jeopardize ICRC efforts to gain access to prisoners of war and thereby diminish chances of Red Cross protection and assistance.

The ICRC acts as the lead agency for the Movement during times of armed conflict.

The Geneva Conventions, upheld by the Red Cross Movement, stipulate humanitarian treatment without discrimination for wounded and sick members of the armed forces on land and at sea, prisoners of war and civilians.

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Refugee Humanitarian Aid

As in all conflict situations, the American Red Cross will provide appropriate humanitarian assistance when the request comes from the ICRC or if it is requested directly from another Red Cross society.

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Armed Forces Emergency Services (AFES)

The American Red Cross assists U.S. military service members and their families by:

• Linking military personnel to their families back home through an extensive and widespread emergency communications network;
• Mobilizing and deploying trained workers to provide emergency communication and other essential services that meet the requirements of military personnel deployed into areas of conflict overseas; and
• Reaching out to members of the National Guard/Reserves and their families with information about American Red Cross services available to them.

When the U.S.A. prepares for or is actively engaged in war, the need for American Red Cross support to military families increases substantially.

Through our state-of-the-art, high-tech communication network, the American Red Cross is there 24 hours every day serving military members and their families worldwide. This network is composed of our 2 communication centers (Ft. Sill, Oklahoma and Falls Church, Virginia); 961 chapters located throughout the United States; and 108 offices on military installations worldwide.

In most deployment locations American Red Cross offices are open around the clock. The Red Cross also visits hospitals and remote locations bringing comfort and a touch of home.

Hundreds of chapters have been very busy briefing departing service members and their families on Red Cross services available to assist them during the deployment.

Members of the National Guard and Reserves may access services through their local Red Cross chapter.

The American Red Cross supports the men and women of the United States military and their families. It would not be correct to say we support the military.

Our staff who deploy to military installations are civilians who do not carry weapons. They accompany the armed forces without actually being members of the armed forces and provide emergency communication and other essential services to service members and their families.

To preserve the Fundamental Principle of neutrality, our staff serving on military installations overseas restrict their operations to on-base activities.