1SG Chris Brown 153870 <div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I had the opportunity to volunteer today at the Armed Forces Retirement Home (AFRH) - Washington, in Northeast Washington DC during a celebration of the Army's 239th Birthday. It was a real eye opener for myself and my Brigade CSM who had never really given the AFRH a whole lot of thought. But maybe we all should, especially us enlisted Soldiers. Does everyone realize that they pay $.50 every month to support the AFRH? Or that all monies deducted as a result of Article 15s go to support the homes? If you don't know the qualifications for living there later in your life, it's worth looking into; I found it very interesting.<br /><br />I see this as a huge benefit to our servicemembers that isn't discussed much except maybe once or twice in a career, and even then probably not very much in depth. Does anyone else have experience working with the AFRH? I'm looking at making them my primary volunteer location.<br /><br />I had the opportunity today to talk to the lone Pearl Harbor survivor who lives at this particular home. He is a veteran of WWII, Korea, and Vietnam and retired as a First Sergeant before I was born. Truly humbling to participate with these veterans today! 2014-06-13T23:18:05-04:00 1SG Chris Brown 153870

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I had the opportunity to volunteer today at the Armed Forces Retirement Home (AFRH) - Washington, in Northeast Washington DC during a celebration of the Army's 239th Birthday. It was a real eye opener for myself and my Brigade CSM who had never really given the AFRH a whole lot of thought. But maybe we all should, especially us enlisted Soldiers. Does everyone realize that they pay $.50 every month to support the AFRH? Or that all monies deducted as a result of Article 15s go to support the homes? If you don't know the qualifications for living there later in your life, it's worth looking into; I found it very interesting.<br /><br />I see this as a huge benefit to our servicemembers that isn't discussed much except maybe once or twice in a career, and even then probably not very much in depth. Does anyone else have experience working with the AFRH? I'm looking at making them my primary volunteer location.<br /><br />I had the opportunity today to talk to the lone Pearl Harbor survivor who lives at this particular home. He is a veteran of WWII, Korea, and Vietnam and retired as a First Sergeant before I was born. Truly humbling to participate with these veterans today!

2014-06-13T23:18:05-04:00 2014-06-13T23:18:05-04:00 PO1 Private RallyPoint Member 153873

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Often the best gems are hidden in plain sight! Can't speak for the other services...but I do recall a few dollars coming out of my pocket (AKA article 15 fine) being forwarded to such a place.....

2014-06-13T23:19:43-04:00 2014-06-13T23:19:43-04:00 1SG Private RallyPoint Member 154008

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>1SG, thank you for some very insightful information. I was aware of the existence of the AFRH but had never seen one nor did I know that AR15 funds went to support them. I'm going to do a bit more research to locate one near my family so when I get back I can take the kids on a "staff ride"!<br /><br />How many AFRH are there? I hope all of them are really nice facilities considering .50 from every service member's paycheck every month goes to supporting it (ballpark figure ~ 1.3 million active duty x .50 = $650,000 a month, $7.8 million annually).

2014-06-14T01:56:39-04:00 2014-06-14T01:56:39-04:00 SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA 500303

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>1SG, thank you for enlightening me. I hadn't realized that the AFRH was an actual place. When our Drill Sergeants were explaining our first LES's, they definitely spoke as if it were just a bogus deduction with no actual benefit to anything more specific than the United States Treasury.

2015-02-26T18:46:53-05:00 2015-02-26T18:46:53-05:00 MSgt John McGowan 2535158

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>1SG. Never had a chance to do that. But I am not close to one. I have looked them up on the internet and that&#39;she about all I know about them. It has to be a great program.

2017-04-30T10:48:35-04:00 2017-04-30T10:48:35-04:00 SFC David Reid, M.S, PHR, SHRM-CP, DTM 4916854

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Not many!

2019-08-14T20:51:24-04:00 2019-08-14T20:51:24-04:00 2014-06-13T23:18:05-04:00