A non-profit group’s offer of $150 towards the rising cost of gas for Air Force and Space Force enlisted troops proved to be so popular that it will run out of money today, just hours after opening for applications, according to the group.
The Air & Space Forces Aid Society, or AFAS, announced the program last week and opened an online application portal Monday for a one-time grant to eligible airmen and guardians between the ranks of E-1 and E-6.
According to a description on an AFAS flyer for the program, “This grant is intended to help eligible service members offset the rising cost of gas.” The money would be deposited directly into airmen’s and guardians’ bank accounts.
Chad Britton, a spokesman for AFAS, told Task & Purpose that “strong response” blew through the program’s funding cap several times Monday, and the application was set to close at 3 p.m. Eastern Time. The program’s flyer said the group hoped to keep the program open all week.
“We worked closely with our Military & Family Readiness Center partners to make this support available directly to eligible Airmen and Guardians, and demand quickly exceeded expectations,” said retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Ed Thomas, the chief executive officer for AFAS.
AFAS is the official charity of the Air Force and Space Force, and runs a number of aid programs for service members, including cash grants for family emergencies and other circumstances.
The strong demand for the gas vouchers is a sign of the financial pressures that military families continue to face, Thomas said in a statement to Task & Purpose.
“AFAS is continually evaluating new and innovative ways to support service members and their families, particularly during periods of financial strain,” Thomas said, “Thanks to the generosity of partners across the national security community, we can provide support during a time when many need it most. If that support continues to grow, we will look for opportunities to further extend programs like this in the future.”
Gas prices have been rising since the start of U.S. military operations against Iran on Feb. 28. Iran has since largely closed the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which nearly 20% of the world’s oil transits.
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As of Monday, the national average price for regular gas was $4.52 per gallon, according to the American Automobile Association. That is down about six cents from last week, but still well above this time last year, when the national average cost for regular gas was $3.135. Some states, such as California, Nevada, and Alaska, have seen the average cost of regular gas spike over $6 per gallon.
Pay across the military is standardized between services and troops in the E-3 grade with up to three years’ experience earn $3,015 per month, according to the Defense Department. A service member in the E-6 pay grade with up to eight years of service is paid $4,235.70. Service members are also eligible for other pay, such as a Cost of Living Adjustment and Basic Allowance for Housing.
“As additional funding opportunities become available, AFAS may explore reopening similar pilot programs or introducing new forms of targeted support for Airmen, Guardians, and their families,” Britton told Task & Purpose.
Other service-related charities
Officials with charities associated with the Army and Coast Guard told Task & Purpose that they have not introduced programs specifically aimed at rising fuel costs, but do offer several forms of financial assistance. Officials with the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society did not immediately respond to an inquiry.
The Army’s official charity, Army Emergency Relief, or AER, already helps soldiers pay for gas and other expenses, said spokesperson Sean Ryan.
“There is no deadline as it is based on soldiers’ needs, and they can go to our website to apply without chain of command approval or visit one of our 70 locations worldwide if needed,” Ryan told Task & Purpose on Monday.
So far this year, the group has provided 1,500 soldiers a total of $600,000 in financial assistance for both gas and food, compared with $2.1 million the group distributed to 5,600 soldiers for similar expenses in 2025, Ryan said.
Operation Homefront, a non-profit that helps military families, also has existing programs to provide resources during times of financial uncertainty, said Amber Myszka, the group’s spokeswoman.
“While we haven’t stood up any sort of ad-hoc program to address rising fuel prices specifically, our Critical Financial Assistance Program helps bridge financial shortfalls, while our recurring family support programs like Holiday Meals for Military (scheduled across the country and throughout the year) provide some relief to military families’ grocery budgets and free up those funds for use elsewhere,” Myszka said in a statement to Task & Purpose.
