Vet News: Scholarships for Military Children Program Enters Fifth Year

FORT LEE, Va., Nov. 2, 2004 -- The fifth year of Scholarships for Military Children is now underway.

Administered by Fisher House Foundation and funded by the manufacturers and industry supporting commissaries, the program has awarded over $3 million through nearly 2,000 scholarships to the sons and daughters of active duty service members, Guard and Reserve members, and military retirees.

"The Scholarships for Military Children program has become a major community event for commissaries since its inception five years ago," said Patrick B. Nixon, chief executive officer for the Defense Commissary Agency. "The program awarded 500 scholarships in 2004 and ceremonies were held in commissaries worldwide in honor of these outstanding students. The industry members who support this program should be proud - and we hope the fifth anniversary year will be the best yet!"

Applications for the 2005 program are available at commissaries or online at http://www.militaryscholar.org.

A link to the program will be on http://www.commissaries.com, the DeCA Web site. Eligibility and other information are also available at the program Web site. Applications, which must include an essay on how the heightened awareness of terrorism has impacted the student’s life, are due at commissaries Feb. 16, 2005.

At least one $1,500 scholarship will be awarded at every commissary location with qualified applicants.

The scholarship program is open to unmarried children under the age of 21 (23 if enrolled in school) of active duty personnel, Reserve, Guard and retired military. Eligibility will be determined using the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System database. Applicants should ensure that they, as well as their sponsor, are currently enrolled in the DEERS database and have a current ID card.

The applicant must be planning to attend, or already attending, an accredited college or university full-time in the fall term of 2005, or enrolled in a program of studies designed to transfer directly into a four-year program.

The scholarship program can also accept public donations at http://www.militaryscholar.org.

The Defense Commissary Agency operates a worldwide chain of nearly 275 commissaries providing groceries to military personnel, retirees and their families in a safe and secure shopping environment. Authorized patrons purchase items at cost plus a 5-percent surcharge, which covers the costs of building new commissaries and modernizing existing ones. Shoppers save an average of more than 30 percent on their purchases compared to commercial prices - savings worth about $2,700 annually for a family of four. A core military family support element, and a valued part of military pay and benefits, commissaries contribute to family readiness, enhance the quality of life for America’s military and their families, and help recruit and retain the best and brightest men and women to serve their country.

SOURCE: VNIS