Scholarships
for Military Children
application deadline Feb. 18
by
Adam Austin
FORT
LEE, Va. – There’s still time to submit an application to
the Scholarships for Military Children program. The deadline for
the $1,500 scholarships is Feb. 16 and all applications must be
delivered to the commissary by the close of business that day.
At least one scholarship will be awarded at every commissary
location with qualified applicants.
The
application can be downloaded through a link on the front page
of www.commissaries.com
or downloaded directly from www.militaryscholar.org
and filled out by hand or on the computer. Copies of the
application are also available at commissaries worldwide.
DeCA
program liaison Edna Hoogewind stresses that students should put
emphasis on writing the essay portion of the application. “In
past years the essay has been a key factor in deciding among the
many outstanding applicants,” said Hoogewind. This year’s
topic is “How has the heightened awareness of terrorism
impacted your life?”
Students
who are not hand-delivering applications are advised to use a
delivery method that supplies a return receipt. Applicants may
visit www.militaryscholar.org
and click on the “Verification of Receipt” section.
Scholarship managers will respond to “Verification of
Receipt” e-mails until June 15.
Applicants
should check all materials carefully for simple things, like
making sure the application is signed or that it’s the 2006
application, not one from previous years.
The
scholarship program is open to unmarried children under the age
of 21 (23 if enrolled in school) of active duty personnel,
including Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve, and retired military.
Eligibility will be determined using the Defense Enrollment
Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) 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
2006, or be enrolled in a program of study designed to transfer
directly into a four-year program. Additional instructions can
be found on the application or at www.militaryscholar.org.
Fisher
House Foundation, a nonprofit organization best known for
building comfort homes near military medical facilities,
administers the Scholarships for Military Children program.
Scholarship Managers, a professional firm that has handled more
than 400 programs, screens applicants and awards scholarships.
Neither Fisher House nor DeCA is involved in the decision
process.
The
Scholarships for Military Children program is in its fifth year
and has awarded nearly 3,000 scholarships and more $3 million
since the first scholarship was awarded. Scholarships are
primarily funded through the voluntary donations of the various
manufacturers, brokers and suppliers that sell products in
commissaries. The general public can also contribute through a
link at www.militaryscholar.org.
- DeCA -
The Defense Commissary
Agency operates a worldwide chain of nearly 280 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 32 percent or more 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.
