Fry scholarships benefit children of those killed in action
A new law has expanded the benefits of the Post-9/11 GI Bill to include children of active duty members of the Armed Forces who have died in the line of duty.
To qualify, students must be at least 18 years old.
“The Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship extends the benefits of the GI Bill to the children of those active duty soldiers, sailors and airmen who gave their lives in the line of duty after Sept. 11, 2001,” said James Baldwin, assistant dean of academic affairs and director of enrollment services at Pitt-Bradford. “It honors those brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.”
Eligible children attending post-secondary institutions may receive up to the highest public, in-state undergraduate tuition and fees, plus a monthly living stipend and book allowance.
Eligible children are entitled to 36 months of benefits and have 15 years to use the benefits following their 18th birthdays. The benefits can be applied to either undergraduate or graduate coursework.
The Veterans Administration began accepting applications for the benefit May 1 and will begin issuing payments to eligible children by Aug. 1.
In addition, Baldwin noted that the law is retroactive to the beginning of the Post-9/11 GI Bill, which became effective Aug. 1, 2009. That means that students whose parent died in the line of duty can apply to receive the benefit for the 2009-10 school year as well as the 2010-11 school year.
Pitt-Bradford was named to the G.I. Jobs’ 2010 list of Military Friendly Schools and is a participant in the Yellow Ribbon program, which fills the gap between an out-of-state veteran’s tuition and the in-state amount, which is covered by the G.I. Bill.
For more information on any of these programs, call the toll-free number 1-888-442-4551, visit the VA GI Bill website at www.gibill.va.gov or contact Baldwin at jlb20@pitt.edu or (814)362-7602.
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