Veterans Day is right around the corner. Traditionally, the Student Loan Ranger uses this time to inform service members and veterans about their student loan options. However, this year, we thought we’d feature some insight from veterans on paying for education instead.
The Ranger’s parent organization, American Student Assistance ®, is committed to helping members of our country’s military eliminate finance as a barrier to education — and all the dreams education enables. Of course, many positive experiences come from military aid as well. In our online community, we asked those who have been helped by this aid to share their stories to raise awareness of these military benefits and all they can do.
Here are a few responses, which have been edited for length and style.
[Discover these higher education benefits that support service members and families.]
Tuition Waivers for Free College
“Every year while in the Air Force, I went through my Officer Performance Report and got the same feedback: ‘ You need to get an advanced degree. ‘ And every year, I put it off.
“There was always an excuse. The biggest was that the military’s tuition assistance program, which maxed out at $4,500 per fiscal year, wouldn’t cover enough of the tuition at many of the schools I was looking to attend. It wasn’t until my service ended that I found a program that helped me get the advanced degree I needed — at little cost to myself.
“Talking with a coworker, I was clued into the fact that some states offer free tuition for veterans. Connecticut , my home state , has a program called the Veterans Tuition Waiver for in-state universities and colleges, including U niversity of Conn ecticut, the Connecticut State Universities, as well as 12 c ommunity- t echnical c olleges.
“Once accepted to the degree program, I contacted the veterans’ office at UConn and was asked to provide a copy of my DD214 — separation papers — and proof of residency, as well as some personal details. After that, I simply fill out a form each semester indicating what courses I’m taking, and the tuition is removed from my bill. I haven’t had to spend more than five minutes each semester to go to school for free.”
– Mathew Eucalitto, served four years on active duty in the U.S. Air Force, followed by four years as a reservist
ROTC Helps Students
“One of the proudest moments in my 22-year Army career occurred at the Eastern Illinois University commencement ceremony. Standing on stage in my dress blue uniform, I had the honor of raising my right hand and administering the Oath of Office to the graduating ROTC cadets being sworn-in and commissioned as Army officers.
“It was exciting watching them simultaneously earn their degrees and start their careers as Army officers. I knew for many of them, though, neither of those things would have been possible without the scholarships and other financial aid available through the Army, Illinois and other great sources.
[Find scholarships that help veterans pay for college.]
“At Eastern Illinois University, I had the ability to nominate high-performing students for Federal Army ROTC scholarships. These scholarships were awarded for two , thr ee or four years and allowed the student to apply the funds to either cover tuition or room and board , which even included off-campus rental housing.
“This choice in where to apply the funds allowed students to combine Army scholarships with other scholarships and aid to truly get a 100 percent ‘ free ride. ‘ In the end, over 80 percent of the students in my program attended the university with free tuition, free room and board or both!”
– Eric Savickas, retired military officer and former chair and primary instructor for the leadership-focused Department of Military Science at Eastern Illinois University
National Guard and the GI Bill
“No one in my family ever attended college before. When I was considering the decision to go to college, I quickly realized that being from a lower middle income family, school was going to be a large financial burden.
“When I found out that the National Guard would help me pay for school, fulfill my desire to serve my country and ease the burden of college expenses, it was an easy decision to make. So that May, before even graduating high school, my father drove me down to the base and ‘ signed me over. ‘
“The following September, I attended college for the first time. At first, I commuted from home, which was 25 miles away. After making the varsity soccer team, I found a room with a few of the older guys on the team , which was only a few miles from school. This is where the GI Bill first helped me out.
[Read more about what veterans need to know about GI bill benefits at for-profit colleges.]
“Although it wasn’t much, the GI Bill was able help me pay my expenses to live near school. I didn’t have to spend so much time on the road, paid for my rent, paid for car insurance and even had a few dollars leftover for incidentals.
“When I looked around at my peers, I didn’t know anyone else who paid their own rent and expenses while going to school, and it gave me a great sense of pride that I was doing it all by myself.”
– Craig Desmarais, an American Student Assisstance employee who served 14 years in the Massachusetts Air National Guard as a munitions systems specialist, attaining the rank of technical sergeant
More from U.S. News
Student Loan Relief, Higher Ed Benefits for the Military
10 Things Veterans Should Look for in a College
Student Loan Deferments Benefit Veterans, Service Members
Military Aid Helps Veterans Pay for College originally appeared on usnews.com
